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Falling trees kill three miners in Jayapura
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East Sentani Police officers carry the body of a miner in Jayapura, Papua. Three miners died after two large trees fell onto their hut at a traditional gold mining site. (The Jakarta Post/Nethy Dharma Somba)
T
hree miners have died in Jayapura regency, Papua, after two large trees fell onto their hut. Four of the victims’ friends were injured.
The trees fell after a landslide in Bulebe village, Ayapo, Jayapura, in the early hours of Friday, when heavy rains poured over the regency.
The three were identified as Wim Siregar, 50, Yerenpias Nasadit, 36, and Yulius, 48. The four injured men were Yusak Tayo, 35, Yeatet Manambing, 56, Marthin, 32, and Fransiskus Mahuse, 45.
“Witnesses said the dead miners were all inside the same hut, and when the rain started at about 4 a.m. [local time], two trees near the hut fell down onto it,” East Sentani Police chief Adj. Sr. Comr. Mansur said on Friday.
Three surviving miners went down to a nearby settlement to report the accident. “We received the report at 12 p.m. local time, and we immediately went to the scene,” Mansur said.
Bulebe is home to a traditional gold mine, said Demianus Pulando, head of the Kampung Ayapo community unit. He said there were about 15 huts near the mine where workers from outside of the kampung lived. Outsiders have come to the area for work since 2014.
The site was previously managed by mining company Wahana Bima Sakti, Demianus added. “They set up a camp, built an office and road, but the Jayapura administration did not issue a license.”
“The company worked there for about six months and then they closed down,” Demianus said. He said the license was not issued because of a disagreement between the regional administration and customary rights holders about revenue sharing. After the company closed down, other people started coming to the area.
According to Demianus, the site has a decent amount of gold. “In a day, a miner can get 4 grams. Once, someone even got a pebble-sized piece of gold, about 14 to 16 grams,” he said. Miners sift for gold along the Ungabho River in a hilly site that spans about 15 kilometers. (evi)
