Gag Island people demand govt to allow mining in local forest

The Gag Island people in Irian Jaya has demanded the government to change the status of the local forest from protected forest into production forest, which would allow open pit mining activity in the area.

Village head Abdul Kahar Teng said that the forest initially had a forest production status but the government changed it into a protected area in 1999.

According to current regulation, no open pit mining activity is allowed in protected forest area. This has caused trouble to mining firm PT Gag Nickel, which is owned by BHP and state-owned mining firm Aneka Tambang, which actually obtained the license to mine in the area prior to the change in the status of the forest.

Kahar also called on Gag Nickel to immediately start its mining plan, addint that the company had helped the local people.(Amoros)