Mining associations call for more serious efforts to curb illegal mining

Indonesian mining associations have urged the government to more seriously reduce illegal mining activities in Indonesia, Suara Pembaruan daily reported Monday.

“No doubt, the government has done a lot to curb illegal mining. Its efforts have not been that effective, however,” the paper quoted as saying PL Coutrier, chairman of Indonesian Mining Association.

Coutrier said illegal miners were mostly found in the coal mining sector because mining for coal was comparably much easier. The government actually knew those which supported illegal coal mining, he said.

Illegal miners normally operated in mining locations awarded by the government to investors, Coutrier said.

Meanwhile, the chairman of Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI), Bambang Susanto, agrees, saying that powerful parties and individuals were behind illegal mining operations in the country. He did not identify them, however.

“We really hope that the government will be more seriously give attention to the matter. We are willing to provide the government with necessary information,” Bambang said.

Illegal coal and gold mining projects are rampant in Kalimantan and Sumatra, while illegal gold mining activities are found in the two islands and other areas like North Sulawesi and West Java.

In West Sumatra, state coalminer PT Tambang Batubara Bukit Asam stopped open-pit mining operations and started to focus on underground mining due to the presence of illegal miners.

Indonesia’s reform euphoria had caused more and more people to have the courage to engage in illegal mining and demand their rights over mining business in their areas. (*)