Letter: Gold mining in Lombok

I read with great interest an article on gold mining (the Post, Aug. 3, p. 8) in Lombok. I was at the time in the area discussed, and thought I should point out that the mining activities are not done in a clandestine manner as your article suggested.

Such reporting should stop. If we are to move forward as a country we mush report things in a truthful manner. My guess is that the person who wrote this article has never been to Sekotong.Let me put it to you straight. The gold mining and processing is done during the day, in full view of the road, within 300 meters in some cases of the beach. It is processed using mercury which is leached into the groundwater (ocean).

It will devastate the entire area and no tourists will visit. The police station is not far from the mining but nothing is being done to stop it. I suggest greed is to blame here with a weak local police leader and greediness among the local village leaders. The governor should go and have a look and do something about this. Let's have some leadership please before this area is destroyed.

Roger Stewart
Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara