National Police Admit Receiving ‘Meal Money’ from Freeport

October 29, 2011

National Police Admit Receiving ‘Meal Money’ from Freeport

The National Police chief Gen. Timur Pradopo admitted on Friday that police members who guarded the Freeport-McMoRan mining site at Papua received money from the US mining company, describing the fees paid to the police personnel as “meal money” that could be audited and accounted for.

While Timur acknowledged that the government had already allocated funds for the Police to maintain security in Papua, he insisted that the money given by Freeport was justified as police members who were deployed to carry out special security measures, such as in the Freeport Mining area in Papua, were doing exceptionally difficult tasks.

“[The money] is given directly to Police members in the field and it is given to assist with the difficult situation there,” Timur told reporters on Friday.

“All operations, especially security operations at vital projects, are funded by the government. [But] if the recipients of the security give “meal money” directly to the officers, especially in difficult circumstances, I think [the money] could be accounted for,” Timur said.

Critics denounced the police for receiving money from the private sector, citing the possibility that the Police could compromise their independence as they might be seen as acting in the interest of those providing the money, not the Indonesian people, when carrying out their duties.

Benny Kabur Herman, the House Commission III chairman from the Democratic Party, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the House would summon Timur regarding the Freeport money received by Police officers in Papua at the next House meeting.

Ahmad Yani, a lawmaker from the United Development Party (PPP) in the House Commission III overseeing legal affairs, disagreed with the Police chief, arguing that no police officer should accept the money, as “discriminative” law enforcement activities and unfair treatment of Papuans could occur as a consequence.

“Ideally, the Police should not receive such money. All the Police’s operational costs are funded by the state –that’s the government’s responsibility,” Ahmad said.

On Monday, Mulia Police chief Adj. Comr. Dominggus Oktavianus Awes was shot dead in an attack that is suspected of being revenge for the Police’s alleged “biased” law-enforcement activities in the province.

The police pointed the finger at the Free Papua Movement (OPM) as being responsible for the shooting. While the OPM officially denied the charge, the organization threw the challenge back at the Police by describing Mulia Police chief Dominggus as one of “those who must take responsibility for the series of crimes against humanity in Puncak Jaya”.

PT Freeport Indonesia, a US-based mining company that operates the world’s largest gold mine at Grasberg, West Papua, has frequently been at the centre of controversy since it revealed that it spent millions of US dollars for Indonesian government-provided security measures.

According to PT Freeport Indonesia’s financial reports, the company’s spending on government-provided security measures had increased significantly from US$ 8 million in 2008 to $ 10 million in 2009 and a massive $ 14 million last year in 2010.

In 2010, a diplomatic cable leaked by Wikileaks also revealed that Freeport paid the Indonesian Military (TNI) and the Police to secure mining activities in the restive province.

By giving such huge sums to the TNI and Police, the company has been heavily criticized by many for “funding” the human rights violations, killings, torture, intimidation and injustice that are prevalent in Papua, allegedly carried out by the TNI and Police officers. (sat)

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