Activists fear Indian proposal for coal reserves in Indonesian-ruled Papua – by Febriana Firdaus (Asia Pacific Report – June 13, 2018)

Asia Pacific Report

Jakarta – As it seeks to diversify its sources of fuel, India is looking to get in on the ground floor of coal mining in previously unexploited deposits in Indonesian-ruled Papua.

In exchange for technical support and financing for geological surveys, officials say India is pushing for special privileges, including no-bid contracts on any resulting concessions a prospect that could run foul of Indonesia’s anti-corruption laws.

The details of an Indian mining project in Papua are still being negotiated, but Indonesia’s energy ministry welcomes the prospect as part of a greater drive to explore energy resources in the country’s easternmost provinces.

In future, the ministry hopes mining for coking coal will support the domestic steel industry, while also bringing economic benefits to locals.

Rights activists, however, fear the launch of a new mining industry could deepen tensions in a region where existing extractive projects have damaged the environment and inflamed a long-running armed conflict.

For the rest of this article: https://asiapacificreport.nz/2018/06/13/activists-fear-indian-proposal-for-coal-reserves-in-indonesian-ruled-papua/