Illegal gold miners protest heinous acts at Pongkor

BOGOR (JP): Hundreds of illegal miners working at gold-rich Pongkor Mountain thronged the Bogor Council building on Monday, complaining about violent measures they had suffered from security officers of mining firm PT Aneka Tambang.

Coordinator of the protest Abdul Mutholib said the security officers -- after apprehending the illegal gold miners -- did not only beat them, but also forced them to perform homosexual acts in front of them.

"What they were doing to the miners was just inhumane," Abdul said.

None of the Aneka Tambang officials could be reached for comment about the claim aired by the illegal miners, who for years have disturbed the operations of the firm. Dozens of the illegal miners, including those from Lampung and other parts of Java, have been buried alive inside the so-called "mouse holes" they made in the body of the mountain.

During the protest, the illegal miners were received by Commission A for administrative affairs chairman Soleh Benyamin and member Aris Suwirya; and Commission B for economic affairs deputy chairman Wawan Risdiawan and member Siti Umiyati Ningsih.

Grouped in the Traditional Gold Craftsmen's Forum (FPET), the protesters also told the councillors that the mining sites in Block Cepu had frequently been excavated with the use of explosive devises by Aneka Tambang in the past month.

Protester Abas requested that Bogor councillors give the illegal miners some sort of chance and protection in order to mine gold in the area.

"There are hundreds of illegal miners in the area of Pongkor Mountain," Abas said.

Another illegal miner, Jhoni, added that there were about 1,000 miners in the area of Pongkor Mountain before the blasts, but that since then only 400 were left.

Councillor Soleh promised that he would soon arrange a meeting with representatives of PT Aneka Tambang to discuss the matter.

Poorly equipped gold miners have risked their lives digging shafts in the Pongkor area to collect earth from which the gold is extracted.

Pongkor Mountain has become a mass grave for scores of unauthorized miners over the past few years.

However, this has not stopped others from filling their places, as migrant miners flock from the West Java towns of Sukabumi, Pelabuhan Ratu and other provinces such as Lampung and North Sumatra. (21/ylt)