NGOs reveal 'secret' report on PT Newmont

JAKARTA (JP): Non-governmental organizations criticized the Supreme Court on Friday for ordering a delay of execution of the local district court's decision to shut down a gold mine in North Sulawesi, saying the decision would be harmful to the environment.

They also revealed an official June 1999 report yet to be made public on environmental damages involving the mining company PT Newmont Minahasa Raya.

Deputy director of the Indonesian Forum for Environment (Walhi) Suwiryo Ismail said that the government should have taken advantage of the Tondano District Court's ruling in Minahasa, North Sulawesi, for the sake of the environment.

"The event (district court's ruling) should be used to disclose the environmental damage by Newmont that has been kept secret by the company and the government," Suwiryo told reporters in a press conference.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Sarwata issued the order to the head of the Tondano District Court on Tuesday, after the district court had ruled that Newmont must shut down its mine in Ratatotok by Sunday over a tax dispute between Minahasa regency and the company.

Chalid Muhammad, coordinator for the Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) said that the river near Newmont's gold mine site in Buyat Bay in Minahasa was polluted by acidic water from the mine.

While displaying some photographs taken by his organization, Chalid said that the pollution had caused skin rashes, itches and infections to local women who use the river water to wash clothes and children who always play in the river.

Chalid said that a joint team formed by former North Sulawesi governor, E.E. Mangindaan, last year revealed that Newmont's tailing disposal system should be reevaluated because toxic elements at the disposal site in Buyat Bay had reached an intolerable level.

Among the team members was the renowned toxicologist from the University of Sam Ratulangi, Manado, Rizal Max Rompas, Chalid said.

The team reported a significant presence of metallic substances such as mercury, lead, arsenic, copper, and cadmium.

The deaths of many fish have been reported since the disposal system started in 1996. Local fishermen have complained about their decreasing income from Rp 500,000 a month to only Rp 100,000, "if they are lucky", Chalid said.

The team also denied the presence of a thermocline, which is a layer that separates a body of water into different temperature zones. The condition prevents disposed materials from spreading and makes them stay in troughs.

Newmont claims a thermocline exists at the tailing disposal site in the bay.

"These facts have never been published despite their relevance to understanding the environmental situation," Chalid said.

Suwiryo said that the government and legislators were only concerned about protecting foreign investors' interests and ignoring the people's health.

Criticism against the Tondano District Court's closure order of the Newmont mine has come from Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri, economic observers and legislators.

"Contamination may take a long time before adverse effects become apparent," Suwiryo said.

"How can people only think of the money these kind of (environmentally ignorant) investors put into the country while people might be dying from the effects they cause?" Suwiryo remarked.

State Minister of Investment and State Enterprises Development Laksamana Sukardi said that the court ruling to close the mine could frighten off foreign investors. (08)