Clash over Gold Mine Breaks Out on Sangihe Island

Through the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), the government will evaluate the gold mining permit of PT Tambang Mas Sangihe (TMS) on Sangihe Island, North Sulawesi. This was done to follow up on the rejection from the community.

ESDM Ministry's Director General of Mineral and Coal, Ridwan Djamaluddin, said the government had received a personal letter from the Deputy Regent of Sangihe Helmud Hontong. One of Helmud Hontong's objections was regarding the TMS Mining Business Permit (IUP), which covers ​​42,000 hectares, more than half of the island with ​​73,600 square meters. This means that the mining permit will cover half of the Sangihe Islands.

PT TMS mining activities are also feared to damage the land environment, beaches, mangrove communities, coral reefs, and biota. In addition, the control of mining areas may result in the loss of part or all of the community's rights to land and plantations, thus creating new social issues. Due to strong refusal from the community and an official letter sent by Helmud Hontong, the ESDM Ministry will evaluate and may ask TMS to reduce the Contract of Work (COW) areas that are unused for mining activities.