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0907UIDO "$5*0/ Mining activities will threaten the right to food of 60,000 people, Lembata,

Indonesia 06.04.2009 In June 2005, a gold and copper mining company began preliminary exploration activities in the regency (district) of Lembata in Flores. The proposed mining activities will result in the people of Lembata losing their agricultural land as well as ocean resources, which provide their staple diet. The planned mine will also cause the resettlement of at least 60,000 local people. As such, the right to food of the local people will therefore be severely threatened.

$"--50"$5*0/ International action is needed in order to stop current exploration activities and to stop the mine from going ahead. Please send a letter to the Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, Governor of , Chair of the Lembata Regional Parliament, and the Regent of Lembata, requesting them to protect the right to food of 60,000 people in Lembata.

#"$,(306/% Lembata is a regency and a small island in east Flores in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. It is a beautiful island, rich in land and ocean points of attraction, and has a unique culture not found elsewhere. The gold reserves in Lembata are said to be the third largest in the world.

Three mining companies have in the past conducted exploration activities in Lembata. These have contaminated the water sources and polluted the environment. Nevertheless, the local government has permitted a new company, PT Merukh Lembata Copper, to carry out exploration activities, with the exploitation stage scheduled to commence in 2011. The Director of PT Merukh Lembata Copper is the Indonesian Yusuf Merukh who holds mineral exploration rights for at least one third of Lembata. Three German companies are said to be involved in project financing. The planned mining project in Lembata will result in the forced eviction and relocation of at least 60,000 people to other islands. Evicting and relocating these people to other areas will mean that they are forced to live on other people’s lands (including their ancestral lands). This will most likely cause further conflict. Since the livelihoods of the local people are dependent on agriculture, and supported by animal husbandry and fishing, their right to food will be threatened and the people will be faced with poverty and unemployment.

The local government of Lembata and PT Merukh Lembata Copper agreed unilaterally to develop the mining industry. The local community was not involved in these discussions. The plan to mine was only revealed subsequently, after the written agreement between the Regent (head of regency) and PT Merukh Lembata Copper was discovered by the community. The discovery provoked a strong reaction, with the local community protesting in different ways. After the protests became stronger, the government conducted a “socialisation” process, where only the positive aspects of the mine were discussed. The government was not prepared to address the negative aspects. It has also been reported that the Regent of Lembata and other actors have attempted to gain community agreement to the mine through intimidation, manipulation and by offering bribes to community leaders and other important figures. '*"/."/%"5&

The livelihood of the community in Lembata comes from agriculture, and is supplemented by fishing and animal husbandry. As the planned mining project in Lembata will result in the eviction and the relocation of 60,000 locals, it will severely threaten their right to food. As is a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights, the permission and licences granted to PT Merukh Lembata Copper should be revoked and all mining activities should stopped immediately.

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Dr. Ir. Purnomo Yusgiantoro Minister for Energy dan Mineral Resources Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No.18 DKI Jakarta 10110 Indonesia E-Mail: [email protected] Fax: +62 (21) 3519881

Copies to:

Drs. Frans Lebu Raya Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Jl. Raya El Tari No.52 Kupang Indonesia Email: [email protected] Fax: +62 (380) 821 520

Drs. Peter Boliona Keraf Chair of the Lembata Regional Parliament Jl. Trans Lembata No. 1 Lewoleba, Kabupaten Lembata, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Indonesia

Drs. Andreas Duli Manuk Regent of Lembata Jl. Trans Lembata No. 1 Lewoleba, Kabupaten Lembata, Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Indonesia

&/%0'"$5*0/ May 18, 2009 Please inform FIAN International about any response you receive to your faxes and letters.

'*"/*/5&3/"5*0/"- P.O. Box 10 22 43 D-69012 Heidelberg Tel:+49-6221-6530030 Fax:+49-6221-830545 E-mail: [email protected] www.fian.org

'*"/]8JUI)VNBO3JHIUTBHBJOTU)VOHFS Dr. Ir. Purnomo Yusgiantoro Minister for Energy dan Mineral Resources, Jl. Medan Merdeka Selatan No.18 DKI Jakarta 10110 Indonesia E-Mail: [email protected] Fax: +62 (21) 3519881

Dear Minister,

It has recently come to my attention that PT Merukh Lembata Copper and the government of Lembata have unilaterally agreed to develop the mining industry in Lembata, Flores, with exploitation expected to commence in 2011. They did not involve the local community in these discussions and decision. The community began protesting after it was revealed that a written agreement was already signed between the Regent and the mining company. It was reported that the Regent of Lembata and other actors have attempted to gain community agreement to the mine through intimidation, manipulation and by offering bribes community leaders and other influencial persons.

I am deeply concerned that the planned mining activities will severely threaten the right to food of the local community. This will increase impoverishment and unemployment in this area, which is already a food scarce region. The mining proposal will result in the local communities losing their agricultural land and ocean resources which are the basis of their existence, and will sever their ties with their ancestral lands. The mine will also cause massive eviction and displacement (as many as 60,000 people) creating further conflict.

As a state party to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, Indonesia is duty-bound under international law to respect and protect the right to food of all of its population. Indonesia ratified this Covenant because it was in accordance with the Indonesian state ideology “Pancasila” and the 1945 Constitution, and was considered to be “in accordance with the character of Indonesia as a state based on law that upholds the dignity of human beings” and “the desire of Indonesia to continually progress and protect human rights in the life of the people and the nation.”

As a person working internationally for the right to food, I would like to ask you to: • cease all measures in Lembata which threaten the basic human rights of the local population • involve the community in all decisions taken which affect their lives; • review all policies that portray mining as a component of economic development; • use opportunities to develop the local potential and local economic activities that better guarantee sustainable development.

I would be grateful if you could keep me informed of the steps you are taking in this respect.

Thank you for your attention in this matter.

Yours sincerely