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apuan authorities have pledged to take action against thousands of alleged illegal miners in Korowai in the southern part of Papua, the presence of whom has caused uproar among native Papuans as most of the miners are believed to be “newcomers”.

Some 3,000 miners have reportedly been operating at an illegal gold mine near where the Korowai tribe lives.

“The gold mine in Korowai is illegal because it doesn’t have a permit. We are not aware of the identity of the company operating in the area nor the owners. We haven’t issued any permits even for an artisanal mining operation in the area,” Papua Energy and Natural Resources Agency acting head Fredi Boray said on Tuesday.

According to Boray, Papua Governor Soedarmo had told the Papua Police chief to enforce the law against the illegal activities.

“Heavy equipment used in the area should immediately be moved out and all mining activities should be stopped,” he said.

The Papua Mining Agency plans to transform the area into an artisanal mining site, wherein the legitimate owners of the land will be authorized to manage the area.

Missionary Rev. John Trevor, who has served in the Korowai area for 11 years, was reportedly the first to report the presence of the miners.

According to a report compiled by Trevor working together with GIDI Papua Reform Congregation, the miners were mostly transported via helicopters from Nop Goliat Airport in Dekai, Yahukimo, and Tanah Merah Airport in Boven Digoel. Others came by speedboats from Tanah Merah via Black Deiram river.

Trevor told The Jakarta Post that there were between nine and 10 helipads in the Korowai tribe area, which allegedly serve as meeting points between the illegal miners and buyers.

The illegal mining has reportedly been going on since December last year, during which time three helicopter planes have brought in miners and equipment.

Danowage youths who have worked with the miners testified that the miners used “silver liquid”, believed to be mercury, to extract the gold from the black sands.

The youths were paid according to the length of the work, ranging from Rp 600,000 (US$41.56) per six days to Rp 900,000 per 12 days.

The report also alleged that the mining activities had led to environmental degradation, which caused health problems among those who live in the area. The river has also become polluted, preventing locals from fishing or farming shrimp.

“They have lost their livelihoods,” the report said.

The prices of staple foods in the area have skyrocketed as a result. A 25-kilogram sack of rice, for example, costs Rp 6 million, while a box of instant noodles is sold at Rp 2 million.

According to Trevor, the Korowai tribe had only moved from tree houses to landed housing in Danowage in 2005.

“They have been exposed to education and health services,” he said.

Papua councilor John Jose Gobay has suggested that the local administration propose to the government to convert the area into an artisanal mining area and let the local tribe manage it, according to Law No. 23/2014 on local administrations.

He also called on the Papua Police to immediately take action against the illegal activities and blockade helicopter operations to and from the area.