"Indonesian farmers fight for their land in nickel mining boom" 13 March 2023

"I pointed the machete at their faces. I told them: 'If you scratch this land, heads will fly, we will defend this land to the death'," said 42-year-old villager Royani, recounting a recent encounter with some of the miners.

The dig site is part of a huge rush to Indonesia, the world's largest nickel producer, by domestic and foreign enterprises to mine the critical component used in electric vehicle batteries.

Residents and rights groups told AFP the boom threatens farmers' land rights and harms the environment in areas like Wawonii in the resource-rich Sulawesi region, which is home to black macaques, maleo birds and tarsier primates.

'We were destroyed'

Facing the prospect of losing their land and livelihood, around a dozen Wawonii villagers take turns keeping watch from a hut surrounded by clove trees, waiting for trespassers as machinery roars below.

Royani, who goes by one name, joined the effort to safeguard the land after an Indonesian firm cleared hundreds of her family's tropical spice trees in January.

"When we saw there was nothing left, we were destroyed," she said.

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Several protesters in Wawonii have been detained after the land disputes sparked demonstrations, riots, and in some cases armed confrontations.

Hastoma, a 37-year-old coconut farmer, said he was detained for 45 days last year after clashes between villagers and miners.

Other villagers have blocked miners' vehicles and set heavy equipment on fire, while some held miners hostage, restraining them with ropes for up to 12 hours.

"If I keep quiet... where we live will be destroyed," Hastoma said, adding that two hectares of his land were seized after his release.

"I will continue to fight to defend our area."

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Red waters

The southeastern Sulawesi coastline has borne the brunt of the environmental impact of the mines.

In a village in the Pomalaa region of the island, stilt houses sit above rust-red sludge where children swim in murky waters.

Contaminated soil from nickel mines brought down the hills by rain has turned the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean a deep red colour, locals said.

"When there were no mines, the water was not like this. It was clean," said villager Guntur, 33.

State-owned firm PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) is among the firms that have mine concessions in the area.

But Antam's corporate secretary Syarif Faisal Alkadrie told AFP "there has been no mining activity" there.

"The company is always committed to implementing good mining practice principles" in its operations, he said, noting that other companies had concessions and operated nearby.

Fishermen have also suffered from the impact of nickel pollution, and Asep Solihin said he now has to sail much further than he used to for a catch.

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