Indonesian President orders intensified crackdown on illegal mining

Jakarta, Oct 6 (IANS) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has ordered law enforcement agencies to step up efforts against illegal mining and smuggling, particularly in tin-rich regions, state news agency Antara reported on Monday.

Prabowo on Monday visited Pangkal Pinang, capital of Bangka Belitung Islands Province, to witness the handover of confiscated state assets from illegal mining cases to state-owned tin miner PT Timah.

The Attorney General's Office recently seized six tin smelters in the province in a corruption case with an estimated state loss of 300 trillion Indonesian rupiahs (about 18 billion US dollars).

Calling the seizures "a proud achievement," Prabowo urged the Attorney General's Office, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the Customs and Excise Office, and the Maritime Security Agency to sustain joint operations, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"This is proof that the government is serious and determined to eradicate smuggling, eradicate illegal mining, and eradicate all those who violate the law," he said.

Last month, Prabowo instructed the TNI, National Police, and Customs and Excise Office to launch a large-scale operation in Bangka Belitung to close smuggling routes for tin products. He noted that almost 80 percent of the country's tin output is smuggled annually, often via small vessels.

The President estimated that ongoing enforcement could save the state up to 22 trillion rupiahs (around 1.32 billion dollars) by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, all seven workers trapped in a wet material slide at PT Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Block Cave Underground Mine in Central Papua province have been confirmed dead, the company said in a statement on Monday.

The incident occurred on September 8 in Mimika Regency. After 27 days of continuous search and rescue operations, a joint team comprising PT Freeport Indonesia, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, local police, the National Search and Rescue Agency, and the Regional Disaster Management Agency recovered the last five bodies on Sunday. Two other victims were found earlier on Sept. 20.

PT Freeport Indonesia said the rescue process was extremely challenging due to the complex location and an estimated 800,000 tons of wet material that buried the site.

Tony Wenas, President Director of PT Freeport Indonesia, expressed profound condolences to the families of the victims and paid tribute to the rescue teams for their tireless efforts. He said the company will continue to provide full support to the families and ensure the remains are handled with respect.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway, with the company pledging a thorough and transparent process aimed at preventing similar incidents in the future.

--IANS

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