REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Coordinator of Freeport Nationalization Front (FNF) Ide Bagus Arief said, the government was powerless in facing PT Freeport Indonesia's proposal to extend the contract. According to Ide, Indonesia today was not much different from the colonial era, because there was intervention of foreign capital, such as Freeport.
"This situation brings Indonesia back to the colonial period. Our country is now completely colonized (by Freeport)," said Ide, in a press release received by Republika.co.id, Wednesday (8/12 ).
Gold exploitation by Freeport in Papua since 1967, he added, only give less benefit to people of Papua in particular and also people of Indonesia. Of the total production of PT Freeport Indonesia, Indonesia was only benefited from nine percent stake and one percent royalty.
"It's been 48 years that PT Freeport Indonesia rob and ruin Papua," he continued.
Freeport's gold and copper mine certainly did not contribute to the welfare of people of Papua. He said it could be seen that Papua province was still poor and backward.