12 November 2010

Papuan students reject Obama visit, demand closure of Freeport

Tribunnews.com - November 9, 2010

Alie Usman, Jakarta -- Scores of Papuan students from the Papuan Student 
Alliance (AMP) have again protested against the visit by US President Barrack 
Obama who is scheduled to arrive this afternoon. They are urging and calling on 
Obama to cancel his visit to Indonesia.

The protesters, who gathered in front of the Freeport office in the Kuningan 
area of South Jakarta, plan to continue holding actions by closing off one lane 
of Jl. Rasuna Said. In addition to rejecting Obama's visit, the protesters also 
demanded that the PT Freeport Mc Moran Gold & Cooper mine in Papua be closed 
immediately.Action coordinator Rinto Kogoya said that the various problems occurring in 
Papua need to be understood in the context of the interference by and role of 
foreigners, particularly the US, which continues to exploit Papua's riches and 
as the cause of crimes against humanity in Papua.

"Our aim is clear, we are demanding that Freeport be closed. Then sever 
bilateral relations with America in the military field. On this occasion we are 
also declaring our opposition to Obama's visit, which will not provide anything 
for the reform of America".

In speeches, they also urged the Indonesian government, the US and the United 
Nations to take responsibility for the political conspiracy that took place in 
1969. Not only that, as an expression of their disappointment with the country 
and also against the US, they called on the government to end bilateral 
cooperation with the US in the military field.

[Translated by James Balowski.]

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