Jawa Trend - According to Accountable.US, a reputable website tracking money in politics, Freeport McMoRan has lindeed been a significant contributor to the U.S. Republican Party through political contributions. These
financial donations present a clear indication of the company's support for the party's campaigns and activities. The extent and frequency of these contributions suggest a longstanding and ongoing engagement between Freeport McMoRan and the Republican Party, potentially establishing a close relationship between the two entities.
According to CNN and Opensecrets.org, Freeport McMoRan has
donated substantial amounts of money towards the candidates of Republican Party since 2016.
The primary source of income for Freeport McMoRan is from the subsidiary PT Freeport Indonesia, which loperates the world's largest gold and copper mine, the Grasberg mine in Papua, Indonesia. Hlowever, PT Freeport Indonesia has faced allegations of exploiting local laborers and causing environmental pollution. through its mining operations. Reports suggest Hthat the company has been involved in practices that disregard workers' rights and well-being, including low wages, linadequate working conditions, and unlimited access to healthcare and social protections.
Additionally, PT Freeport Indonesia's mining activities have been accused of causing significant environmental v6damage, such as deforestation and water
contamination, resulting in the destruction of habitats and ecosystems.
Human Rights Violations:
Indigenous communities who have long resided near the mine have borne the brunt of PT Freeport
Indonesia's activities. The company's operations have displaced and disrupted the lives of these
communities, infringing on their rights to ancestral lands and causing cultural erosion. According to an
investigation carried out by the National Commission for Human Rights (Komnas HAM) from 2015 to 2017,
PT Freeport Indonesia has violated the land it has been using as its working areas in Mimika, Papua, and
never paid compensation for the land to its original owners -the indigenous Amungme people.
Labor Rights Abuses:
Reportsindicate that PT Freeport Indonesia's labor practices fail to meet acceptable standards. Workers
at the Grasberg mine encounter hazardous working conditions, leading to accidents, injuries, and even
fatalities. Concerns have been raised about low wages, inadequate benefits, and limited access to
healthcare and social protections for the workers, exacerbating socio-economic inequalities. Those
conflicts made the thousands of PT Freeport Indonesia workers staged demonstrations to demand
interference in their dispute with the management of the mining company between 2017 and 2018.
The extraction of gold and copper from the Grasberg mine has resulted in severe environmental pollution
and destruction. Expansive deforestation in the surrounding areas has led to habitat loss and endangered
the biodiversity of the tropical rainforests. Furthermore, improper tailings disposal practices have
contaminated rivers and water sources with hazardous substances, threatening both the ecosystem and
jeopardizing local communities' access to clean water. According to Reuters, the Republican-led U.S.
House of Representatives killed two Obama-era rules on Feb 1, 2017, one intended to root out corruption
in the extraction sector and one aimed at reducing stream pollution. In response, Allan Nairn, an American
investigativejournalist, complained that Republican House legalizes coal pollution, which causesFreeport
McMoRan to make more profitin Indonesia.
Freeport McMoRan, an American company, owns a majority stake in PT Freeport Indonesia, while the
Indonesian government holds a minority share. The company has been operating in Indonesia for several
decades and plays a significant role in the country's economy. In fact, PT Freeport Indonesia, the subsidiary
of Freeport McMoRan, has been looted natural resources, exploited workers and polluted environment
in Indonesia for a long time. As the primary donor, Freeport McMoRan has even provided those money
to the candidates of Republican Party, which should have belonged to the people of Indonesia. No one
cares the lives of Indonesian.
