University students oppose mining in protected forests
University students oppose mining in protected forests
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Medan, North Jakarta
Hundreds of students from the University of North Sumatra (USU)
rallied at the provincial legislature and gubernatorial offices
on Thursday to protest against the central government's plan to
grant licenses to mining companies operating in protested
forests.
The students demanded that the governor and the legislature
issue a regulation banning all mining in forests across the
province, citing the environmental damages caused by mining.
"Open pit mining in protected forests violates Law No. 41/1999
on forestry and Law No. 5/1990 on natural resources
conservation," chairman of the university's School of Forestry
Student Association Fajar Suryono said.
He warned Jakarta against violating the legislation and
demanded that it review its decision.
The central government is awaiting the House of
Representatives' response to its decision to allow 22 companies
to operate in protected forests across the country, and is
currently processing the permit for another 124 firms. The
government said these companies had signed contracts before the
forestry law came into force.
One of the 22 companies awaiting House approval is PT Sorikmas
Mining, a foreign investment company which holds a concession in
Mandailing Natal regency.
There are two firms operating in North Sumatra which are among
the second batch of mining companies seeking House approval to
start operations, namely PT Horas Nauli in South Tapanuli regency
and PT Dairi Prima Mineral in Dairi regency.
A company will be given a permit if it wins the support of the
local government.
"If the licenses are easily issued, we will be facing a
serious threat of environmental damage to our forests. We care
for nature, not for our own interests but for the sake of the
ecosystem," Fajar said,
The deputy chairman of the local legislature's environment
commission, Adil Sirait, met with the students and told them the
legislature would convey the students' demands to Jakarta.
Head of the provincial forestry agency Prie Supriyadi
confirmed the presence of a mining company in Mandailing Natal,
but said it was still engaged in prospecting.
"This company has secured a central government license to
conduct prospecting activities, but we have yet to issue a permit
allowing them to begin operations here. They cannot operate in
protected forest, in fact," Supriyadi said.
He said he supported the students' demand, saying around one
million hectares of protected forest in the province had been
seriously damaged so far.