Jakarta. Nickel miner Gag Nikel will soon resume operations in Raja Ampat, Southwest Papua, after the Indonesian government found its environmental management to be satisfactory. The company had been temporarily suspended due to public concerns over environmental damage.

Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Yuliot Tanjung confirmed on Friday that the company’s environmental management was deemed satisfactory based on a joint evaluation by multiple ministries, including the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry (KKP). The assessment focused on ecological conditions in small islands such as Gag Island and its surroundings.

“Based on the latest findings, environmental management at Gag Nikel’s site is in good shape,” Yuliot said at the ESDM Ministry in Jakarta. “This is a strong indication that the company will be allowed to operate again soon.”

Gag Nikel, a subsidiary of state-owned mining company Aneka Tambang (Antam), had its operations suspended recently while authorities carried out a field verification process. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia had announced the halt in early June, saying no mining activity would resume until the environmental inspection was complete.

Last week, Bahlil defended the decision to allow Gag Nikel’s return, saying that allegations of environmental destruction were unfounded. “We saw no signs of massive destruction,” he said during a press briefing at the State Palace in Jakarta. The minister showed aerial images and videos from a recent site visit to Gag Island to counter viral social media content depicting alleged damage.

He added that some online images were edited and misleading. “We urge the media not to take social media content at face value,” he said.

The government, meanwhile, has revoked the licenses of four other mining firms in Raja Ampat --Anugerah Surya Pratama (ASP), Mulia Raymond Perkasa (MRP), Kawei Sejahtera Mining (KSM), and Nurham-- for violating environmental standards. These companies had operated within the government-designated National Geo Park zone near the iconic Piaynemo Islands.

Bahlil explained Gag Nikel’s operations are located on Gag Island, outside the Geo Park area and closer to North Maluku. He added that the company had initially cleared 260 hectares of land, of which 130 hectares have been rehabilitated and 54 hectares returned to the state.

The minister also clarified that Gag Nikel’s license was issued by the central government in 1998 and renewed in 2017, in contrast to the other four companies whose permits were granted by local governments between 2004 and 2006.

Despite allowing the company to resume activities, Bahlil said President Prabowo Subianto has ordered tight oversight. “The president instructed that the Environmental Impact Assessment (Amdal) must be strictly enforced, land rehabilitation must continue, and coral reefs must not be disturbed,” he stated.

Reaffirming the government’s stance on environmental protection, Bahlil stressed that the ecological integrity of Raja Ampat remains a top priority. “President Prabowo is giving special attention to this matter,” he said.

Raja Ampat, known for its unmatched marine biodiversity, comprises four major islands --Waigeo, Batanta, Salawati, and Misool-- and more than 1,800 smaller islets. It remains one of Indonesia’s most prized ecotourism destinations.

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