Foreign movement suspected behind mining protests
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Mines and Energy Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has blamed the involvement of an "international movement" on growing protests against Indonesian mining operations.
The minister said here on Friday that the international movement used old land disputes, the environment and wage issues as means to provoke local residents or workers to carry out hostile action against the mining companies.
"There is a suspicion of the involvement of an international antimining movement behind the growing conflicts in mining operations," he said.
The retired three-star general did not name the group but said the body usually used old conflicts and environmental issues to provoke local residents and workers with the main purpose of closing down the country's major mining operations.
Bambang said he was always hearing complaints of such movements during his visits to various mining operations across Indonesia. "It's a covert movement, through the use of pamphlets, with the aim of stopping mining operations," he told reporters at his office.
Bambang said that most of the demands made by the locals from the mining companies were old issues which had been settled years ago.
This phenomenon, he said, occurred at the same time and nearly everywhere. "This indicates something planned and organized," he said.
Bambang was referring to conflicts at gold mining operator PT Newmont Minahasa Raya in North Sulawesi and coal mining firm PT Kaltim Prima Coal (KPC) and gold mining company PT Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM), both in East Kalimantan.
Local residents have demanded that Newmont and KEM pay more compensation for land acquired by the mining firms during the early years of their operations. The companies refused to comply with the demand as the compensation payment had been settled a long time ago. The operations of the two companies were halted for several days after the residents blocked access roads to their mining areas.
Newmont managed to strike a deal last month while KEM is still edging toward a final settlement, although the blockade has already been lifted.
Unlike the two companies, KPC has been forced to halt its coal mining operations due to the protests not by the villagers but its workers, who demanded, among other things, a 15 percent salary increase.
The workers went on strike in mid June and have since forced KPC to shut its operation by occupying the company's mining plant.
KPC had to halt its operation twice in five weeks due to faltering negotiations with the striking workers, but a senior government official said on Friday that talks had resumed.
Another frequent issue, brought up by many non-governmental organizations (NGOs), concerns alleged environmental damage that mining companies were causing.
These organization charge mining companies with poisoning the environment with their mining waste material, which destroys local ecosystems and causes health problems to residents nearby.
Among the vocal NGOs is the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi), which has taken a stern position against several major mining operations here, including giant gold mining company PT Freeport Indonesia.
According to Bambang, the key to solving disputes with locals lied in the role and the willingness of the local government to facilitate and mediate negotiations.
"In addition, companies should be willing to engage in dialogue with their surrounding communities, while security forces should uphold the law in cases of security disturbances," he added. (bkm)