11 research outputs found
Freeport and the Suharto Regime, 1965-1998
In 196 7 the transnational mining company Fre e p o rt was the first foreign company
to sign a contract after Sukarno was sidelined by Suharto. Eventually, Freeport-
McMoRan Copper and Gold, through its subsidiary PT Fre e p o rt Indonesia, came
to operate the biggest gold mine and lowest extraction-price copper mine in the
world in the isolated mountains of the Indonesian province of West Papua. It
also became politically and economically significant to the Suharto regime. In the
absence of the central government, the American mining company became the de
facto developer and administrator of its concession in West Papua while in the
United States it served as an important political lobby group for Jakarta. With
Freeport becoming the largest taxpayer in Indonesia, one of the largest employers,
and eventually running one of the largest socioeconomic programs in the
republic, it was described by Suharto as essential to the nationâs economy. Freeportâs
importance encouraged the development of mutually beneficial and supp
o rtive relationships between the company, the Indonesian president, his military,
and the nationâs political elite. In return, Freeport was politically and physically
protected by the regime. Eventually, Freeportâs financing of the president and his
croniesâ interests in the company threatened to see Freeport violating the United
Statesâ Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.
Today Freeportâs past relationship with Suharto has made it a high-profile target
for anticorruption reformers in Indonesia. Because of the pivotal economic
role the company continues to play in Jakarta and West Papua, any question of
future independence for the province will be inextricably linked to the company
Aung Myint.
Twenty-one years in jail for writing and distributing a pamphlet. This was the sentence that the Burmese juntaâs military court handed down to Aung Myint, a Burmese poet, journalist and member of Aung San Suu Kyiâs National League for Democracy (NLD).Australia Council, La Trobe University, National Library of Australia, Holding Redlich, Arts Victori