Protesters burn PT IMN?s mining facilities in East Java
Saturday, July 2 2011 - 03:00 AM WIB
A group of residents burned mining equipment and other mining facilities at a gold mine operated by PT Indonesia Multi Niaga in Banyuwangi, East Java as conflicts between illegal miners and the company was escalating, Kompas reported on Saturday.
A team of local police closely guarded the mining area after about a hundred of people believed to be illegal gold miners burned mining equipment in the mining site on Tuesday.
The mining company?s area manager Tumpangpitu said that the company suffered financial losses worth at least Rp 6.2 billion due to the burning of the company?s mining equipment and facilities at the mine?s base camp.
The local police said that a number of local residents, believed to be involved in the unrest , had been arrested for further investigation. (*)