NGOs challenge open-pit mining

NGOs challenge open-pit mining

JAKARTA: A coalition of non-governmental organizations and 81
individuals have petitioned the Constitutional Court to annul Law
No. 19/2004, which allows open-pit mining by 13 companies in
conservation forests.

Adi Widyanto from the Mining Advocacy Network said on Tuesday
that the law would cost the country more than it would benefit
from the open-pit mining.

The law was passed by the House of Representatives, which
previously opposed the legislation when it was still a government
regulation in lieu of law.

The NGOs are also questioning the justification put forward by
the government of President Megawati Soekarnoputri when issuing
the regulation in lieu of law.

The court will hear on Wednesday the arguments of 12 of the
companies that have won concessions to conduct open-pit mining in
the conservation forests. -- JP