By: Gendhis Sathiti)*
Behind the slogan of sustainability, illegal mining (PETI) has long become an open wound on Indonesia’s landscape—robbing the state of revenue, destroying forests, and igniting horizontal conflicts. In recent weeks, inter-agency collaboration—from regional police to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK)—has signaled a shift in government policy from reactive “firefighting” to a governance strategy rooted in prevention, legalization, and layered law enforcement. This evolving approach deserves recognition as a serious effort to reconcile ecological interests, local economies, and state sovereignty over natural resources.
A concrete example can be seen in North Maluku, where Senator Hidayatullah Sjah held discussions with Police Chief Inspector General Waris Agono. Chief Waris explained that the crackdown on PETI in South Halmahera is focused on legalization through the People’s Mining Permit (IPR) and People’s Mining Area (WPR) schemes. He described this model as a long-term solution because it channels state revenue, allows for environmentally conscious oversight, and cuts out rent-seeking chains. This approach does not merely dissolve illegal mines—it restores the state’s role as a protector of livelihood rights for small-scale miners, who have long relied on extracting ore, without normalizing forest destruction.
In Jakarta, the KPK convened the Ministry of Forestry, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), and other agencies to discuss national governance reform. KPK Chair Setyo Budianto presented findings on the chaos of overlapping permits, land disputes, and the low financial compliance of businesses—issues that are now on a shared reform agenda. Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni emphasized that integrating IPPKH (Forest Area Borrow-Use Permits) data is key to closing loopholes for permit manipulation. Meanwhile, Director General of Minerals and Coal Tri Winarno highlighted the reduction of mining licenses from 12,500 to 4,250 that are now categorized as “clear and clean”, while stressing that digital platforms like MODI, MOMI, e-PNBP, and SIMBARA enable big data, real-time oversight, rather than relying solely on physical patrols.
This synergy is further enhanced by the role of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). BKPM Secretary Heldy Satrya Putera laid out KPK’s recommendations: validate all permits, assist struggling investors, expedite processing, and impose strict supervision—including revoking permits when necessary. He underscored the need for strong central-local coordination to eliminate “gray areas” often exploited by PETI—especially since permitting authority has been centralized through the Omnibus Law on Job Creation.
Despite these breakthroughs, observers warn that challenges remain. Bhima Yudhistira, Executive Director of CELIOS, views PETI as a structural problem driven by poor coordination and neglect. In many areas, authority has been centralized, but supervisory capacity has not yet caught up—allowing illegal mining to resurge. Perhapi Chair Sudirman Widhy adds that field reports often stall due to involvement of bad actors, and he praised the Bareskrim operation in Samboja—near Indonesia’s future capital—as proof the state does not discriminate in enforcing the law.
From an environmental ethics perspective, legalizing the IPR-WPR model embodies the principle of inclusive justice: the state not only shuts down illegal mines but also opens legal access rights for small miners, enabling them to earn a living without harming ecosystems. Citizens are invited to participate lawfully, re-establishing the state–society relationship on the basis of protection, not coercion.
On another front, digital governance through platforms like MODI, MOMI, e-PNBP, and SIMBARA addresses the demand for procedural justice. Data on production, mining coordinates, and financial obligations are recorded transparently and accountably—eliminating opaque rent-seeking practices. Citizens, local governments, and national agencies can jointly monitor, enforce the law, and restore public trust in natural resource management.
If this legal-transformational approach is accompanied by education on good mining practices, green economy-based rehabilitation, and a data dashboard accessible to rural communities, then enforcement and prevention can synergize. The outcome would be not only ecological restoration but also local economic resilience—since licensed miners are required to revegetate land, allocate reclamation funds, and nurture long-term, sustainable local enterprises.
Imagine a few years from now: licensed community miners routinely conduct revegetation, state revenue increases, and miners’ children return to school because their parents now work legally and earn decent wages. At that point, the government’s strategy will not only have addressed structural poverty but also helped restore our ecological morality as a nation—affirming that human welfare and environmental preservation can walk hand in hand.
By combining legal certainty, data transparency, and public participation, the effort to eliminate PETI is transforming from mere rhetoric into a national movement—a major step in reconfiguring the relationship between people and the planet. When IPR–WPR legalization is integrated with digital oversight and environmental education, a sustainable ecology and equitable economy will no longer be abstract ideals, but real achievements felt by communities on the front lines.
Of course, the success of this scheme depends on consistent cross-sector collaboration—from law enforcement that decisively acts on violations, to local governments that monitor closely, and universities and NGOs that produce research on ecological and social impacts. Banks and state-owned enterprises must also step in to provide access to green financing, allowing small-scale miners to adopt eco-friendly practices without being burdened by excessive costs. Only through a fully collaborative network can the transformation of illegal mining into sustainable community mining endure across programs and political transitions.
*) Environmental issues advocate
