Buyat under spotlight, temporarily

Buyat under spotlight, temporarily

Jongker Rumteh and Muninggar Sri Saraswati, Buyat Bay, North Sulawesi

It has been unusually hectic for people living around Buyat Bay
in North Sulawesi over the past few weeks.

Ministers and legislators have descended upon the remote
village of Buyat Pantai, to visit their shabby houses, most of
which have no running water or electricity.

A number of villagers say they are pleased that such
distinguished guests from Jakarta and Manado are visiting, as it
has prompted local authorities to rebuild village infrastructure.

"They repaired the roads and put waste bins in our village.
They also planted some coconut trees along the coast," a
fisherman said.

During the press visit to the bay -- which was organized by PT
Newmont Minahasa Raya (NMR) recently -- several workers were seen
installing a waste bin and upgrading the main access to the
village, also known as Lakban, some 120 kilometers east of the
provincial capital of Manado.

The coast looks clean and beautiful, and the coconut trees
sway gently in the breeze. A number of children, some of whom
display skin ailments, are playing.

"We do appreciate the visit of all these important people.
But, will it change our lives?" another fisherman, Chris, said.

Some 60 families here have come under the media spotlight
since four villagers reported PT Newmont Minahasa Raya mining
firm to the police for alleged metal pollution, which they claim
caused them to suffer numerous diseases.

Despite the media hype, Chris, 46, says life is not as
comfortable as it was 10 years ago.

"More people are suffering strange diseases, while we cannot
see the doctor for treatment as we don't have any money. It's not
easy to catch a lot of fish now," he said.

He recalled that 10 years ago he had been able to catch
hundreds of kilograms of healthy fish within hours.

"Now, I can only bring home dozens of kilos after hours of
fishing. Worse, some of the fish can't be sold as they are
obviously diseased. People reject them," he said.

Many of the fish, particularly kerapu (grouper), swell up. If
a swollen fish is cut, it secretes bad-smelling black liquid.

A researcher with the Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI)
said the lumps were most likely tumors, which are usually found
in fish living in polluted waters.

Environment minister Nabiel Makarim, who has repeatedly said
there is no metal pollution in the bay, refused to eat the
swollen fish offered by locals during his visit to the village
last week.

Although he can no longer send his two children to school,
Chris says he thanks God for his family's survival.

"My wife has a skin condition that effects her legs, while I
often suffer terrible headaches. But it's not a strange disease,"
he said.

By "strange disease" Chris meant the lumps that some of his
neighbors have on their bodies.

Arif, another villager, suspects the decline in fish and the
spread of the "disease" has something to do with PT NMR, which
disposes of tailings in Buyat Bay.

"Because, all the incidents occurred after the company came
here," he argued.

Currently, most of the residents living around the bay are
relying on food aid from the North Sulawesi administration.

But Chris said the people could not depend on aid forever.

"They visit us and donate some aid packages, or provide free
medication. But as soon as they leave, we must pay for
everything.

"We need to return to fishing and catch as many fish as
possible. Could the visitors do something to make that happen?"
he said.