Pemprov cannot yet tame illegal miners
Tuesday, August 29 2000 - 02:30 AM WIB
South Kalimantan governor H.M. Sjachriel Darham admitted that "pemprov" could not yet solve illegal coal mining activities. The S. Kalimantan administration had formed two teams to deal with the illegal miners, but both teams could not yet handle illegal miners.
"I acknowledge that the two teams could not yet put (illegal miners) in order. The problem is the teams are facing the society," the governor said when receiving 22 military students from the Indonesian Military School (Sesko TNI).
He noted that the problems in handling illegal miners were that they were financed by big bosses called "cukong" that buy their coals. As long as demands continued to come, illegal mining would still be there.
He promised that the "pemprov" would take stern measures once it got the power to do so, especially after the implementation of local autonomy mandated by Government Regulation No. 25 (PP 25).
"On Nov. 6, 2000, South Kalimantan's Pemprov would take actions according to PP 25," he said.
He vowed to bring illegal mining activities in South Kalimantan to an end during his term as governor. (*)