Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Saleh said security authorities would thoroughly investigate the shooting to death of PT Freeport Indonesia employees last week.

"We really wish this incident will be the last," he said here on Monday, noting that similar happenings had taken place several times in the PT Freeport concession area in the past.

He said the government through the office of the coordinating minister for political, security and legal affairs, continued making concrete steps including possibly adding more troops to the region to assure the safety of the employees of the US-based gold and copper mining company.

"This may not be ignored. We ask security authorities including the military (TNI) and the police to chase and arrest the perpetrators," he said.

Darwin said the government was obliged to maintain investment climate including security.

Freeport speaker Ramdani Sirait said the incident did not affect Freeport production. "The location of the incident is far from the location of mining operations," he said.

He said right now the police were still conducting forensic identification in connection with the incident.

"The management and employees of Freeport expressed their deep condolences over the incident and deeply missed them," he said.

Two Freeport security employees namely Daniel Mansawan and Hari Siregar were found dead after their car was burden at Tanggul Timur Mil 37 MA 220 leading to Kampung Nayaro in the district of Mimika, Papua, on Thursday night.

Based on police identification some shooting marks were found on the body of the car.

Daniel Mansawan was buried in Timika while Hari Siregar in Jakarta.

(SYS/H-YH/S012)

Editor: Suryanto
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