DPRP member under arrest for 'illegal mining' of nickel on his own land

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Eco-Terrorism

DPRP member under arrest for 'illegal mining' of nickel on his own land
By
Sep 2, 2008, 17:57

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The head of the Kawey Traditional Council (Dewan Adat Kawey) who represents five traditional groups - marga - who own the land in Daat, Arempele, Ayello, Gimla and Ayei has called for the release of Daan Daat, a member of the provincial assembly, DPRP and Director of PT Kawey Sejahtera Mining (KSM) who was arrested by the local police for alleged 'illegal mining'. They said the security forces should take action against companies and the government which were deliberately trying to create horizontal conflicts among the people.

He said that the Papuan provincial government and leaders of Raja Amapat district and related companies should recognise the rights of local tribes instead of intimidated them. The Constitutional Court should undertake a judicial review of the decision of these bodies to issue licences to companies that ignored the rights of the people who have traditional ownership of the land. According to the provisions of the Special Autonomy Law, such rights should be formally acknowledged,
along with the rights of the local people to exploit their own natural resources.

They pointed to the existence of two companies, ASP or ASI which had already been exporting nickel, while KSM which was granted a licence to exploit nickel in their area on the island of Waigeo had not been allowed to do so.

The initiative taken by the local community to exploit the nickel was based on their rights according to OTSUS which according to one of their leaders has turned out to be nothing more than a 'sweetener'. In fact when the people went ahead and started to exploit the nickel which was
on their land, they were confronted by the police and punished.'Where are our rights as promised by the government?' they asked.

Isaac Arempeley, a traditional land owner said that his people would never surrender their land to anyone, whereas people like Daan Daat had been victimised for mining on his own land.

On 1 September, the same newspaper reported that Daan Daat had been in hospital since 11 August because of kidney trouble and asthma. His daughter Adriana said that she was seeking justice for her father who had been arrested for exploiting nickel on his own land because the
police alleged that he did not have a licence to do so. 'We will not remain silent, and will act in defence of our dignity and for the rights of my father.' The other companies were being allowed to mine the nickel and had already taken produce away twenty times.

When she last met her father in 28 July, he told her he had been charged with illegal mining. When asked where his licence was, he said that he had a licence which had been been issued in accordance with the stipulations of OTSUS. 'So what is the meaning of OTSUS now,' she said,
adding that her father had himself was involved in drafted the OTSUS law.

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