One of abandoned coal pits in Sumbersari, East Kalimantan. They may seem beautiful, but such pits are proven deadly (Photo: doc. Jatam Kaltim)
Brilio.net/en - Mother's Day should be a joyousoccasion.
But on December 22, 2014, Hari Ibu became a tragic anniversary for Rahma Wati, whose son, Muhammad Raihan Saputra (10), was found dead inside inside an abandoned coal pit; one of overa hundred gaping holes in a residential area that have been abandoned for years.
The last time Rahma saw her son alive was when Raihan said he was going out to play with some friends. Later, someone ran up to her and said Raihan had drowned in one of the coal pits.
Rahma and her husband Misransyah were helpless. And theyre not alone. According environment news portal Mongabay, the death toll in East Kalimantan since 2011 to date is 27 childrens. Sixteen were from the capital Samarinda.
A coal pit where the 276th and 27th victims, Dias Mahendra and Edi Kurniawan, both were 15, died. (Photo: doc. Jatam Kaltim)
People are also losing their lands in falls down the pits, meaning they can no longer cultivate crops on land that is, incidentally, continualy shrinking. In Samarinda, 71 percent of total landis now owned by mining companies.
But nobody has acted. No one has been punished. Hundreds of deadly coal pits still intact as if waiting for another victim. People continue to lose their lands. Whats happening here?
Familieshave complained to the Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya, published a petition, met the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise, who promised to discuss the issue in Jakarta and to form an investigation team to save children from the threat of mining pits, but nothing happened. They've evenmet commissioners of the National Commission on Human Rights, and eventually met Commission for Child Protection and Witness Protection Agency. But still, nothing happened.
Deadly coal pit owned by PT. Cakra in Serbaya Village, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan (Photo: doc. Jatam Kaltim via Mongabay)
There was no action from the government and law enforcement. Mining companies are never punished for their negligence. In fact, the topmost layers of these companies seem untouchable. Even worse, it seems like the government, which issupposed to defend the people and to break the chains crime, tend to protect the perpetrator by not taking any action. Whats happening here?
These people are angry, but they dont want money as compensation. They just wantthe pits to be refilled and their land restored and rehabilitated.
But, apparently, that's too much to ask.
The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect Brilio's.
(brl/red)
