House team to allow four mines to proceed in protected forest<\/p>\n
Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
A special team formed by the House of Representatives
\nhas agreed to permit four mining companies to resume open-pit
\nmining operations in protected forests.<\/p>\n
\"The four mining companies can definitely resume their
\noperations. The special team made the assessment based on the
\nimpact of their explorations on the environment, their amount of
\ndeposits, and their post-exploration reclamation efforts,\" team
\nmember Achmad Harvizi Kurnain told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The team comprised legislators from the Commission III for
\nforestry and agriculture and Commission VIII for energy and
\nmineral resources; environment; science and technology.<\/p>\n
Documents made available to The Post say the four companies
\nare PT Gag Nickel in Gag island, Papua province, PT Weda Bay
\nNickel in Tabobo, Maluku province, PT Nusa Halmahera in Central
\nHalmahera, Maluku province, and PT Citra Palu Minerals in Palu,
\nCentral Sulawesi province.<\/p>\n
They are among 22 mining companies recently proposed by the
\ngovernment to be allowed to resume open-pit mining operations in
\nprotected forests.<\/p>\n
Forestry Law No. 41\/1999 bans open-pit mining operations but a
\nclause in the law allows such operations provided there special
\npermits have been issued by the House.<\/p>\n
The documents also indicate that the team has delayed
\nassessing the government's proposal regarding four other
\ncompanies because of a lack of data specifying the locations of
\ntheir contract areas. These four companies are PT Westralian Atan
\nMinerals, PT Kelian Equatorial Mining, both located in East
\nKalimantan, PT Meares Soputan Mining in North Sulawesi, and PT
\nArutmin Indonesia in South Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
The team is still studying the government's proposals with
\nregard to the remaining 14 firms.<\/p>\n
Mining investors have raised concerns about the 1999 Forestry
\nLaw as it was implemented after many of them had conducted
\nexpensive exploration in areas that were later designated as
\nprotected forests.<\/p>\n
Reports said that some 150 companies had been affected by the
\nruling.<\/p>\n
However, the ruling has gained a warm welcome from
\nenvironmentalists who consider that open-pit mining operations
\nare too dangerous to the environment and cause severe damage to
\necosystems. Despite the claims by mining companies that they can
\nrestore their mining areas through reclamation, experts believe
\nthat reclamation is not able to restore the environment to its
\nformer condition.<\/p>\n
The Ministry of Forestry was initially strongly opposed to any
\nproposals to allow mining companies to operate open-pit mines.
\nBut, it recently toned down its opposition given strong pressures
\nfrom other ministries, particularly the Ministry of Energy and
\nMineral Resources, and investors.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Forestry regretted the special
\nteam's decision to grant Citra Palu, which is owned by Anglo-
\nAustralian mining giant Rio Tinto, a license to resume operation
\nas the company was operating in a highly protected conservation
\nforest, namely Taman Hutan Raya Proboya Peneki in Palu<\/p>\n
\"There's no chance whatsoever for mining companies to operate
\nin a conservation forest,\" said Koes.<\/p>\n
Koes added that the company had previously been rejected by
\nPalu residents, who feared the exploration would affect the
\npurity of water in the provincial capital of Palu.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/house-team-to-allow-four-mines-to-proceed-in-protected-forest-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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