By Rich Bowden
Img: Grasberg gold and copper mine. Credit: Alfindra Primaldhi
Indonesian law enforcement officials have confirmed that a security guard working at the giant Grasberg mine has been killed, one day after Australian Drew Grant was shot in an apparent ambush.
Twenty-nine-year-old Grant, worked for the US mining company Freeport McMoRan, the operator of the mine in the Indonesian province of West Papua which has been a cause for conflict with West Papuan separatist forces.
The second Freeport employee to be killed was named as Markus Ratealo by local media reports however there are claims it is unclear whether separatist forces or Indonesian law enforcement were to blame for the latest attack.
Australian Foreign Minister told reporters he had received assurances from Indonesian police that they are treating the deaths as a "matter of urgency" and an inquiry into the circumstances was underway.
"The Indonesian police have advised Australian officials that they are treating this matter as a high priority investigation," the minister said.
He added that Indonesian authorities had requested the help of Australian police in the investigation.
"That investigation has commenced by the Indonesian national police and [they] have requested the Australian Federal police to provide officers to Papua to assist in the investigation."
The minister said as a consequence of the request two Australian Federal police officers have arrived in Papua from Jakarta to assist in the investigation.
The ABC quoted Victor Yeimo, the chairman of the West Papua National Committee, as confirming that separatist activity was being carried out in the area at the time of Mr Drew's death.
"Yes, in the area where Drew was, it's clear that OPM did an attack in that area," he said.
"But it's unclear whether they hit Drew's car or not because that was not the only place where they did the attacks."
"They attacked in other places too, but far from Drew's car, so it's not clear whether the shots could hit Drew or not."
However some independent allegations have been raised over the possibility of the involvement of Indonesia's mobile police brigade (Brimob) in the killings as the company is considering replacing the brigade with private contractors, reports the ABC's AM program.
The Australian newspaper is reporting that Mr Grant's car had been sprayed with police or military-style weapons.
"It's clear they (the attackers) were using weapons belonging to the police or the military," the newspaper quoted Papua police chief Major General Ekodanto as saying.
"He was shot five times in the neck, chest and stomach from a distance of 25m. We're still investigating the case."
However the major general refused to speculate on a possible motivation for the attack.
Img: Grasberg gold and copper mine. Credit: Alfindra Primaldhi
Indonesian law enforcement officials have confirmed that a security guard working at the giant Grasberg mine has been killed, one day after Australian Drew Grant was shot in an apparent ambush.
Twenty-nine-year-old Grant, worked for the US mining company Freeport McMoRan, the operator of the mine in the Indonesian province of West Papua which has been a cause for conflict with West Papuan separatist forces.
The second Freeport employee to be killed was named as Markus Ratealo by local media reports however there are claims it is unclear whether separatist forces or Indonesian law enforcement were to blame for the latest attack.
Australian Foreign Minister told reporters he had received assurances from Indonesian police that they are treating the deaths as a "matter of urgency" and an inquiry into the circumstances was underway.
"The Indonesian police have advised Australian officials that they are treating this matter as a high priority investigation," the minister said.
He added that Indonesian authorities had requested the help of Australian police in the investigation.
"That investigation has commenced by the Indonesian national police and [they] have requested the Australian Federal police to provide officers to Papua to assist in the investigation."
The minister said as a consequence of the request two Australian Federal police officers have arrived in Papua from Jakarta to assist in the investigation.
The ABC quoted Victor Yeimo, the chairman of the West Papua National Committee, as confirming that separatist activity was being carried out in the area at the time of Mr Drew's death.
"Yes, in the area where Drew was, it's clear that OPM did an attack in that area," he said.
"But it's unclear whether they hit Drew's car or not because that was not the only place where they did the attacks."
"They attacked in other places too, but far from Drew's car, so it's not clear whether the shots could hit Drew or not."
However some independent allegations have been raised over the possibility of the involvement of Indonesia's mobile police brigade (Brimob) in the killings as the company is considering replacing the brigade with private contractors, reports the ABC's AM program.
The Australian newspaper is reporting that Mr Grant's car had been sprayed with police or military-style weapons.
"It's clear they (the attackers) were using weapons belonging to the police or the military," the newspaper quoted Papua police chief Major General Ekodanto as saying.
"He was shot five times in the neck, chest and stomach from a distance of 25m. We're still investigating the case."
However the major general refused to speculate on a possible motivation for the attack.
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