Mining concession comes under fire<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Center for Environmental Law
\n(ICEL) attacked the government Saturday for allowing a coal
\nmining firm to control 100,000 hectares of a Kalimantan national
\npark.<\/p>\n
ICEL executive director Mas Achmad Santosa charged that the
\ngovernment had, once again, violated the laws it made to protect
\nforests and the natural riches therein.<\/p>\n
Santosa said the 1989 decree jointly issued by the minister of
\nmines and energy and the minister of forestry strictly banned
\ncommercial mining activities in protected forests.<\/p>\n
"The exceptions are non-commercial activities, such as
\ngeological surveys conducted in efforts to learn more about
\npotential natural disasters in a particular forested area," he
\ntold The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The permit for PT Dwipangga Sakti Prima to exploit 100,000
\nhectares of the 200,000 hectare Kutai National Park in East
\nKalimantan has reportedly been issued by the mines and energy
\nministry.<\/p>\n
The park is one of the world's few remaining tropical rain
\nforests, often dubbed the "lungs of the world." Since it was
\nproclaimed a national park in 1982, the park has lost about
\n50,000 hectares, mainly due to human encroachment.<\/p>\n
The controversial plan has also met strong objections from
\nlocal environmentalists and UNESCO, which uses the protected
\nforest for research activities.<\/p>\n
Santosa said under 1985 Law No. 5 on forest protection, PT
\nDwipangga Sakti Prima's manager was liable to a 10-year
\nimprisonment term. The public officials that issued the permit
\nare liable to legal action through the State Administrative Court
\nby individuals or legal bodies affected by the policy.<\/p>\n
He said the Kutai Park affair was not the first in which the
\ngovernment breached rules on protected forests.<\/p>\n
In another instance, he said, a permit for a mining activity
\nwas issued by the wrong ministry without approval from the office
\nof the state ministry for environment and the Indonesian
\nInstitute of Sciences as required by law.<\/p>\n
"The case in point is the permit issued for a mining company
\nto exploit minerals in the Lorentz protected forest, Irian Jaya,"
\nhe said, adding the permit was issued by the mines and energy
\nminister.<\/p>\n
ICEL called on the government to improve compliance with the
\nlaws on mining activities.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has three laws concerning mining in protected areas.
\nFirst, the Government Decree No. 28 of 1985 on protection of
\nforests. Second, the joint Ministerial Decrees of the mines and
\nenergy minister and minister of forestry issued in 1989 on Mining
\nactivities in forested areas. Third, the 1991 Joint Ministerial
\nDecree issued by the same ministries on application procedures
\nfor mining permits. (pan)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mining-concession-comes-under-fire-1447893297",
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