C Sulawesi Mining Activities Disturb Monkey Habitat

Palu, Central Sulawesi, Feb 3 (Antara) - The mining activities in Central Sulawesi have disturbed the habitat of endemic monkeys at Tojo Una-Una district, according to local Mining Advocacy Network (Jatam). Jatam Research and Campaign Manager Rifai Hadi stated here, over the weekend, that the iron ore mining activities at Tojo Una-Una district had forced the endemic monkeys in the forest to storm into the residential areas and disturb people. Rifai pointed out that during the past four months the monkeys have left their damaged habitat for the residential areas, attacking the local community. "Hundreds of monkeys, in the past four months, have left their damaged habitat for residential areas, disturbing the local community and destroying their crops," Rifai explained. He noted that the mining activities at the slope of Mount Katopasa in Podi village had extensively damaged the forest areas, leaving the monkeys homeless. According to him, the existence of iron ore mining at Tojo Una-Una district violated Law No.5/1990 on the conservation of biological resources and their ecosystem. "Therefore the law enforcers should investigate into the case in order to maintain environmental sustainability," he noted. He added that the Mining Advocacy of Central Sulawesi had discovered that in Morowali district alone, half a million hectares of land were occupied by illegal mining companies. Meanwhile, Jatam Director Syahrudin Ariestal Douw stated in September last year that 177 companies were involved in illegal mining activities on 600,089 hectares of public land in Morowali district. He pointed out that the companies had mining licenses (IUPs), which were issued by the local government of Morowali district without complying with the standard regulations required by the law. According to him, 43 IUPs issued by the Morowali government overlapped with those issued by the central government, and as a result, there were concessional areas being worked on by more than one company. In addition, he pointed out, there were five IUP holders who conducted their mining activities within forest areas.