Manokwari, Jubi TV – The Arfak Mountains Police in West Papua has yet to take law enforcement measures against illegal gold mining perpetrators in the region due to budget constraints.
Arfak Mountains Police chief Comr. Isaac Hosio confirmed from Manokwari in a phone call on Saturday that curbing efforts could only be done through appeals to the public not to carry out illegal mining activities.
“We have not been able to carry out law enforcement efforts in the mining sector because we have not been supported by the DIPA (Budget Implementation List),” said Hosio, as quoted by Antara.
However, he said, the Criminal Investigation Unit has been ordered to collect field data related to illegal gold mining activities under the jurisdiction of the Arfak Mountains Police.
“Our members from the Arfak Mountains Police Criminal Investigation Unit are now conducting an inventory of these activities in the Minyambouw District, as well as campaigning so that there are no illegal mining activities there,” he said.
Hosio added that his party was still deepening the existence of cooperatives that allegedly coordinate groups of entrepreneurs and hundreds of workers in illegal gold mining activities in the region.
“Regarding the existence of the cooperative, we are still investigating it. The handling of illegal mining must go hand in hand with the local government, otherwise, the security forces will clash with the customary owners,” Hosio explained.
Meanwhile, in Wasirawi Village, Mansi District, Manokwari Regency, illegal gold mining activities are allegedly still being carried out by a group of mining entrepreneurs who have never been touched by the law.
One of the illegal gold mining entrepreneurs in the Manokwari-Tambrauw area contacted by Jubi, Slamet, has not provided information regarding the reasons why his group still persists in carrying out mining in the two areas (Manokwari-Tambrauw).
Illegal gold mining activities in the Arfak Mountains and Manokwari have become the attention of the West Papua government after Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia ordered that illegal mines in these two areas be closed. The minister made his statement during his working visit in Manokwari in June. (*)
