Former Mines Disadvantage the People

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

Several men mine sand on Wednesday (8/1/2020) at a former tin mine near Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang, Bangka Belitung Islands. At least 12,000 open pits have sprouted in Bangka Belitung over the last five years.

Mining activities in several provinces have destroyed the local environment, leaving the people to struggle to resolve the environmental problems on their own due to the government’s inattention.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Even though mining has contributed much to the economy, the thousands of abandoned mine pits throughout Indonesia have damaged the environment and harmed the lives of people.

Large open pits have been left open at former mines due to the lack of government oversight in implementing the mandatory post-mining rehabilitation program.

At least 3,092 open mine pits throughout Indonesia had not been rehabilitated by the end of 2018, according to a survey by the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam). East Kalimantan is the province with the greatest number of unrehabilitated mines, with 1,735 former mines. South Kalimantan ranks second with 814 mining pits, followed by South Sumatra (163 pits), Central Kalimantan (163 pits), and Jambi (59 pits).

According to a study by Kompas Research and Development, mining has contributed greatly to regional gross domestic product (RGDP) in regencies such as Muara Enim (55 percent) and Musi Banyuasin (54 percent) in South Sumatra, Paser (74 percent) and East Kutai (81 percent) in East Kalimantan, and Tabalong (44 percent) and Balangan (62 percent) in South Kalimantan.

These regencies have generally seen a significant increase in RGDP in 2013-2018.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

A man walks across a former mine that is being regreened in Namang village, West Bangka regency Thursday (9/1/2020). Efforts are being made to rehabilitate the mine, but some fail because they do not involve community participation.

Beside the house

However, the living conditions of the people near the former mines are far from encouraging. In Satui district, Tanah Bumbu regency, South Kalimantan, for example, it is common to see abandoned coal mines.

Satui district is about 165 kilometers from the South Kalimantan capital of Banjarmasin. Sahruji, 48, of Makmur Mulia village, Satui district, said that a former open-pit mine next to his house was left open without rehabilitating after mining activities were halted in 2013.

"After the mining operation was stopped by a raid, the former mine was left unrehabilitated," he said.

The former coal mine, which is now a giant pond filled with greenish water, is only 10 meters from Sahruji\'s house. Sahruji has planted several types of trees, such as mango trees, between his house and the former mine.

"The pit is about 50 meters deep. Be careful of possible landslides," he said.

According to H. Kaspul (45), another resident in Makmur Mulia village, the former coal mine was a threat to residents. "Four people have been killed, three of them children," he said.

Potholes in the road are filled with sacks of soil.

Land about 1 kilometer from the main road in the village has been eroded due to mining. Potholes in the road are filled with sacks of soil.

The local residents have attempted to repair the damaged road themselves. "It\'s hard to obtain government assistance. Never mind rehabilitating the former mine, the road has not been repaired,” said Sahruji.

The former mines in Mulawarman village of Tenggarong Seberang district, Kutai Kartanegara regency, East Kalimantan, are generally at a distant location from the residential area. However, the residents still feel disturbed by the former mines.

Only 50 meters from the residential area are mounds of earth excavated from the mine. In 2015, the mining company planted trees on the land after it moved its operation to another area. The trees are now about 5 meters tall.

Even so, some residents still relied on the water the company provided to bathe and wash, because the water in their wells is greasy.

KOMPAS/RHAMA PURNA JATI

A man walks down a path at a former mine on Thursday (9/1/2020) in Namang village, West Bangka regency, where new plant growth has started appearing.

"Water from some wells can be used for bathing and washing, but many residents still rely on the water provided the company, because the water in their wells is smelly," Slamet Mulyono, the head of neighborhood unit RT 010 in Mulawarman village, said on Sunday (1/5/2019).

Every two days, 1,200 liters of water are distributed to two houses for bathing and washing. The residents must buy drinking water. In fact, before the mining started operating in 2004, the people of Mulawarman used water from their wells or the river for washing and cooking.

Re-excavation

In Bangka Belitung Islands province, rehabilitation and reclamation activities have been carried out at a number of former tin mines. But some people are re-excavating the mines to look for any remaining tin deposits.

Maman Sudirman, the watershed evaluation head of the Baturusa Cerucuk Watershed and Protected Forest Management (BPDASHL), said on Thursday (9/1) that traditional mining activities had lately become widespread, resulting in many large pits in the province.

A Baturusa Cerucuk BPDASHL survey found 12,607 pits covering 15,579 hectares in Bangka and Belitung provinces.

Maman said that reclamation and rehabilitation activities were continuing, but that some people had tried to re-excavate rehabilitated mines. "In fact, an area that had just been rehabilitated and planted with trees two months ago has become a mine again," he said.

Trees that could produce bioenergy would be planted at former mining areas.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Arifin Tasrif said that the ministry planned to reclaim and rehabilitate 7,000 ha of former mines this year. Trees that could produce bioenergy would be planted at former mining areas.

According to data provided by the energy ministry, 6,748 ha of former mines were reclaimed in 2019, or 96.4 percent of the 7,000 ha target. Mineral and Coal director general Bambang Gatot Ariyono said that the ministry was serious in its efforts to rehabilitate former mining areas.

Although the central government could not take action against mining companies that did not fulfill the mandatory post-mining rehabilitation program, the energy ministry continued to encourage them to obey the rules.

"We also ask the provincial government not to accommodate them," said Bambang. (JUM/CIP/RAM/NAD)