Maluku indigenous people oppose mining activities on their customary land

Belseran Christ
The Jakarta Post

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Ambon / Wed, September 30, 2020 / 10:21 am

Taniwel indigenous people protest marble mining activities on their customary land, which they fear will potentially lead to natural disasters such as floods and landslides. (The Jakarta Post/Belseran Christ)

Dozens of Taniwel indigenous people in West Seram regency, Maluku, took to the streets on Monday to demand the authorities revoke the mining operation permit (IUP) granted to marble mining company PT Gunung Makmur Indah. The permit will reportedly allow the company to "explore" around 2,400 hectares of land in Taniwel district, which is considered by the indigenous group as their ulayat (collectively owned) land. The group -- which held two separate protests in front of the Maluku Regional Legislative Council building and the Maluku administration's office on Monday -- said they never granted permission for any parties to conduct what they called environmentally harmful activities on their ulayat land, and thus regarded the permit issuance as "legally flawed". “We demand the Maluku administration respect the rights and sovereignty of Taniwel i...

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mining customary-land indigenous-people Maluku

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