JATAM | Mining Advocacy Network

In 60 years of Indonesia, government’s support to people needs has not seen enough. It is proved by the policy that instead of emerging people welfare, it narrowed society’s living space. Removal practices, cutting people’s subsidy, and natural resource destruction have become reality that should be accepted while businessmen space is widened.

RUU Minerba is one of real example of how a policy tightening people’s space. The draft was originated from a wrong paradigm in placing mineral resources. Mineral resources is a natural resource that can not be renewed and has destructing power that affects direct and indirectly toward human and natural resources, especially land, water nad biodiversity. But the draft has not touched the aspects yet.

The draft was designed to attract investors in exploiting mineral resources without supported by people’s safety and continuity of natural service in mining locations. Dispute settlement and environment rehabilitation in operated or closed mining areas are not announced at all. The draft also gives more space for mining corporations to exploit protected and conserved areas legitimated in the draft. What makes it more saddened, in the draft, mineral status is equal to coals. So the energy tenacity for domestic needs in long term is not anticipated. It is certain that the RUU has not answered main problems in mining sectors.