The mining activities in the province have severely eroded the soil or reduced its fertility, polluted the water, altered the landscape, damaged the roads and destroyed the wildlife habitat.
Destruction or displacement of species in the mining areas has the most direct impact on wildlife because pit and spoil areas are not capable of providing food and shelter for most species of wildlife, thus forcing them to leave their damaged habitat.
Central Sulawesi Mining Advocacy Network (JATAM) Research and Campaign Manager Rifai Hadi stated in the provincial city of Palu recently that the mining activities in Tojo Una-Una district alone have disturbed the habitat of endemic monkeys there.
According to him, the iron ore mining activities at Tojo Una-Una district had forced the endemic monkeys in the forest to storm into the residential areas and disturb people.
Rifai pointed out that during the past four months, the monkeys have left their damaged habitat for the residential areas, attacking the local community.
"Hundreds of monkeys, in the past four months, have left their damaged habitat for residential areas, disturbing the local community and destroying their crops," Rifai explained.
He noted that the mining activities on the slope of Mount Katopasa in Podi Village had extensively damaged the forest areas, leaving the monkeys homeless.
According to him, iron ore mining in Tojo Una-Una District violates Law No.5/1990 on the conservation of biological resources and their ecosystem.
The law stipulates that preservation of plant and animal diversity, together with its ecosystem, is conducted by maintaining the integrity of the nature reserve zone in its original condition.
It states that the preservation of plant and animal species within the nature reserve zone is conducted by allowing the population of all kinds of plants and animals to remain balanced by the natural process in their habitat.
The preservation of plant and animal species outside the nature reserve zone was done by maintaining and proliferating the plant and animal species to avoid the danger of extinction.
However, in reality, the mining activities in Tojo Una-Una have forced the endemic monkeys to leave their habitat in search of a safer place.
"Therefore, the law enforcers should investigate the case to maintain environmental sustainability," he noted.
He added that the Mining Advocacy of Central Sulawesi had discovered that in Morowali District alone, half a million hectares of land were occupied by illegal mining companies.
JATAM Director Syahrudin Ariestal Douw stated in September last year that 177 companies were involved in illegal mining activities on 600,089 hectares of public land in Morowali District.
He pointed out that the companies had mining licenses (IUPs), which were issued by the local government of Morowali District without complying with the standard regulations required by the law.
According to him, 43 IUPs issued by the Morowali government overlapped with those issued by the central government, and as a result, concessional areas were being worked on by more than one company.
In addition, he pointed out, five IUP holders had conducted their mining activities within forest areas.
According to the Rainforest Rescue Organization�s website www.rainforest-rescue.org, rainforest landscape on the island of Sulawesi, particularly in Central Sulawesi, is under threat.
The Morowali nature reserve is characterized by an extraordinary biodiversity, encompassing several types of rainforests from mangroves in the sea and coastal and floodplain forests to mountains, as well as cloud forests on the mountain crests.
This natural treasure is of vital importance for the district, but its rich endemic animal and plant life has been in acute danger since 2011, when the local authorities issued an exploration permit for the mining company PT. Gemah Ripah Pratama (PT. GRP) to prospect for nickel on a 145-hectare parcel of land right in the middle of the nature reserve.
In October 2011, JATAM activists discovered that PT. GRP had been clearing the mangrove forests to make room for an export port, which was to be built, in part, using the wood from the felled ironwood trees in the nature reserve.
The mangrove belt forms a common part of three villages and extends into the Morowali nature reserve.
On June 1, 2012, PT. GRP started building a road from the mining site through the populated area to the export port.
After several protest marches and complaints, JATAM has now started a petition and hopes for support from around the world.
They demand an end to all mining activities in Central Sulawesi, particularly Morowali nature reserve, and an investigation into the illegal actions of all involved parties. (*)
Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Otniel Tamindael
Copyright © ANTARA 2014
