Jakarta – The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) and the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) have condemned the brutal treatment of traditional miners at the hands of the Indonesian police, military and government officials acting in the interests of, and perhaps in direct coordination with, a mining operation owned by an Australian company. The miners, who have a long-standing land acquisition dispute with the company, were terrorised and their homes destroyed and all justified in the name of recent legislation on illegal mining.
Walhi Deputy Director, Suwiryo Ismail, and Jatam National Coordinator, Chalid Muhammad, held a press conference at Walhi's office in South Jakarta today and outlined the traumatic experiences of the Dayak Siang, Dayak Murung and Dayak Bekumpai communities of Central Kalimantan.
On Wednesday, June 7, the North Barito Police and officers from the Police elite forces (Mobile Brigade) forcefully destroyed and evicted traditional gold miners in the Luit Raya, Tanah Siang and Permata Intan subdistricts, North Barito district. "They launched the action at dawn around 4am when many of the inhibitants were still asleep. At gunpoint, the inhibitants were forced to leave their homes and when emptied, the perpetrators seized all their belongings. Those who resisted were taken away by speedboat to North Barito Police," Suwiryo said in furious tone. Fifteeen community members remain in police detention on unclear charges.
In a press release issued today, the two groups also claimed that community members were forced onto trucks and many dropped in the middle of nowhere while others were left stranded and frightened in nearby villages. The security forces then set about destroying the inhibitant's houses and, in severals locations, they completely levelled encampments, allegedly using equipment belonging to PT Indo Mauro Kencana/Aurora Gold.
The encampments were established after the Dayak communities were forced off their traditional lands in 1987 when PT Indo Mauro Kencana/Aurora Gold first set up operations. Aurora Gold is Australian owned. Walhi and Jatam claim that efforts to resolve past cases of human rights violations and the forced acquisition of the communitie's traditional land have been ignored and the communities have began to reoccupy the mines' territory in defiance of the local government, security forces and Aurora Gold.
The issuance of the new Presidential Decree on illegal mining has, however, provided the necessary pretext for brutal confrontation. Using Presidential Decree No.3/2000, a Joint Team on Illegal Mining Resolution whose coordination resides with the Minister of Mines and Energy, was formed. Acting in the name of this Joint Team, the group, comprised of Barito Police, Mobile Brigade offers, local government officials as well as members of the communities allegedly hired by PT Indo Mauro Kencana/Aurora Gold, terrorised the helpless villagers.
"The Dayak Siang, Dayak Murung and Dayak Bekumpai communities who have became victims are not illegal miners as stated in Presidential Decree No.3/2000. They are traditional miners," Suwiryo argued. The decree actually stipulates that the Joint Team must respect traditional mining rights, which the victimised communities have excercised for many generations.
"In response to this incident, Walhi has urged the Minister of Mining and Energy to take responsibility for the implementation of the decree which has inflicted human rights abuses on the indigenous people of Central Kalimantan. We also urge the National Police Chief and the Minister of Mining and Energy to apologise for their wrongdoings to the community," Suwiryo said firmly. The two groups are also seeking a resolution to the land dispute and human rights abuse cases and for the government to respect the rights of traditional owners.