Indra Harsaputra and Lutfiana Mahmudah, Surabaya, Jember – East Java Governor Soekarwo has proposed manganese mining activities in Jember regency continue, despite strong opposition from residents.
"We have asked the mining companies and the provincial administration to organize dialogues with residents to resolve the ongoing disputes, and companies should provide Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs for the local community," Soekarwo told The Jakarta Post after launching a micro hydro-power plant in Mojokerto recently.
Mining activities in the Curahwungkal hamlet, Silo district, encompassing some 20 hectares of protected forest, were stopped by the Jember legislature in September last year following pressure from clerics of the Nahdlatul Ulama Muslim organization and residents near the mining site. The group were against the mining activities which they said would damage the protected forest.
Representives of CV Wahyu Sejahtera, one of four companies with an exploration license issued by Jember Regent Djalal and Jember Industry and Trade Office head Hariyanto, on Monday arrived at Jember legislature and urged council members to restore mining activities on the grounds that they had gained support from residents.
"We have collected signatures from villagers in favor of the mining activities. The legislature must immediately reopen the mines because the companies would suffer losses if they remain closed for too long," company spokesman Heri Alfian told the Post.
Commission B member Muhammad Jupriyadi said his office had not reopened the mines yet because he had yet to ask for approval from other members.
Hariyanto said there was no excuse for mining companies to damage to the local environment because the area had already been damaged by illegal mines operated by locals before mining licenses were issued.
"We have restricted the illegal mines but they still operate. We found out that they are funded by a number of businessmen from Jember, Surabaya, Korea and China," Hariyanto said.
To legalize the mining activities and to generate government income, his office had urged miners to form cooperatives or corporate entities that could apply for mining licenses.
After assessing the companies, the government had agreed to issue licenses to five; CV Surya Bhakti Perkasa, CV Tunas Mas, CV Wahyu Sejahtera, CV Bumi Jaya and CV Koperasi Sinar Batu Mulia.
"If the local community was against manganese mining then why didn't they protest earlier. I'm sure the closures were politically motivated," Hariyanto said.
The government could earn Rp 12 billion (around US$1 million) from mining taxes annually, Rp 7 billion of which would enter the Jember regency coffers and the remainder would go to East Java provincial administration and the central government, he said.
However, National Forum on Forestry and the Environment member Sutrisno said his group would file a class action lawsuit against Jember Regent Djalal and Hariyanto if mining activities continued.
"The regent and his subordinates and in this case the local industry and trade office have violated Law No. 26/2007 on spatial planning. The government can not use the excuse that it's supporting people's aspirations, to legalize a violation they have made even if it is backed by thousands of people," Sutrisno said.