Freeport Thingy Part 2: Conversation

Kami, seluruh peserta forum IYC diberi tahu kalau american embassy akan memberikan presentasinya pada sore-malam hari. Saya bersemangat menunggu acara ini. Bukannya kenapa, sebagai orang yang belum pernah ke luar negeri dan cuma pernah ngobrol dengan segelintir orang luar negeri, saya bener2 pengen tau tentang perspektif mereka mengenai indonesia. Saya tahu kalau peserta yang lain pun juga memiliki passion yang sama.

Waktu pun tiba. Jujur saja, saya ga begitu konsen pas american embassy-nya, Mr. Arrend, presentasi tentang "youth Activity in America". gimanaa gitu, kayak rasanya kalah penting sama yang ada di kepala saya yang pengen saya tanyain...presentasi beliau bagus juga sih, tentang gimana anak2 muda di amerika. Perspektif saya nambah satu; ternyata ga semua yang saya liat di film2 hollywood ttg pergaulan org2 amerika itu bener. ternyata (katanya) ga se-lebay itu, ga se-parah itu. hmm, saya jadi menganalogikannya dengan kehidupan anak sma di Indonesia yang suka digambarkan scr 'lebay' oleh sinetron2.

Tiba pada Q&A session. Hampir semuanya pengen bertanya. Akhirnya dibagi dalam 3 term. Saya ga dapet term pertama. oke. Pikir saya: kalo nasib bisa nanya ya pasti ntar nanya. Pertanyaan2 temen2 yg lain smuanya nyambung2 sama topik presentasi, dan semuanya kedengeran 'high-class', ya iyalah, pertanyaannya berkisar: gimana cara summer course di amerika, gimana caranya saya bisa contact american embassy untuk kerjasama, dll. hueh, saya panik, takut salah.

 Karena saya duduk di paling depan, saya bisa ngeliat muka semua panitia. Panitia yang kemarin ngobrol sama saya ttg freeport (baca Freeport Thingy Part 1: Brainstorm) ngasih kode seperti "kamu tanya aja", saya bales, "kan ga nyambung, takut salah", dijawablagi "ih, gapapa, mumpung ada kesempatan loh". wah iya juga ya, mumpung ada kesempatan.

akhirnya pas term 2 saya angkat tangan lagi, dan saya kepilih. saya diminta mengajukan pertanyaan setelah teman saya (saya penanya ke 2).

FYI penanya sebelumnya isi pertanyaannya nyambung sama topik.

berikut (kalo ga salah) kata2 yang saya ucapkan. Saking tiba-tibanya, saya ga sempet buat note dulu dan dibawa (kayak yang lain), jadi saya sok2an bawa kertas kosong biar seakan2 well prepared.

"Good evening, Sir. Let me introduce myself. I'm Rinna Santi Sijabat, call me santi, I'm a student in Institut Teknologi Bandung, majoring Chemical engineering."

dia nyela: wow, you're a science student, what specialty, sorry?

saya: chemical engineering, sir.

dia: okay, so what do you want to ask?

saya: first of all sir, i ask your apologize, because my questions will only touch a little part of your presentation, or can be out of topic.

dia: wo oh, i am open for any question.

saya: well sir, i have 2 questions here.

First, is about your perspective through my country. I know America is such a superpower developed country, and my country, still, developing. You said before, you've been here for a year right? Of course you've seen many news about Indonesia, especially about all problems that always being the headlines in news. I myself ashamed with these, but I also, still, proud for being an Indonesian for many reasons. May you give me your country's opinion about problems in my country? what problem do you think most distracting? and how will you or your country cover it if it comes to yours?

Secondly sir, it's about resources in Indonesia (sebenernya ini intinya sih, yang tadi itu preface doang, biar ga langsung loncat gitu, hehe). We all know that my country has many kinds of nature resources, and there are lands are contracted by your country to be extracted. Well, let's go bold, I'm talking about Freeport, Sir.

As we know, Freeport has a 50 year contract with Indonesia to explore coal in Papua land. Based on the contract, Freeport pays taxes for the coal to Indonesia as a payback. Until now, people think that it's fair. But, sorry to say, sir, in my sight as a chemical engineering student, it's not fair at all. What freeport gets and what it gives is unbalance. We lose more than we get.

Why I can say like that, sir? because in my study, I know that coal in earth never stand alone, there must be a kind of dump integrated with it. and in earth, the dump is Gold. Coal will integrated physically with gold, and all the scientist must know that there will be much more dump than the mine itself. So there is more gold than coal included in Papua land. Freeport gets both of them, buat it just pays taxes for the coal. where are the fairness here, sir? I heard your country has a good justice and uphold honesty, but where are justice and honesty here, sir?

Yeah, I know that Freeport, company belongs to Your country, also gives big salary for Indonesian, good facility and accomodation, and also scholarships for their children and the indigineous people there. many of my friends' parents work there. But it is STILL not enough, sir. You get more of it. As if it is enough to pay taxes for gold, let me remind you about the enviromental and psychological effect that freeport has done. The environment surround the mining area is distracted and polluted, because what I heard that freeport doesn't count the enviromental effect caused by their action. As I see from google picture, the mining area is getting worse now, a hill now become a valley, logging in many sectors.Psychological effect, Freeport makes most indigenious people in Papua being distracted because they don't feel as the owner of their own land. Most people there don't get the wealthy as your employee get. These all is priceless, sir.

From your presentation, you make us believe that we are the agent of change in my region. Yes, we know that. But how can we become the agent of change, if my region has been broken NOW? what will my next generation get from they own land if problem like this can't be stopped? where are the care? we are still developing, let us develop, and please help us, at least not to get too much benefit from us, if you care. Where are the equalty? we don't get any. Please warn your companies, sir. My suggestion, i hope american embassy can share my words through your country, so that freeport can be wiser before refresh its contract, eventhough I prefer it finishes the contract soon.

That's all sir, thank you.

bersambung ke Freeport Thingy Part 3: Answers