Originally, Belitung was an island with beautiful white sandy beaches, crystal clear water, and unique landscapes.
The island is also known for its granite boulder and white stone beaches in Tanjung Tinggi, Tanjung Kelayang, Tanjung Binga, and Lengkuas Island.
This beautiful nature is also accompanied by hundreds of small islands, which add to the beauty of tourism area in Belitung island with the best and unique beaches in Indonesia.
Unluckily the presence of tin dredging ships, operated by tin mining company PT Timah at Belitung`s Olievier waters, is threatening the tourism on the island.
"Belitung island has already been established as the third national tourism destination in Indonesia after Bali and Lombok," Babel Provincial Legislative Assembly`s Commission-III spokesman Antonius Uston said in Pangkalpinang on Friday.
But he deeply regretted that the presence of tin dredging ships in Belitung was threatening the marine and natural tourism on the island.
Antonius said Belitung island as a national tourism destination has had an injection of Rp89 billion funds from the central government for the development of beach tourism objects on the island.
He said it was very unfortunate that the development of beach tourism objects with such a big amount of funds would only be harmed by the unconventional mining methods and the operations of tin dredging ships.
"Off shore tin mining by the tin dredging ships, operated by PT Timah, will certainly harm the marine ecosystem and the coral reefs at Belitung island`s maritime tourism objects," Antonius deplored.
According to him, the presence of such ships would damage the environment and the beauty of the sea in Belitung island, and therefore PT Timah should stop operating the ship at Belitung`s Olievier waters.
"We hope PT Timah will voluntarily hand the mining authority at Olievier waters to Belitung district administration to be optimized in the development of marine tourism sector there," Antonius said.
Like in many other developing countries, tourism in Indonesia has proven able to contribute to economic growth as well as to the reduction of poverty and unemployment.
Because of that, Indonesia has set ambitious targets for tourism growth this year, as the country looks to realize its potential as a leading international destination for visitors and expand an important part of the economy.
Therefore, Babel Provincial Legislative Assembly member Rustam effendi also said in Pangkalpinang on Friday that it would be better for PT Timah to start investing in tourism in Belitung island.
Rustam said it was advisable for PT Timah to invest in tourism in Belitung island rather than mining the tin ore which resulted in environmental damage.
"PT Tima will learn how to manage the environment for the benefit of the local community if the company invests in the tourism sector," Rustam Effendi said.
He added that PT Timah would gain a lot of lasting benefits and advantages if the company would like to turn its focus on investment in tourism sector on Belitung island.
Rustam pointed out that the benefit from the tin ore mining depended only on the available tin deposit, but investment in tourism would last longer with a small amount of capital.
"The tin ore deposit will sooner or later run out and therefore it is time for the company`s board of directors to change their mindset from tin mining activity to investment in tourism sector," Rustam said.
Rustam said for the company to be respected by the local community, it should be more observant to take advantage of opportunities in tourism sector in addition to tin ore mining.
He explained that PT Timah has so far been focusing only on tin ore exploitation without regard to the needs of the community at the mining sites.
Therefore he expressed hope that the company`s board of directors could change their business perspective in Belitung island that has already established itself as a tourism destination area in Indonesia.
The landscapes in many parts of Belitung island can now be best described as barren wastelands due to unbridled tin mining activity in which deep gaping holes are made into the soil.
As far as the eyes can see, vast tracts of land are now pockmarked with craters filled with highly acidic bluish-green water, glittering deceptively in the tropical sun.
The scale of destruction from unconventional tin mining has reached a level, and that, Belitung island`s original natural beauty as its main tourist attraction will soon be a thing of the past, if nothing is done to stop or control the environmentally damaging tin mining activity.
Therefore, unconventional mining methods and the operations of tin dredging ships in Belitung Island`s tourism sites should soon be restricted.
Rustam said relevant authorities in Belitung should ban the presence of tin dredging ships and the practice of unconventional tin mining and then turned their eyes to tourism and marine fishery sectors for the survival of the local community. (*)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
