Illegal Gold Mining Threatens Farmers in Banyuwangi, Indonesia

Farmers in Banyuwangi, East Java, are increasingly concerned about the proliferation of illegal gold mining activities in areas where they have benefited from social forestry programs. The issue is particularly acute around the concession area of PT Damai Suksesindo Indonesia (DSI), a subsidiary of PT Bumi Suksesindo (BSI). Suroto, a 76-year-old farmer from Dusun Pancer village, Puncak Mata Hari, has been cultivating dragon fruit on land within the social forestry scheme for over a quarter of a century. He began cultivating the land in 1999 and invested approximately Rp40 million in lighting systems to ensure flowering even during the dry season. At peak prices, a single harvest can yield up to Rp60 million. However, his livelihood, along with that of other farmers, is now threatened by the surge in illegal gold mining. The land they cultivate falls within the concession area of DSI, which obtained its exploration mining permit (IUP eksplorasi) through East Java Governor's Decree No. P2T/83 dated May 17, 2018. The farmers fear that illegal mining will lead to environmental pollution and land degradation, jeopardizing their livelihoods. This situation highlights the complex challenges of balancing regional economic development with sustainable land use and the protection of local community rights. Effective crackdowns on illegal mining, coupled with measures for coexistence with local communities and careful environmental and social considerations in legal mining operations, are urgently needed.