Indonesia: Leaders From Eastern Islands Take a Stand Against Mining

Fidelis E. Satriastanti Jakarta Globe 9 Mar 11;

Community leaders from eastern Indonesia called on the government on Tuesday to stop permitting mining on small islands and instead promote tourism and fisheries as more sustainable economic activities.

“We’re not poor, but our region has never been managed properly by the government,” said Yohanes Kristo Tara, a Catholic priest from East Nusa Tenggara.

“Our main possible sources of income are tourism, given the unbelievable natural beauty we possess that could even beat Bali if we were serious about developing it; livestock breeding, for which the province was once renowned; or fish farming, because of the abundance of fish here.”

Rather than develop those sectors, Yohanes said, the local authorities had instead been busy handing out mining concessions, with at least 307 issued this year alone, mostly for manganese and gold mining.

“President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono came to [the provincial capital] Kupang and talked about turning the province into a hub for food security or seaweed cultivation, yet why does the government continue to issue so many mining permits in coastal areas?” he said.

“Wouldn’t that threaten the fisheries sector? It just doesn’t make any sense to come up with one regulation and then issue policies that turn out to be the complete opposite.”

Yohanes said that overreliance on the destructive mining industry would not help the region develop sustainably.

“Almost all areas with mining concessions have a sad story to tell,” he said. “There’s no social welfare at all, the local residents don’t get anything.

“If we continue with this exploitation, then in maybe 20 or 30 years East Nusa Tenggara will be gone. Mining isn’t suitable for these islands because it threatens our water supply, causes erosion and destroys habitats.”

His call was echoed by Jefry Daeng, a resident of Obi Island in South Halmahera district, North Maluku, who said residents there wanted to return to their agrarian roots and did not want to live with the mining operations in the area.

“We live by the very simple philosophy that we’re already rich because we’ve been blessed with the spices grown on our lands,” he said.

He added opposition to the extractive industries began in the 1980s, when the island was already reeling from another destructive practice — logging.

“We were fooled [by the logging companies] with the promise of better lives,” Jefry said.

“Instead, we had to work long hours, with no job assurances or improved education,” he added. “So we paid for our education by growing spices.”

He said the bitter experience with the logging companies prompted the Obi Island residents to stage protests when mining companies began operating there in 2009.

“How long are they going to stay?” Jefry asked. “Thirty to 60 years, and after that they’ll leave, but what about those of us still living there?

“Ministers, district heads, governors — they’re all just public officials and they’re just going to be around for five years, but we’re the ones who will continue to live with the impact from the mining industry.”