Locals Expect Alternative Livelihoods

The residents of Sukajaya and Nanggung districts, Bogor regency, West Java, have supported the government\'s plan to close illegal gold mines as long as alternative livelihoods are provided.

KOMPAS/AGUIDO ADRI

Ciberani Village, Kiara Pandak Village, Sukajaya, Bogor, West Java, which is surrounded by hills destroyed by landslides. Although the threat of landslides is still lurking, there are still many residents who survive the vulnerable areas on Sunday (26/1/2020).

BOGOR, KOMPAS — The residents of Sukajaya and Nanggung districts, Bogor regency, West Java, have supported the government\'s plan to close illegal gold mines in the Halimun Salak National Park as long as alternative livelihoods are provided. However, residents rejected the accusations that their mining activities had triggered flash floods and landslides in Bogor and Lebak in early January 2020.

"From the results of our evaluation together with all village heads in Nanggung district after the disaster, it was not caused by illegal mining activities. Because, the area affected by landslides is far away from the location of mining activities," said Jani Nurjaman, the chairperson of the All-Indonesia Village Government Association of Nanggung district, Friday (31/1/2020).