WALHI assists Bonepantai residents in defending living space from mining
Gorontalo (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (WALHI) Gorontalo has committed to assisting the community of Bonepantai District, Bone Bolango Regency, who are rejecting the mining activities of PT Celebes Bone Mineral (CBM) in the region.
Defri Sofyan, the Executive Director of WALHI Gorontalo, stated in Gorontalo on Monday that this assistance is being provided to safeguard the aspirations of residents who have rejected mining activities from the outset in order to protect their living space.
“We declare our stance that the advocacy movement we are currently conducting is truly born from grassroots aspirations,” said Defri.
He explained that WALHI Gorontalo began assisting the Bonepantai community in 2024 following requests and invitations from residents expressing concerns regarding company activities and permits, ranging from production business licences to exploration licences.
According to him, the assistance is conducted to voice the rights of the Bonepantai community and is not based on intervention from any other party.
During the assistance process, WALHI, alongside residents, has been conducting field visits to inspect former exploration sites, map the impacts complained of by the community, and monitor residents’ aspirations in formal forums with relevant agencies and the Gorontalo Provincial DPRD (Regional House of Representatives).
WALHI and the community have attended three Hearing Meetings (RDP) with the Gorontalo Provincial DPRD and relevant agencies to present various issues of concern to the residents.
Defri noted that residents have raised complaints regarding flash floods and landslides, which they suspect are related to the existence of former exploration drill holes.
Currently, he said, WALHI’s assistance is focused on strengthening the community in facing the planned preparation of the company’s Environmental Impact Assessment (Amdal) documents, as the exploration licence for PT CBM is set to expire in October 2026.
Previously, the public consultation agenda planned by the company did not take place following the residents’ rejection.
Defri stated that WALHI continues to assist residents to ensure that every agenda related to the mining plans can be monitored. WALHI also wants to ensure that the community’s presence in any agenda is not used merely as a formality to support the preparation of Amdal documents.
“We and the Bonepantai community have reached a unanimous agreement to reject every public consultation agenda for the Amdal. The assistance will continue consistently, because ecological justice for the community must be fought for until it is fully realised,” he said.