National Police Chief: Bareskrim-Ministry Investigate Nickel Mine In Raja Ampat

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo/ANTARA/Nadia Putri Rahmani

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo said the Criminal Investigation Unit of the National Police together with the ministry were investigating nickel mining activities in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua.

"What is clear is that the team from Bareskrim Polri, combined with the Ministry of Environment (LH) and it seems that there is also a team from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), conducting an in-depth investigation of course," said the National Police Chief as quoted by ANTARA, Thursday, June 12.

The deepening, he said, was to find out more about the conditions on the ground so that they could identify what violations occurred.

"So then if there is a violation, it is adjusted to the violation. I think it used to be because the team was working," he said.

The government previously announced the repeal of four mining business permits (IUP) pocketed by four companies in Raja Ampat Regency, Southwest Papua. The four companies include PT Anugerah Surya Pratama, PT Nurham, PT Melia Raymond Perkasa, and PT Kawai Sejahtera.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia explained that the four IUPs were revoked because some of their land was in the Raja Ampat Geopark protected area.

"Technically we also see, some are in the Geopark area," said Bahlil.

On Wednesday (11/6), the Director of Certain Crimes (Dirtipidter) of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) Brigadier General Nunung Syaifuddin said his party was investigating nickel mining activities in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua.

According to Nunung, an investigation was carried out on four companies whose mining business licenses (IUP) were revoked by the government.

Meanwhile, when asked about PT GAG Nickel, which is still operating on Gag Island, Raja Ampat because it is considered that it still meets the criteria for environmental impact analysis, Nunung said that his party was still investigating.

Dirtipidter said the investigation began on the basis of the Police's findings. In this case, Nunung highlighted the obligation to reclamation the environment in mining activities.

The name Mining must always have environmental damage. Which mines do not damage the environment? It's just that, that's why there are rules for reclamation. There is an obligation of entrepreneurs to provide reclamation guarantees," he said.