Gold rush in C. Java village

Gold rush in C. Java village

PURWOKERTO, Central Java: About 400 Gumelar villagers in the
Banyumas regency have abandoned their farms in order to become
gold miners in the Cihonje pine forest.

They said that if they were lucky they could find about 10
grams of gold a day after digging several deep wells. They could
sell it for Rp 77,000 (US$5.85) per gram to local traders.

Suparno, 53, acknowledged his work was dangerous as landslides
could occur at any time because all of the villagers used
traditional, unsafe mining techniques.

"This a grace from God because many of us are jobless now,"
said Syarifuddin, a Gumelar resident.

Forestry officials tried to stop the miners when they first
invaded the site last week but gave up because the villagers
resisted so violently.

"We are now only asked not to destroy the forest," said
Syarifuddin. (45)