Raja Ampat, an archipelago of 1,500 islands, cays, and atolls, is dubbed “the last paradise on Earth.” This magnificent region, a UNESCO Global Geopark, is recognized for its dramatic limestone karst rock formations. Crystal-clear waters surrounding these jewelry box islands bring divers and other adventurers worldwide. Raja Ampat has more than 75% of the world’s known hard-coral species and 1,800 reef fish species. Perhaps more importantly, it offers a breeding habitat to five different endangered turtle species. The local community relies on the ocean not only for nourishment but for their livelihoods. Indonesia’s booming nickel sector continues to raise the risks to this fragile environment.
Nickel mining has increased dramatically across the region in recent years. Despite growing environmental opposition, operations on Gag Island continue to this day. Workers remove nickel ore from the island of Gag. They then ship it to the Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP) on Halmahera Island for processing. Reports indicate that IWIP is responsible for severe, cumulative environmental pollution. Overwhelming concentrations of toxic heavy metals — such as mercury and arsenic — have been found in area biodomes. An independent health impact assessment study commissioned by Nexus3 and Tadulako University found alarming evidence of the negative impacts of IWIP on the health of local residents.
Environmental Concerns Rise
Yuyun Ismawati, cofounder of the Nexus3 research and advocacy network, has raised alarms over the pollution around industrial parks such as IWIP. She pointed out that the community is inundated with a deadly soup of toxic pollutants. These chemicals pose a serious risk to our environment and public health.
“Inside these zones, there are various smelters — not just for nickel, but also for aluminium and other metals… so even if we could take some samples, there are no standard benchmarks to measure these chemical cocktails.” – Yuyun Ismawati
The impacts of this pollution reach far beyond basic environmental harm. Ismawati’s research found heavy metal concentrations in blood samples collected from residents who live near IWIP to be alarmingly high. This lack of data is truly alarming given the long-term health impacts that may ultimately befall the nearby community.
The Indonesian government has made efforts to protect the environment in Raja Ampat. They were forced to revoke a few dozen mining permits due to repeated violations. Gag Island is still an active site of nickel mining, since one final permit has yet to be revoked. Local leaders and environmental advocates have long pushed for stricter regulations and enforcement to protect the region’s delicate but irreplaceable ecosystem.
The Local Community’s Struggle
Our local community Raja Ampat are very concerned about their livelihood. People such as Matias Mambraku talk about the fight against the expanding mining industry. Mambraku’s defense of their natural resources is simple, but critical. Our people can only live if we protect our homes and environment.
“We survived without mining before, and we will continue to survive as long as we protect our homes.” – Matias Mambraku
For many of these residents, the ocean provides beauty alone. It’s the lifeblood of our communities, delivering both crucial food security and engine of economic prosperity. Australian conservationist and former International Ranger of the Year, Lynn Lawrence, shines a spotlight on this crucial relationship between a community and its natural world.
“In remote villages the reef is the supermarket, the bank, and the primary source of protein, with reef fish and shellfish forming the backbone of daily nutrition.” – Lynn Lawrence
As one local told us, … most locals feel this way pretty strongly. They know that their cultural identity, their cultural way of life, is all-in on the health of that marine ecosystem.
The Call for Action
As fears about climate change and environmental destruction increase, conservationists such as Lawrence emphasize the need to act now and protect Raja Ampat. She laments that simply admiring it for its beauty won’t be enough to protect its future, we need to do more.
“Raja Ampat doesn’t need to be admired for what it still has; it needs to be protected for what it still gives.” – Lynn Lawrence
Lawrence further illustrates that Raja Ampat is invaluable because of its connection to the people that inhabit it. Without honoring this essential interdependence between the land and those who live in deep relationship with it, we cannot ensure vibrant survival for generations to come.
“Raja Ampat’s value is inseparable from the people who live in, depend on, and actively shape it.” – Lynn Lawrence
Arie Rompas, an environmentalist and lawyer specialized in environmental law. These procedural decisions are immensely important to the permitting revocation process and to the ability of Federal District Courts to enforce environmental protections.
“There must be a formal decision to ensure that the revocation is actually carried out.” – Arie Rompas
Stakeholders in Raja Ampat are struggling, yet diligently, to foster economic progress while protecting their precious environment. That’s why it’s so important for local communities and conservationists to stand together on this issue. Raja Ampat’s future hangs in the balance. They are continuing the front line struggle to create a world in balance with nature and its original inhabitants.
