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Calls grow for nickel mining in Raja Ampat to end permanently
Calls have grown among lawmakers and celebrities for the government to permanently end controversial nickel mining operations on Gag Island in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Southwest Papua, following outcry from environmentalists over potential environmental damage to the area.
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Bird's eye view: Small islands are seen in Raja Ampat, West Papua, a popular tourist site in Indonesia renowned for its pristine waters. (The Jakarta Post/Jerry Adiguna)
C
alls have grown among lawmakers and celebrities for the government to permanently end the controversial nickel mining operations on Gag Island in the Raja Ampat archipelago, Southwest Papua, following outcry from environmentalists over potential environmental damage to the area.
Rofik Hananto, a member of House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing tourism and state-owned enterprises (SOEs), urged the government to have a “moratorium or even a permanent ban” on mining activities on Gag island, a protected tropical rainforest, and other areas rich in biodiversity.
“Extractive activities like nickel mining in Raja Ampat have a great risk of destroying its unique, fragile and irreplaceable ecosystem,” Rofik of the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) told reporters on Monday.
Rofik is among several lawmakers who have been pushing for an end to the mining concessions in Raja Ampat, which is a designated UNESCO Global Geopark famed for its biodiversity-rich tourism spots.
Celebrities on social media also pressured the government to completely end any mining in the area.
“We want the [mining companies’] permits to be revoked permanently, not temporarily,” actress Nana Mirdad said on Instagram on Sunday.
The hashtag #SaveRajaAmpat went viral last week after Greenpeace Indonesia shared videos showing nickel mining activities on Gag Island, amassing millions of views on social media platforms.
