Greenpeace Urges Govt To Evaluate Mining Permints In Riau

Pekanbaru, Riau, June 25 (ANTARA) - Greenpeace has urged the government to evaluate the mining permits it had issued to a number of companies in Riau province, a spokesperson said here.

According to South East Asia Greenpeace campaigner Zulfahmi, the measure was necessary because the operations of many mining companies in Riau were threatening the existence of the province's national park.

Zulfahmi mentioned as an example Riau Bara Harum (RBH) in Indragiri Hulu district whose operations were threatening the Bukit Tiga Puluh National Park because they were located in the park's buffer zone.

If no preventive measures were taken, the company's operations would eventually expand into the national park proper and this would endanger the park, especially because the company was operating open mines.

Therefore, he said, the Indonesian government must evaluate the mining permits of companies operating in Riau because most of them were located in natural forest areas.

"If this continues, it will also endangering the forest habitat which also violate President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's commitment to the emission reduction and moratorium concepts," he said.