"Activists stage ‘Trojan Horse’ protest urging banks to stop financing Harita’s nickel smelter on Obi Island", Tanahair, 3 October 2025

[...] activists urged national and regional banks to immediately cease funding nickel projects that are considered environmentally harmful and violate global climate commitments.

A number of major Southeast Asian banks—including OCBC, UOB, DBS, Maybank, and CIMB—have been accused of violating their own internal policies that state they will stop financing new coal-fired power plant projects.

“They continue to fund Harita’s smelter. This contradicts the sustainability commitments they have published,” said Ginanjar.

[...] mining operations had polluted residents’ water sources with dangerous levels of chromium-6 above safe limits, as well as causing the forced eviction of indigenous communities.