Seluma Regent Temporarily Stops Iron Sand Mining Activities

JAKARTA - Seluma Regent Erwin Octavian issued a circular (SE) regarding the temporary suspension of PT Faming Levto Bakti Abadi's iron sand mining activities at Seluma Market, Seluma Regency, Bengkulu Province.

This was done to accommodate one of the demands of the people of Pasar Seluma Village, South Seluma Subdistrict, regarding the rejection of the plan to re-operate the iron sand mine of PT Faming Levto Bakti Abadi.

"We sent a letter asking the company to temporarily stop its activities and appealed to the public to exercise restraint while the integrated team worked," Erwin said in Bengkulu, as reported by Antara, Saturday, January 8.

He appealed to the people of Pasar Seluma Village, Rawa Sari Village, Penago Baru Village, Penago 1 Village, Rawa Indah Village and Pasar Talo Village to exercise restraint because the local government will conduct a study on company permits.

His party also formed an integrated team related to the company's licensing documents and will issue recommendations after the conclusion of the integrated team.

"We have two letters out, the first is the formation of an integrated team that will involve the community of six west coast villages, academics and others. We will convey the results to the governor," he said.

Currently, his party has just issued a temporary termination letter which will be submitted to the company.

It is known, some time ago dozens of representatives of six villages in the west coast area who are members of the coalition of the west coast community returned to the Seluma Regency Government Office to convey their demands and hear the attitude of the regent.

The field action coordinator, Saripin Thaihib explained that although the local government cannot revoke mining permits, the community wants to see the attitude of the regent in issuing recommendations that involve the community in the process.

"We want the regent to issue recommendations to the central government and provincial governments regarding mining permits," he said.

He explained that the conflict occurred because mining activities continued and while permits had not been completed and refusals continued to be submitted.