15 Feb 2014

Komnas HAM releases findings of Papua Freeport mine cave-in

9:47 am on 15 February 2014

Indonesia's National Commission on Human Rights, Komnas HAM, has released its findings regarding serious human rights violations in the Freeport big Gossan tunnel cave-in that claimed the lives of 28 workers in Papua.

Komnas HAM commissioner Natalius Pigai says the gravity of this case is serious.

He told kompas.com that the mining multi-national, Freeport, had the ability to prevent this from happening but didn't, and the lack of effort jeopardized the lives of others.

Mr Pigai has suggested the government follow up the commission's report by thoroughly investigating the incident to uncover any indications of negligence.

The Big Gossan training facility at Freeport's Grasberg mine collapsed on May the 14 last year, trapping 38 workers inside a tunnel during a safety course which left 28 people dead and another 10 others injured.