Freeport Continues Supporting Empowerment Program

Timika, Papua, Jan 12 (ANTARA) - PT Freeport Indonesia will this year continue providing full support to the Amungme and Kamoro People`s Development Institute (LPMAK) - a program to empower Papua`s indigenous people, according to a local official. LPMAK`s Deputy Executive Secretary III Yohanis Arwakon here on Thursday said the indigenous people`s empowerment program would benefit seven tribes in Mimika District, Papua Province. According to him, LPMAK`s programs focused on three fields, namely education, health, and the people`s economic empowerment. The implementation of the programs was supported by PT Freeport Indonesia through partnership funds. In 2010, LPMAK received Rp400 billion from PT Freeport Indonesia to carry out the programs. Some people are worried that this year`s financial assistance from PT Freeport might decrease due to the company workers` strike that lasted for three months. PT Freeport`s production had returned to normal over the past one month after a new concentrate pipe was installed on Tanggul Barat, a Mimika lowland area.