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Jakarta Post

From COAL MINE to tourist spot

First stone: Visitors pose at the old gate mining called Mbah Suro door, in Sawahlunto

Khairul Saleh (The Jakarta Post)
Sawahlunto, West Sumatra
Wed, March 23, 2011

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From COAL MINE to tourist spot

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span class="inline inline-left">First stone: Visitors pose at the old gate mining called Mbah Suro door, in Sawahlunto.JP/Khairul SalehWhile the glory days of Ombilin, the famous open-pit coal mine near West Sumatra’s Sawahlunto, may be over, the region continues to bring benefits to its constituents through reforestation of the former mining location and its conversion into a tourist destination.

Dutch engineer WH. De Gereve discovered coal by the banks of the Ombilin River in 1868. Coal was first produced in 1892 after thorough exploration (between 1870 and 1880) and the construction of a railway in Sawahlunto, Padang and Emmahaven (Teluk Bayur) port (between 1888 and 1891).

Before the Independence, coal production peaked in 1930, at more than 620,000 tons a year. It peaked again and in 1976 at 1,201,846 tons a year.

Japan controlled the mine in 1942 until Indonesia took it over three years later, placing it under the management of the directorate of mining from 1950 to 1958 and later under the bureau of state mining companies. In 1968, the mine became the Ombilin production unit (UPO), one of three under the state coal mining company.

The history of Ombilin is inseparable from the chained gangs of criminals used as forced labor, from Java, Madura, Makassar and China.

They worked with their hands and feet chained, dragging five to 10-kilogram iron balls to prevent them from running away, and were overseen by armed officers.

The pit where they worked, now known as Mbah Suro Gate — named after an East Java foreman there — was inaugurated as a tourist spot in 2008.

Sawahlunto is reputed as a coal city. Its long history is reflected in its building structures and designs. The discovery of coal triggered infrastructure development programs in West Sumatra and opened Sawahlunto’s economy to the world.

Consequently, Sawahlunto has changed and is now introducing its vision and mission for 2020 through what it calls a coal mining gallery. The gallery highlights Sawahlunto’s coal history as well as the infrastructure, economic, socio-cultural and political development now underway in the region.

Over a century’s exploitation has certainly caused UPO’s output to decline. According to UPO general manager Harun Al Rasjid Lubis, once Ombilin’s open pit unit was closed in 2003, it only relied on deep pits (UPO I and III) with estimated reserves of 90.3 million tons and mined reserves of 43 million tons (2008), while its present production capacity is 500,000 tons per annum.

“But we’ve also opened mining concessions in other areas including Muaro bungo [Jambi] and Riau,” he said in his Sawahlunto office recently.

The decrease in coal production has not reduced UPO’s corporate social responsibility activities. Apart from its CSR and Environment and Partnership programs with 892 partners which totaled Rp 7,028 billion during 1992-2009, its grants reached Rp 362.6 million.

“We’ve also replanted the former mining site and built tourism and sports facilities now under the city government’s management.”

The area that was once an open pit in Kandi, Sawahlunto, has since 1990 been replanted with albizzia, mahogany, cashew and acacia trees. Around the former Ombilin 1 and 3 open pits, mining tourism facilities have been set up, as well as a 12-hectare drug addict rehabilitation center for Sumatra, a motorcycle road race arena and a zoo, also managed by the city. These facilities cost the UPO Rp 12.5 billion to build.

“It’s the first time a former mining zone is used for tourism purposes in the country,” Harun indicated.

UPO technical chief Muhammad Jazuli mentioned a unique mining tourism spot called Mbah Suro Gate. Closed since 1930, the pit area was later renovated for six months, offering a pit 150 meters deep and 35 meters wide, which was opened by the director general of tourism in 2008.

“Its iron and concrete parts have remained intact and strong. People thought there had been water springs here because of the many wells. Actually the mine goes as far as the mayor’s office,” said Jazuli, adding only the upper portion had been renovated, leaving several passages still closed.

Wilizon, 40, a Mbah Suro tourist guide, said the passages were closed as “ordered” by local elders. People still believe in tales about the chained gangs that once worked in the passages.

“We can’t open the tunnels before consulting relevant authorities including communal elders. An old site might frequently give rise to things beyond our grasp,” he pointed out.

For the comfort and safety of visitors, the pit is given sufficient lighting with a blower to supply air underground.

Dangerous articles like gas lighters are forbidden given there is still some methane down there. At Rp 30,000 per person, the spot has attracted local and foreign tourists from Malaysia and Singapore.

“It’s usually crowded on weekends or during holidays,” added Wilizon.

The renovated Sawahlunto coal mine also sells coal handicrafts, which can be found on Jl. Muhammad Yazid, in the sub-district of Tana Lapang Lembah Segar. The coal crafted souvenirs include statuettes, ash trays, key holders, traditional house replicas, trophies, krises and miniature trains.

Symbol of life: A statue of coal miners depicts the life of Sawahlunto residents.JP/Syofiardi BachyulSupriadi (40), a local craftsman, said high-calorie coal was used to produce various items, mostly bought from people’s pits in Kandi at Rp 100,000 per sack (20 kilograms).  

“Since the opening of the coal mining tourist spot, the handicraft industry in this area has received another boost,” said the man from Solo, also known as Surakarta, who began his business in 1992 under UPO partnership scheme.

Working with four full-time employees and six part-timers, Supriadi finishes a product in three to four days. The price of his handicrafts depends on the size and shape of the item. But generally his handicrafts cost between tens of thousands and millions of rupiah.

With a monthly turnover of Rp 6 to Rp 7 million, most of his overseas orders come from China, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

“Besides selling to individual buyers, I’ve also joined displays in which UPO participated,” said the father of one about his marketing. He acknowledged his business advancement had resulted from the capital aid and management training provided by PT Bukit Asam (PTBA), currently handling coal mining in Sawahlunto.

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