Government told to review Indo Muro mining contract

The Ministry of Mines and Energy should review the mining contract of work of gold mining firm PT Indo Muro Kencana (IMK) in a bid to lessen the tense situation between the local Dayak Siang Murung community and the company, according to local legislator Yeskonia S. Tingan.

Yeskonia said that the review was needed also because the situation now was much different compared to the time when the contract of work was issued.

He said that the government must also allocate part of Indo Muro's site for the mining activity of the people.

Many people have occupied part of Indo Muro's mining site in North Barito regency in Central Kalimantan province.

Yeskonia said that the government must also consider the demand of the people for a better land compensation.

Separately, local legislator Satiar Suling expressed concern with the latest development in the Indo Muro mining site. Satiar said that the people were now demanding the responsibility Indo Muro when it used force to evict settlers.

But Indo Muro has criticized the local authority for its slowness in dealing with the occupiers whom the company said were mostly illegal gold miners coming from outside the local area.

Indo Muro had also threatened to abandon Central Kalimantan if the government failed to solve the problem by the end of May. (*)