National

US Ambassador to Indonesia Wants Newmont Suspects Released
Wednesday, 29 September, 2004 | 00:33 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Unites States Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph L. Boyce told Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri during a meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (27/09) that the US government was worried about the police’s plan to arrest PT Newmont Minahasa Raya (PT NMR) president director Richard Ness, who is also a US citizen.

According to Boyce, the plan to arrest Ness is unnecessary.

Ness has been named as a suspect in the pollution case in Buyat Bay, Minahasa, North Sulawesi, which is assumed to have involved PT NMR.


Boyce said he was convinced that the Indonesian government would take the best solution as regards settling this case.

According to him, it is too early to conclude that this case will affect foreign investment in Indonesia.

“I believe investment in Indonesia still has good prospects,” he stated.

Boyce also requested the National Police headquarters to release all suspects of Buyat pollution case who are employees of PT NMR from jail.

“It is very obvious that these five people need not be detained. I hope they can be released immediately,” said Boyce after visiting the suspects at the National Police HQ office in Jakarta on Monday (27/09).

The five suspects include three Indonesians, David Sompie, Jerry Kojansow, Putra WIjayantri, an American, William “Bill” Long and an Australian, Phil Turner.

“I hope the request to delay the arrest can be accepted immediately as PT NMR has been supporting the investigation conducted by the National Police HQ,” Boyce stated.

According to Boyce, his government does not wish to intervene in the police investigation.

The US government even fully supports the prevailing legal procedure in Indonesia.

Therefore, he will wait for the result of the police investigation on the pollution in Buyat Bay.

“I’m convinced that this case will not have a negative effect on investment in Indonesia and that investment in this country will improve,” said Boyce. (Martha Warta & Sapto Pradipto- Tempo News Room)