BBTNLL Involves Sigi Regency Government To Close PETI Activities In Sibowi Tanambulava

-The illegal gold mine location in Sibowi Village, Tanambulava District, Sigi Regency covering an area of 0.5 hectares is fitted with a police line, Saturday (23/8/2025). (ANTARA

SIGI - The Lore Lindu National Park Center (BBTNLL) involved the Sigi Regency Government, Central Sulawesi to close and stop gold mining activities without permission (PETI) in Sibowi Village, Tanambulava District.

"Unlicensed gold mining area in Sibowi is not large, but the location is quite steep, covering an area of 0.5 hectares or 5,000 square meters," said Head of the Lore Lindu National Park Center, Titik Wurdiningsih, to the media crew after closing illegal mining activities in Sibowi, Sigi, Saturday.

He stated that the control this time received support from the TNI, Polri, Forestry Police, Center for Environmental and Forestry Law Enforcement (Gakkumhut) for the Sulawesi Region, Sigi Regency Government and the provincial government of Central Sulawesi.

"If this area is not brought under control from now on, it could be extended to other areas in the Lore Lindu National Park area," he said.

He said that the location of PETI in Sibowi is an area where the local community uses water sources.

"So no matter how small the illegal mines must be and we are sure that all PETIs in the Lore Lindu National Park area can be resolved and in the future can be an example for other regions how to deal with PETI collaboratively as done in Sigi Regency," he said.

The point explaining PETI in Sibowi is included in the utilization zone, namely part of the national park area to be used in natural tourism activities, education, research, and the use of environmental services.

"We continue to be committed to maintaining, although there are no more mining activities, we routinely carry out patrols to anticipate that these miners don't come back again, so we hope that this area will be maintained and sustainable," he said.

According to him, the PETI in Sibowi Village is at an altitude of 350 meters above its inclination of more than 45 degrees.

"We need to explain that the location of this PETI is in the water flow route used by the community, especially the residents of Sibowi," he said.

Furthermore, to go to the illegal mining site, the local community must pass through the traditional ritual location with a distance between the PETI location and the 700-meter-long ritual area.

"From 2023 to August 2025 the Lore Lindu National Park Center has been patrolling 10 times," he said.

Based on BBTNLL data, there are seven illegal gold mining sites in the Lore Lindu National Park area, both in Sigi and Poso Regencies such as Kintabaru 0.13 hectares, Ueloe 0.3 hectares, Sibowi 0.5 hectares, Kangkuro 2.5 hectares, Hanggira 2.6 hectares, Dongi-dongi 15 hectares and Wanga 1.7 hectares.