The operation to shut down illegal gold-mining activities in Sekotong, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, is facing obstacles despite the presence of police and military personnel.
Illegal gold mining by more than 3,000 residents is still occurring, 10 days after the operation began on Dec. 26, 2009. The West Lombok regency administration has decided to extend the operation indefinitely.
Regency spokesman Ispan Junaidi told The Jakarta Post recently that a joint-operations team was still on standby in some mining locations.
“Although 10 days have passed, the operation will continue until people have completely stopped illegal gold-mining in Sekotong,” he said.
He acknowledged the number of illegal miners had decreased in some of the mining sites, but others still took advantage of the brief lull in security, especially at night.
“Many people are still determined to mine for gold, especially those supported by corrupt security personnel,” he said.
According to Ispan, a clash between security personnel conducting the operation and hundreds of miners a few days ago was part of attempts by irresponsible security personnel to foil the closures.
However, Ispan said the situation in Sekotong had returned to normal. Law enforcement officials have not taken action against those caught mining, but have instead urged miners to stop mining to avoid further clashes.
A team of officials from the local police, military, the West Lombok Energy and Mineral Resources Office and public order force, have installed five barricades on roads leading to the illegal mining sites in an effort to restrict the miners’ movements.
Ispan said illegal mining activities caused severe environmental damage, especially since most miners used mercury and dumped mining waste into rivers that emptied into the sea.
At least 50 people have died while working on mining sites since the illegal practice began in early 2008. “The West Lombok regency administration should curb the illegal practice to prevent more casualties, especially since Sekotong is blessed with three potentialy lucrative sectors; tourism, marine fishery and mining,” he said.
The local administration has temporarily closed the mines in Sekotong and will later manage the site as a private, community-based mine.
The administration is waiting for approval of a mining area permit from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry. The issuing of the permit is reportedly included in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s first 100-day working program.
Sekotong district chief Lalu Guntur Gagarin said illegal gold-mining occurred in 18 locations three of the six villages in the district – Buwun Mas, Kerato and Pelangan villages.
“The total area of open pit mines has reached 1,200 hectares, some of which are located in forest conservation areas, forest concessions and private property,” he said.
Based on data from the Sekotong district office, around 6,000 people are involved in illegal mining, operating around 3,500 water cannons.
Sekotong residents refused to stop illegal mining because the practice was their only source of income.
“The mines are the only means for us to escape poverty,” local miner Lalu Sukarno, from Selindung, Pelangan village, said. He said the Selindung mining area — where around 5,000 people, including women and children, sought a living – opened three months ago. He said earnings from mining was better than a farm hand earning a maximum of Rp 35,000 (US$3.50) a day.
“Here, everyone can take home Rp 2 million a day. Some even get 5 kilograms of gold in three days. Just multiply that with the current price of gold of Rp 300,000 per gram,” he said.
He added residents were afraid the area would be exploited by large companies after the closure and would no longer accommodate the local workforce. “We don’t want gold to be managed by large companies, while the local community only become spectators and remain poor, such as the case in Sumbawa,” Lalu said.
