North Barito officials, IMK accused of human rights violation

The independent environmental watchdog, Walhi and the mining watchdog Jatam accused on Friday security officers and gold mining firm PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK) of human rights violation in the North Barito regency in Central Kalimantan.

The two organizations said in a joint press statement that some houses owned by the local traditional gold miners in the Luit Raya area in Tanah Siang and Pertama Intan sub districts, North Barito regency were destroyed in a joint raid made by the local police and administration.

Villagers, believed to be organized by IMK, also participated in the raid conducted early on Wednesday morning.

Walhi and Jatam, quoting witnesses, said the attacked was made at four in the morning when the traditional Dayak people were still asleep.

Witnesses said that the policemen, armed with riffles, forced the people out of their houses and threw away their belonging.

Some of the villagers were picked up by trucks, and then transported by speedboat, believed to be owned by IMK, to the local police headquarters.

The houses were later destroyed by tractors also believed to be owned by IMK.

Walhi and Jatam said that this was a very serious human rights violation.

The two said that the move was made to implement the presidential decree No 3./2000 issued to curb illegal mining activities in the country.

But Walhi and Jatam said that the Dayak people were not illegal miners, but they were traditional miners who had been doing mining activities for generation in the area.

Walhi and Jatam demanded the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the National Police, and IMK to be responsible for the attack on the Dayak people.

Villagers had occupied part of the IMK mining sites for months in a protest to demand the company pay a compensation for the land acquired by IMK, and for the environmental damage caused by the company's operation.

The government had been trying to seek a resolution to the problem but so far had failed. (*)