More protests against mining operations in protected forest areas
Tuesday, July 8 2003 - 02:17 AM WIB
In Central Kalimantan, at least 16 non-government organizations (NGO) directed their protest to the provincial council. In their meeting with council chairman SA Fawsy Bachsin in Palangkaraya Monday, representatives of the NGOs demanded coal miner PT Maruwei Coal-BHP Billiton and gold producer PT Barito Intan Mas to stop their activities in Bukit Batikap protected forest areas in North Barito regency, Kompas daily reported on Tuesday.
Moreover, they said that the companies had contributed less to the welfare of the Central Kalimantan people.
Meanwhile, five universities Monday issued a joint press statement to oppose the government?s decision to allow the resumption of projects of the 15 mining firms. They were Bandung's Institute of Technology (Bandung), Gajah Mada University (Yogyakarta), Mulawarman University (Samarinda), Hasanudin University (Makassar) and Lampung University (Bandar Lampung), Tempo daily reported.
They called on other countries and international organizations to support opposition to mining projects in protected forest areas.
After protracted debates with the House of Representatives (DPR), the government last month decided to allow 15 mining firms to resume their operations in protected forest areas. The 15 firms are PT Freeport Indonesia Papua, PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara, PT International Nickel Indonesia, PT Indominco Mandiri, PT Aneka Tambang, PT Karimun Granite, PT Nusa Halmahera Minerals Maluku, PT Natarang Mining Lampung, PT Meares Soputan Mining, PT Nabire Bakti Mining, PT Meratus Sumber Mas, PT Weda Bay Nickel, PT Gag Nickel and PT Citra Palu.
Protests against the decision have been aired by various organizations ever since. Several NGOs said that they were ready to file a lawsuit against the government and DPR.
In response to their protests, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that the government?s decision on the mining projects was based on the current forestry law, Law No. 41/1999. Moreover, DPR had approved the decision, he was quoted by Kompas as saying.
The forestry law bans open-pit mining operations in the protected forests, but a clause in the law allows such operations provided that both DPR and the government approve them.
The 15 companies were among the 22 mining concession holders who had obtained mining contracts before the forestry law was issued in 1999. Contract areas of the 22 companies are mostly located in eastern provinces. (*)