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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Crime & Justice

Walhi Reports Illegal Mining in West Sumatra to National Police, Cites Regional Negligence

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Indonesian environmental group Walhi has reported alleged illegal gold mining activities to the national police, accusing regional police of negligence and involvement.
  • Walhi claims the West Sumatra regional police have repeatedly failed to act on complaints, leading the group to escalate the issue to the national Bareskrim Polri.
  • The group demands a swift investigation into the illegal mining operations, urging police to target key figures and financial flows behind the environmental damage.

The Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) has taken its fight against illegal gold mining to the national police headquarters in Jakarta. The environmental group accuses regional police in West Sumatra of negligence and even complicity in the widespread environmental destruction caused by these operations.

We have given a red report to the West Sumatra Regional Police for failing to enforce the law in the environmental sector.

— Tommy AdamTommy Adam, Executive Director of Walhi West Sumatra, stated this regarding the regional police's inaction on illegal mining.

Tommy Adam, Executive Director of Walhi West Sumatra, expressed frustration with the local police, stating, "We have given a red report to the West Sumatra Regional Police for failing to enforce the law in the environmental sector." He added that despite repeated reports, no concrete action has been taken, and the police have not provided any updates on the cases.

This lack of action has prompted Walhi to bring the matter to the Bareskrim Polri, the national criminal investigation agency. The group has given the Bareskrim a two-week deadline to investigate the report. Walhi National Executive Director Boy Jerry Even Sembiring emphasized that the police should not only arrest the small-scale workers but also dismantle the networks of financiers behind these destructive businesses. He suggested that police could leverage financial transaction reports to trace the flow of money from illegal gold sales.

We ask that the key actors be arrested. The police can request assistance from PPATK (Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center) to trace where the money flow or the proceeds from illegal gold sales are going.

— Boy Jerry Even SembiringBoy Jerry Even Sembiring, National Executive Director of Walhi, urged police to target the masterminds behind illegal mining operations.

Walhi also issued a challenge to the incoming police chief of West Sumatra, urging them to demonstrate effective environmental law enforcement within their first 100 days in office. The group highlighted the critical state of environmental damage in the region, which is suffering from both illegal logging and extensive illegal gold mining.

We give a 100-day challenge to the incoming West Sumatra Police Chief, regarding the work process of law enforcement in the environmental sector.

— Tommy AdamTommy Adam of Walhi issued a challenge to the new West Sumatra Police Chief concerning environmental law enforcement.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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