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