The activities are feared to damage forests and natural areas that serve as key environmental buffers in the region.
Chairperson of the Lebak District House of Representatives (DPRD) Juwita Wulandari stressed the importance of law enforcement against illegal miners to protect protected forests and the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park (TNGHS).
“We have vast forests and natural areas, including protected forests and the Gunung Halimun Salak National Park, and we must not allow illegal miners to cause damage,” Juwita said in Lebak on Thursday.
She said the Lebak District Government needs to take firm action against illegal mining operators to prevent forest destruction that could lead to ecological disasters and humanitarian tragedies, similar to those that have occurred in Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and other regions.
According to Juwita, preventive measures must be carried out in an integrated manner by the local government in coordination with the Forest Area Enforcement Task Force (PKH), the Ministry of Forestry, and the police.
She explained that illegal practices include unlicensed gold mining, illegal logging, and mining exploitation in forest and conservation areas.
“We hope that in the future Lebak can be free from illegal mining activities so that forests and natural areas remain protected, sustainable, and green,” said the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) politician.
Juwita also noted that the local government is proposing a legal community mining scheme that would be licensed by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.
She said the proposal would be subject to studies by state institutions to ensure it does not pose ecological risks. She expressed support for the plan, saying community mining could improve public welfare without causing environmental damage.
From a moral and religious perspective, Lebak religious leader KH Hasan Basri reminded the public that environmental damage is a direct result of human actions.
He cited Quran Surah Ar-Rum verse 41, which explains that destruction on land and at sea can lead to disasters, including environmental pollution affecting air, water, and soil.
He highlighted the use of hazardous chemicals such as cyanide and mercury in illegal gold mining, which pose serious risks to human health and the environment.
“We ask that nature be protected and preserved, and that no actions be taken that could lead to human tragedy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Lebak Police AKP Wisnu Wicaksana said authorities had taken action against illegal mining activities in the Cibeber and Cilograng sub-districts, which are part of the TNGHS area and protected forests.
He said four suspects had been detained, with two cases completed and two others still under investigation.
The suspects may be charged under Article 158 of Law No. 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to Rp100 billion for conducting mining activities without a permit.
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Translator: Mansyur Suryana, Primayanti
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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