135 miners seek permits to operate in protected forests

At least 135 mining companies are seeking for the government's approvals to resume their mining activities in protected forests following the issuance of the regulation in lieu of law (Perpu 1/2004) recently, Investor Daily reported on Monday.

Julius Bobo, a member of the Commission VIII of the House of Representatives, which is charge of mining and investment, said in Jakarta on Saturday that the 135 mining companies were part of the 150 companies which had been asked to stop their mining activities in protected forests following the issuance of the new forestry law in late 2002.

Thirteen of these companies had been allowed to resume their activities following the issuance of the Perpu I/2004. "If the 135 companies met all the criteria set by the government, they should also be allowed to resume their activities in the protected forests," he said.

The new forestry law introduced by the government two years ago prohibits open-fit mining operations in protected forests. This law has drawn controversies because the mining concession areas awarded to the 150 mining companies have overlapped with the protected forests. As a result, all of them had been forced to halt their operation.

The Perpu I/2004 which received an approval from the House of Representatives recently was proposed by the government to exempt the 13 companies from the ban. The government has said that the ruling was necessary to prevent it from being sued by the affected mining companies. (*)