Protesters attack Newmont camp (Indonesia)

By Grace Nirang and Arijit Ghosh, Jakarta
March 20, 2006

NEWMONT Mining, the world's largest goldminer, says protesters burnt an exploration camp on Indonesia's Sumbawa Island. No one was injured.

The company's $US2 billion ($A2.7 billion) Batu Hijau gold and copper mine, about 60 kilometres from the exploration camp, was unaffected by the attack yesterday, a spokeswoman said. Sumbawa is about 1000 kilometres east of Jakarta.

"We had evacuated all the employees there and halted activities since yesterday, as we had heard information of a planned attack," Nunik Maulana, PT Newmont Pacific Nusantara's spokeswoman, said. "Until now it's not clear who were the attackers and what are their demands."

Protests and attacks against overseas miners have increased this year. Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc, which runs the world's biggest gold and the second-biggest copper mine in Papua province, suspended operations at the Grasberg mine for three days on February 22 after demonstrators blocked the road leading to the site. Demonstrations against Freeport have continued. Four security officials were killed on March 22 in Papua's capital by protesters. <snip>

http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/protesters-attack-newmont-camp/2006/03/19/1142703218242.html