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Foreign investment

Mining in protected forests - government gives way to mining industry pressure

Down to Earth No. 61, May 2004

The government of President Megawati has caved in to pressure from international mining companies to allow open-pit mining in protected forests, paving the way for yet more forest destruction and marginalisation of forest-dependent communities.

The go-ahead for mining in protected forests came on March 11, with a new Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perpu) No. 1/2004 on Changes to Law No. 41 of 1999 on Forestry. The regulation adds two extra paragraphs (83A and 83B) to the 1999 law.

Protesters blockade Australian coal mine

Down to Earth No 61  May 2004


Local people, supported by an indigenous organisation, disrupted the coal-mining operations of Australian-owned PT Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku in February, to protest against the impacts of mining on the island of Sebuku, off South Kalimantan.

The February protest, which involved local people supported by the South Kalimantan Indigenous People's Union (PERMADA) and local NGOs, blocked a mining road at the Sebuku coal mine.

Brutal crackdown at Newcrest's Halmahera mine leaves one dead

Down to Earth No 60  February 2004

The death of a local man at the hands of police guards employed by an Australian mining company is a grim reminder that mining companies, backed by repressive government policies, put profits before people.

One man was shot and another almost beaten to death when members of Indonesia's special forces police (Brimob) broke up a protest by customary landowners at Nusa Halmahera Minerals' Toguraci gold mining area, on Halmahera Island, North Maluku, in early January.

Sustainable palm oil: mission impossible?

Down to Earth No 63  November 2004


Palm oil industry representatives, conservation organisations and NGOs met to discuss 'sustainable palm oil' in Jakarta in October.

All-out campaign to stop mining in protected forests

Down to Earth No 58  August 2003


Indonesia is being pushed by powerful mining multinationals to open up protected forests for mining, but the international campaign to prevent yet more forest destruction is gaining momentum.

A final decision on whether or not companies can mine in Indonesia's protected forests - putting at risk some of the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world - is expected to be issued by Indonesia's parliament soon.

An Indonesian NGO coalition, led by mining advocacy network, JATAM, is campaigning to ma

Indigenous people's lawsuit fails

Down to Earth No. 58, August 2003

PT IMK will not have to pay compensation for throwing people out of their mining areas.

 
by Erma S. Ranik


"Since the beginning of IMK's operations, fish have become scarce because IMK has polluted the river and our livestock can no longer graze because IMK has destroyed the area.

International concerns over illegal logging dominate Indonesian forest policy

Down to Earth No. 58, August 2003


Meanwhile, the need to bring about fundamental reform is not addressed.

The international environmental campaigning NGO Greenpeace believes that Indonesia has the world's highest rate of forest loss. Even Indonesian government ministers now admit publicly that deforestation in the country is out of control. "While we might still be having problems with environmental issues like flooding, forest fires and pollution, we nevertheless think we can find a way out.