The local police and army were now conducting search in the region as there might be some armed group that wanted to disturb security
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The car accident in which two employees of copper and gold mining company PT Freeport in Papua were killed was intended by the perpetrators to create a pessimistic atmosphere in the region, an official said.

"It is certain that a particular armed group wanted to create a pessimistic atmosphere in the region," Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said at a press conference here Monday.

The government strongly condemned the attack and was deeply concerned about the incident, Darwin said.

The local police and army were now conducting search in the region as there might be some armed group that wanted to disturb security, he said.

"We hope that the police and the army could arrest the suspects and therefore it would restore the optimism of the employees of PT Freeport Indonesia as well as contractors or companies in the region," Darwin said.

Asked about the security guarantee, Darwin said it was certain that it was the company`s obligation to guarantee the security of its employees, especially those in the remote place.

However, the government keeps investigating the accident as and also guarantees the security for everyone in the state, Darwin said.

The minister is still waiting for further report from the police and the army about the accident.

The victims, security manager Daniel Manawan and security superintendant Hari Siregar were reported killed in a burnt car on Thursday evening (April 7).

According to the police report, some bullet holes were found on some part of the vehicle.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011