The Dilemma of the Economic-Political Interests of the Merapi Sand Mining

The Mount Merapi Forest Area is designated as Mount Merapi National Park in accordance with the Decree of the Minister of Forestry No. 134/Menhut-II/2004 concerning changes in the function of protected forest areas, nature reserves and natural tourism parks. The area of ​​± 6,410 hectares is located within the Magelang, Boyolali, and Klaten regencies (Central Java Province), as well as Sleman Regency (DI Yogyakarta).

UU no. 5 of 1990 concerning the Conservation of Biological Natural Resources and Ecosystems itself prohibits activities that can result in changes to the integrity of the core zone of the national park or which are not in accordance with the function of the zone.

The Upper Kali Boyong Water Resources Conservation Association, which consists of residents of six hamlets, for example, has refused sand mining since July 2020, because it is considered a threat to the residents' clean water sources.

"We don't want it to happen like in 2014, where our springs ran out," said Sulistiadi, Secretary of the Boyong River Water Conservation Association, Tuesday (7/9/2021).

At that time, continued Sulis, there were 23 sand miners with heavy equipment. However, only one company has a permit. Residents also damaged the access road so that the mining could be stopped. “The Sleman Regency Government has submitted a revision to the DIY Provincial Government and the Center regarding the WIUP. If granted, the slope area is only allowed for community mining using manual tools," said Sulis.

Other resistance also emerged by residents of Jomboran, Sendangagung, Minggir, Sleman who refused to mine sand with heavy equipment in the Progo River.

The DIY Licensing and Investment Office (DPPM) itself has issued a permit through Decree No. 545/05179/PZ/2020 concerning Approval of Mining Permits for Production Operations of Non-Metal Minerals and Rocks, Commodities of Sand and Stone on behalf of PT. CMK on July 14, 2020.

A researcher at the Department of Politics and Government at the Faculty of Social Politics UGM, Anggalih Bayu, said that sand mining in the Mount Merapi area began in the 1970s as a response from local residents to the abundance of sand from eruptions.

"The sand mining process in the watershed (DAS) which originates at Mount Merapi has undergone a transition from traditional mining to mining with heavy equipment since 1992," said Galih.

He explained that mining with heavy equipment began in 1992 as investors from outside the region entered. "Investors are interested in the potential profit from sand mining activities in the Mount Merapi area, which can reach Rp. 33,040 billion/year," he explained.

It was recorded that in 2011 the Regent of Sleman issued Decree No. 284 of 2011 concerning Normalization of River Flow after the Merapi Eruption. As a policy to normalize the flow of rivers and people's lands buried by post-eruption volcanic material.

However, this regulation is misunderstood by various parties, so that sand mining activities are increasingly out of control. Even the uncontrolled use of heavy equipment has resulted in a decrease in the number of water sources around the Mount Merapi area by up to 50 percent.

This situation shows a dilemma of economic and political interests related to sand mining activities in the Mount Merapi area on the part of policy makers.

“The indications are that during the 2015-2018 period, permit applications increased, and the highest number of permit applications occurred in 2017. Referring to data from the DIY PUP-ESDM Office in 2021, most mining companies do not clearly state the form of legal entity and only list the form of legal entity. the name of the owner of the mining business,” explained Galih.

Then the Yogyakarta Legal Aid Institute (LBH) stated that in fact mining is mostly carried out illegally and even involves village elites, such as the case of the arrest of a former village head in Hargobinangun Village, Pakem District, Sleman Regency on December 5, 2019.

“Data from the Sleman BPS confirms this. For example, on December 30, 2016 there was one landfill business in Gamping District. Also on November 14, 2017 there was a sand and stone mining business in Tempel District," said Julian Prasetya, Advocacy Division of LBH Yogyakarta, Tuesday (7/9/2021).

In the regional spatial plan (RTRW), Julian continued, the upper reaches of the Boyong River is a Merapi conservation area, so mining using heavy equipment should be prohibited.

• (Shaleh Rudianto-Media3.id)