Indonesia: Gold mine instead of UNESCO world heritage status

The Tinka Tindung goldmine threatens rainforest and especially marine life off the Indonesian island Sulawesi.

The Minahsa region in northern Sulawesi (Indonesia) is in the running for a UNESCO world natural heritage listing. But its incomparable nature is in danger.

The Indonesian government has licensed the Toka Tindung gold mine in north Minahsa. A study by the University of Jakarta predicts fatal consequences for people and the environment of the region.

The environment advocacy group Ammalta has protested massively against the project, including with help from German Rainforest Rescue (Rettet den Regenwald). Please support the current action against the licensing of the mine.

The university study found a negative cost-benefit relationship for the mine. Only short-term gains are possible which in the long term will damage the vital economic sectors tourism, fishing and farming.

Ammalta emphasises that operation of the mine would hurt local people most. They are threatened with destruction of their environment, loss of their land rights, destruction of valuable forests, contamination of ground water and endangerment of their livelihoods.

Against the recommendation of the provincial government, the ministry for energy and minerals has permitted construction of the mine. German Rainforest Rescue has several times in the past drawn attention to the issues involving the mine.

Despite all negative consequences the government is sticking by its plans. Even the environment minister up to now, Rahmat Witoelar, formerly a critic, recently turned into a supporter of Toka Tindung. And the zoning of the region was also suddenly changed in favour of the mine.

The Ammalta group assumes corruption and political pressure from up high and calls on the Indonesian president, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, to revoke the operating licence.

You can support this demand by signing a prepared protest mail (see procedure below) at http://www.regenwald.org.

The Ammalta activists would also appreciate a donation.

Dear Friends of the Rainforest,

Please support the resistance of the Ammalta environment movement against the mine.
Please buy no gold or gold jewellery. At http://www.regenwald.org/12fragen.php?id=16 (in German) are 12 questions and answers about gold.

Reinhard Behrend
Rettet den Regenwald e. V.
Friedhofsweg 28
22337 Hamburg
040 4103804
info@regenwald.org
http://www.regenwald.org

How to sign:

First box is for your gender or other entity: Herr=Mr, Frau=Ms, Familie=Family, Firma=Company
Vorname: Given name
Nachname: Surname
Firma: Company
E-Mail:
Straße: Street Hausnr House number
PLZ: Post code
Ort: Place name
Staat: Country (Australien if you're sending from Australia)
Informationen auf diesem Computer speichern: Store information on this computer
Mail versenden: Send mail

TV info (maybe someone would like to rebroadcast):
The palm oil war. Oil palm plantations are displacing Colombia’s subsistence farmers. A tragedy is unfolding in Colombia rainforests. In Chocó province tens of thousands of subsistence peasants are being driven off their land. Wednesday 25 November, 8.15 pm, 3sat.