Deni Ghifari, Raja Ampat – Raja Ampat, home to 75 percent of the world's coral species and a popular diving spot known to be "the last paradise" became the subject of a global conversation in late May when the environmental group Greenpeace managed to draw the public's attention toward an imminent threat to its marine biodiversity from nickel mining.

This threat is blindingly apparent: Research conducted in 2022 by the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry estimated that a deposit of 482 million tonnes of nickel ore can be found right under the calm waters of Raja Ampat in Southwest Papua province.

For perspective, latest figures show that the national production of nickel ore reached 137.8 million tonnes in the entirety of 2023, the peak year for nickel mining.

Following the Greenpeace Indonesia campaign in May, which included activists from the organization storming a national conference on minerals, the public learned that the government had granted permit for five companies to carry out nickel mining operations in Raja Ampat, with some already running ground operations there for years.

The campaign went viral and following a massive outcry the central government decided to revoke four of the five permits granted to local companies.

Raja Ampat's mining operation is controversial as it is considered a violation of the 2014 law on the management of coastal areas and small islands, which prohibits mining activities on small islands. Articles in the law stipulate that only activities for conservation, education, research, marine cultivation, tourism, fisheries, organic farming and national defense are permitted on small islands.

The law defines a small island as a piece of land with a size less than 2,000 square kilometers surrounded by a body of water. Companies operating in Raja Ampat are mostly mining on islands that are just 6,000 hectares, or 60 sq km in size.

Legal definitions aside, public outcry has been directed toward the mining operation's impact on the environment in and around Raja Ampat.

Due to the characteristics of the nickel deposits found on islands in Raja Ampat, mining methods involve the clearing of pristine tropical rainforest and the waste material of the mining process risks the irreversible destruction of the maritime habitat.

These potential impacts have become the source of contention for two camps in local communities in Raja Ampat, those who benefit from mining versus those who champion nature conservation.

On the one hand, the financial gain brought by mining firms to local communities is a tangible benefit but on the other, mining activities could threaten the livelihood of those who rely on tourism and fisheries, as well as the wellbeing of the ecosystems on which we all rely.

This tension came to a head soon after the energy ministry revoked licenses for four mining companies operating in the area, with one camp attempting to stymie the progress of the other.

Some members in the community have made peace but others are still fighting for what they deem is best for their people.

It is against this backdrop that The Jakarta Post visited Raja Ampat in late June to see what actually happened on the ground, talk to relevant stakeholders in the conflict and experience the tension first hand.

Source: https://asianews.network/tension-and-grievances-in-indonesias-raja-ampat