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| JATAM condemns the violence at a proposed Australian-owned iron mine |
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JATAM Press Release, 23 October 2009 JATAM condemns the violence at a proposed Australian-owned iron mine; calls for the protection of Kulon Progo's people and coastal ecosystem While President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was celebrating his second inauguration in Jakarta as President of Indonesia on October 20, 2009, police brutality towards the people of Kulon Progo of Central Java for protesting against the Australian mining company PT Jogja Mangasa Iron left 41 people injured. What happened that day is one of many examples of how the government has put foreign investor interests above the local communities' interests. The Kulon Progo communities rely on agriculture as their livelihood. On October 20, 2009, thousands of people from Kulon Progo marched to the local Kulon Progo government office to voice their resistance to mining in their area. They refused the public consultation offered by the company and said no to any plans to mine in their community. The community members view consultation as a strategy to legitimize mining in their community. PT JMI received their controversial Contract of Work on November 4, 2008, at a time when the Parliament was drafting the new Mining and Coal Act. While strongly criticizing the Contract of Work regime of the old Law No. 11/1967, the government was granting a permit to mine to PT JMI. They received a Contract of Work one month before the new Act was passed. Indo Mine Ltd. from Australia holds 70% of PT JMI's shares. They plan to operate in a 22 km long and 2.8 km wide area along the southern coast of Kulon Progo to Bogowoto River in Jogjakarta. The extraction of iron puts the livelihoods of 123,601 local farmers and fishers at risk. PT JMI plans also threatens massive erosion along the coast of Kulon Progo in the Indian Ocean. Damaged ecosystems will not be able to stop the strong currents and sea winds from eroding the coast line. The site is also prone to earthquakes and a potential tsunami. The proposed mine threatens a unique ecosystem and would move sand dunes in Kulon Progo which also serve as a migration corridor of migratory birds. Dr. Dja’far Shiddieq, soil expert from Gadjah Mada University, mentioned that the sand dunes of southern Jogjakarta, including Kulon Progo's, are one of only three moving sand dunes in the world. Protests against the mine have been held by local communities many times but the local government continues to insist that mining would increase the welfare of the people. However, no large-scale mining operation in Indonesia has ever proven to enhance the welfare of local people. PT Freeport and Strait Resources in Papua, Rio Tinto in Kalimantan, and Laverton Gold in Sumatera are only a few examples of intensified poverty brought on by mining. Mine affected communities experience many hardships including human rights violations and worsening poverty. “The Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) condemns the police violence to secure PT JMI's interests. Local government should use common sense. Bending over backwards to support or protect PT JMI will only bring more poverty. Mining heavily depends on the market and many of the benefits from mining are short term while the problems with mining are long term. Kulon Progo has been living sustainably from their local resources for decades,” said Siti Maemunah, National Coordinator of JATAM. JATAM supports Kulon Progo communities resistance to iron ore mining in their communities. The threat of future violence in the communities is very real given the level of violence the communities have already experienced because of the proposed mine. JATAM urges the government of Indonesia to nullify PT JMI's Contract of Work and immediately support the local sustainable economic development of the local people. |
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