Residents living around the mining operations in Central Halmahera, North Maluku staged a protest at the coastal area of Lelilef Village, Weda Tengah District, on Thursday, February 13, 2025, expressing distrust towards the impact of the visit by Commission XII of the House of Representatives (DPR) to the Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) last December.
The protesters accused the lawmakers of siding with industrial interests rather than addressing the grievances of affected communities.
“We are here today to protest against the DPR members who visited a few months ago. Why? Because when they came here, they only met with IWIP officials instead of hearing from the local people who are suffering due to IWIP’s presence,” Hernemus Takuling, a resident of Lelilef Sawai Village, said.
He cited that the lawmakers prioritized discussions on state revenue from nickel processing industries rather than addressing the worsening living conditions of residents during the visit on December 26, 2024. He criticized the fact that instead of meeting with those harmed by IWIP’s operations, DPR members focused on the damaged weighing bridges in the IWIP area, highlighting losses to the State rather than the environmental and social destruction experienced by the local population.
The residents rejected the government’s claim that IWIP, designated as a National Strategic Project (PSN), had improved their welfare. Instead, they highlighted ongoing land seizures leading to food shortages, deforestation triggering repeated floods, pollution contaminating rivers, seas, and air, and even the deployment of security forces to intimidate those resisting land acquisition.
“We hope that if a working committee (Panja) is formed by Commission XII, residents from Lelilef Sawai, Lelilef Woebulan, Trans Kobe, Kobe Itepo, Gemaf, and Sagea will be invited to the hearing. That is our main demand,” Hernemus said.
Mardani Lagayelol, a resident of Sagea and spokesperson for the #SaveSagea Coalition, said that IWIP’s activities were rapidly encroaching on residential areas. He pointed out that nickel mining concessions across Halmahera, including near Sagea, were clearing forests and destroying hills to supply ore to IWIP.
“The mining operations have contaminated our drinking water. That’s why we, the #SaveSagea Coalition, urge DPR and the government to designate Sagea’s karst region as a protected area,” Mardani said.
“PT Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), a major nickel mining company in Halmahera, is the primary supplier of ore to IWIP and is believed to be responsible for the destruction of the Sagea River,” he added.
House committee
Julfikar Sangaji, coordinator of the Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam) in North Maluku, called for the establishment of a House Special Committee (Pansus) or Working Committee (Panja) to thoroughly investigate the environmental and human rights violations caused by IWIP’s operations.
He also urged lawmakers and the government to revoke IWIP’s PSN and National Vital Object (Obvitnas) status, which was granted by then President Joko Widodo.
He, however, was skeptical that DPR and the government would take such a bold step.
“We believe DPR and the government lack the courage to stand up to the world’s largest nickel processing company, let alone revoke its PSN and Obvitnas status,” Julfikar concluded.
