Will Eradicate Illegal Mining After The 2024 General Election, West Papua Police Chief: Use Heavy Equipment We Beat

West Papua Regional Police Chief Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir when interviewed by media crews in Manokwari, Wednesday. (ANTARA/Fransiskus Salu Weking)

WEST PAPUA - West Papua Regional Police (Polda) immediately formed a special team to eradicate illegal gold mining activities in West Papua. The formation of the team was carried out after the 2024 General Election.

"After February, I formed a new team for us to go down to the location. We beat it (illegal mining)," said West Papua Police Chief Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir in Manokwari, Wednesday, January 10, confiscated by Antara.

He emphasized that the rise of illegal mining activities that occurred in several areas in West Papua had to be stopped immediately because it damaged environmental sustainability.

Police have received information about the use of hundreds of malicious heavy equipment and chemicals such as mercury for illegal gold mining activities.

"If the mine uses traditional methods, please, but the miners who use heavy equipment we beat because it destroys nature," said Johnny Isir.

He invited local governments, traditional leaders, community leaders, religious leaders, and youth leaders in West Papua to educate the public, especially owners of customary rights.

Public awareness and understanding, especially the owner of customary rights, are important factors for success in eradicating all illegal mining activities.

"Later, people will feel the impact of environmental damage due to mining activities using heavy equipment," he explained.

According to the Kapolda, the community does not yet have a plan to recover from post-mining natural and environmental damage, so firm action is needed to stop all mining activities.

The community, especially the owner of customary rights, has only received a distribution of the proceeds from illegal mining activities of approximately Rp. 300 million without realizing the adverse effects of environmental damage in the future.

"People get a lot of money, but the environment is getting worse. I ask people to think long," said the Kapolda.

Head of the West Papua Energy and Mineral Resources Service (ESDM) Johan Abraham Tulus said the local government encountered problems in issuing people's mining permits to prevent illegal activities.

This is influenced by the status of the forest that has been designated as a conservation area and protected forest.

"So far, it has been constrained by the status of forest areas, so that people's mining permits cannot be issued," said Johan Abraham.

According to him, regulations on people's mining have been accommodated through special regional regulations (Perdasus), but the implementation is waiting for the transfer of the status of forest areas.

Therefore, local governments continue to coordinate with stakeholders in the forestry sector such as the Forestry Service and the Forest Area Utilization Center (BPKH).

If the forestry sector realizes the transfer of regional status functions, he said, the provincial government will follow up by conducting a location survey that has the potential to issue a people's mining permit.

"Although there is a case, it must refer to the status of the forest area," Johan explained.