Resistance pays off: Indonesian Supreme Court cancels gold mine permit
January 18, 2023
3 minutes
Sangihe is the largest island in the archipelago of the same name in Indonesia. It looks like a tropical paradise, but unfortunately the island is also a place for mining. After a legal battle that lasted for months, the inhabitants have won an important victory with the help of 11.11.11-partner JATAM.
The inhabitants of Sangihe are rightly proud of their island. An unspoiled pearl with mainly tropical forests and plants, and a view of a series of small islands of the Indonesian archipelago. Many of these islands in the east of the country are rich in minerals and ores. Sangihe is one of them, with a significant supply of gold.
In early 2021, plans emerged for large-scale gold mining by the company PT PMS, which already had a permit from the Ministry of Energy and Mining. The company quickly tried to buy up land, but to their dismay they encountered resistance from many local farmers who organized themselves.
Elisye 'Els' Paususeke is one of those islanders: “We only have land and water. If we lose that, we will die of hunger. I heard from my neighbors that land was being bought up in our village. We could earn up to 20.000 euros, but we decided to think about the next generations. After all, the company's concession covers more than half of the island.”
We only have land and water, if we lose that, we will starve to death
Els' family knew that the company also had to obtain an environmental permit before they could start their work. Therefore, with the legal assistance of JATAM - a partner of 11.11.11 - filed a complaint against this permit in June 2021. Els became one of the plaintiffs and traveled to Jakarta for the hearing: “I never thought I would have to sue my own government, I was actually afraid to look those judges in the eye, but I realized I had to be brave.”
At the end of August 2022, news broke that the court in Jakarta had cancelled the permit for the mining operations. However, uncertainty remained. “We want to see the company leave first, only then can we celebrate our victory,” says Els
Both the company and the ministry appealed the verdict in late August, so Sangihe's fate was in the hands of the Supreme Court. There was great relief when the Court ruled that the permit process had not been conducted legally. The company now has to start the procedure all over again. So the case is not off the table, but Save Sangihe Island – Els' action group - stays alert.
I never thought I would have to sue my own government
They are receiving a lot of support from all corners of the country. Although the island is 2350 km from the capital, the petition of Save Sangihe Island 159.708 signatures. “We dare to take on the fight against the government and a mining company. We are actually very proud of that. It cost us a lot of energy, but we made it. We are grateful to everyone who helped us, especially JATAM who helped us with the argumentation. We are not lawyers, but farmers and fishermen who stand up for their rights.”
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