Freedom fighters
p. 49 · Read in the full issue
“Ok Tedi active across border’’
The so-called Provisional Revolutionary Government of West Papua New Guinea, which is fighting against Indonesian control of Irian Jaya, has accus ed the Ok Tedi Development Company of planning to steal copper resources lying to the west of the Papua New Guinea border. It says the richest copper ore deposits in the area are west of the border.
In a press release it says that Ok Tedi personnel have been found as far as three days walk inside the border, and that they have begun work on road and bridge construction on the ter ritory of Irian Jaya (described by the PRG as “West Papua New Guinea”).
Accusing PNG Prime Minister Michael Somare of having become “a lapdog of Australian neo-colonialism”, the press
release asks: “Has the Somare government made a secret deal with the Indonesians to steal West PNG’s resources?”
The press release assures workers on the Ok Tedi site that they will come to no harm “pro viding they remain on the PNG side of the border”. But it warns OK Tedi management and workers that “any buildings, roads or equipment established in West PNG will be destroyed”.
The PRG “affirms that it will not tolerate multi-national thieves, not Freeport, nor the Ok Tedi company”.
The movement in August claimed successful sabotage ac tion against a section of the Ertsberg copper mine pipeline in Irian Jaya. The mine is owned by Freeport Indonesia Inc, a sub sidiary of Freeport Minerals Co of New York.