RIO TINTO

That this House expresses deep concern that a British company, Rio Tinto, benefits as a joint venture partner from the operations in West Papua of the US mining company, Freeport McMoran, while the Papuan people enjoy minimal benefits from the exploitation of their gold and copper; notes that in 2005 Freeport paid US$1.2 billion to the government of Indonesia while the World Bank reported that 38 per cent. of Papuans live in poverty; is concerned by reports of Indonesian military abuses in the vicinity of the mine and of payments by Freeport to military personnel; notes that calls by Papuans for the contract of work between Freeport and the Indonesian government to be revised, in consultation with the Papuan people, have been rejected; and calls on the Government to encourage Rio Tinto to press for renegotiation of the contract so that the interests of the Papuan people are taken fully into account.