Villagers in North Sumatra have accused the Indonesian government of putting their lives at risk by allowing a zinc mining firm to operate in an area prone to earthquakes and flooding.
Villagers claim waste from the mine has killed thousands of fish in the nearby river and its construction led to flash floods in 2018 that killed six people and destroyed hundreds of hectares of farmland. Sihaloho claims work at the dam has cracked the walls of her parents’ house. She says the family fear their home will collapse on top of them.
Protesters on the streets of Silima Pungga-Pungga. A consultant for the mining company, DPM has said their concerns are ‘based on inaccurate information’ The explosives warehouse, he adds, was moved to improve security at the mine. It will be “a safer distance to mining infrastructure facilities and residential areas”.