A freeport mine worker killed when demanding higher wages

NDONESIAN security forces opened fire on thousands of striking workers at Freeport-McMoRan' s gold and copper mine early yesterday, killing one man and critically wounding six, a union official said.

Police said it was too early to comment and officials from Arizona-based Freeport were preparing an official statement.

Workers at the Grasberg mine in West Papua kicked off a strike on September 15, demanding pay increases to $17.50 to $43 an hour from the present $2.10 to $3.50 an hour. About 90 per cent of the mine's 12,000 employees are taking part.

Union leader Manuel Maniambo said thousands of striking workers headed to the mine in the mountains by bus and by foot to try to stop replacement workers.

When security forces tried to block them, they became angry, throwing rocks and yelling insults, he said.

The troops opened fire, killing one worker and leaving another hospitalised in critical condition, Mr Maniambo said.

A man named Hanseba died in hospital of gunshot wounds and six others were seriously injured. It remains unconfirmed whether Hanseba is an employee of Freeport.

When workers walked off their jobs for eight days in July - also over low wages and the dismissal of union leaders - the mine suffered production losses of 4 million pounds of copper and 7500 ounces of gold daily. That affected the company's revenue by $30 million a day, analysts said, and the same was expected this time.

Demonstrators had reportedly demanded that Freeport halt its operations until the dispute was resolved and asked to meet Freeport's Indonesian chief executive, Armando Mahler.

Instead the person that came down to the protest site was the company's vice-president for community relations, Demianus Dimara. Mr Dimara was not able to hold any discussions with demonstrators because of the clash.

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