The House of Representatives urged on Tuesday the government to revise the contract of work with gold mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia because the contract had violated the 1967 law on foreign investment and the country's Constitution.
The House didn't provide further explanation on which part of the investment law was violated, but it said that the government must make a new contract which would allow the Irian Jaya people to benefit from their rich mineral resources and improve their welfare.
Freeport has an extensive gold mining site in the Irian Jaya Province.
The recommendation was made after a group of legislators from the House's commission I on social and political affairs visited the Irian Jaya province.
The commission I said that there has been human rights violation and serious economic injustice in Irian Jaya. The commission said that this has prompted demands for a separation from Indonesia.(*)