Buyat Bay case needs serious attention

Buyat Bay case needs serious attention

The Buyat Bay issue has been a hot topic these past two weeks.

However, no party has claimed responsibility for pollution in
the bay. This country is suffering from an old illness: It cannot
see the culprits even though it could -- if it wanted to.

The issue started when a non-governmental organization
discovered that a number of people living near the bay in South
Minahasa district, North Sulawesi province, were suffering from
skin diseases.

Blood tests showed that some had high levels of mercury in
their blood.

Public opinion then turned against the subsidiary of U.S.-
based Newmont Mining Corp, PT Newmont Minahasa Raya, accusing it
of causing the pollution by dumping its tailings in the bay.

The company, however, denied the accusation, pointing an
accusing finger at illegal miners as the culprits.

Subsequently, State Minister of the Environment Nabiel Makarim
entered the fray, saying that waters in the bay did not contain
dangerous levels of mercury.

As the decision-makers engaged in debate, the number of Buyat
residents suffering from a variety of diseases increased.

How did they contract those diseases? Is it true that Newmont
Minahasa Raya is not behind the pollution? These questions need
thorough investigation, to reveal just how the company manages
its waste.

If these questions remain unresolved, people will see that
certain interests are behind all the accusations and denials.

What is sad is that the state minister is too busy engaging in
debate to seek a proper solution to the problem.

The fate of Buyat residents should not be determined by debate
but immediate action. -- Media Indonesia, Jakarta