Indonesia loses Rp 3.3 trillion due to illegal gold, coal mining

Indonesia loses an average of Rp 3.3 trillion (about US$395 million) per year due to illegal gold mining in 13 provinces and illegal coal mining in three provinces, Antara news agency reported quoting a government official on Tuesday.

?The losses exclude environmental destruction, pollution and other forms of damage whose impact is far greater than the material losses,? Muzani Syukur, chairman of a team in charge of implementing Presidential Decree No. 25/2001 on eradicating illegal mining, fuel oil abuse and electric power theft, said in Bengkulu on Tuesday.

Muzani said the widespread illegal mining activities were inseparable from the reform euphoria, weak law enforcement, and state officials? poor performance.

The reform euphoria had caused more and more people to have the courage to engage in illegal mining and demand their rights over mining businesses in their areas, he said.

It was impossible for the government to take stern measures against illegal miners because many people were involved in illegal mining activities, he said.

?Around 75,000 people currently engage in illegal mining, if each of them has four family members to feed, will we take action against all of them?? he said.

It was their backers that must be sternly dealt with, he said. (*)