—World Dayto Combat Desertification and Drought—June 17, 2025
#RestoreTheLandUnlockTheOpportunities #RestoreTheLandUnlockTheOpportunities #SaveRajaAmpat
The State of the Earth Today
Data released by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) in conjunction with the 2025 World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought—Restore Land. Create Opportunities—shows that:
- 40% of the Earth's land has been degraded, directly affecting 3.2 billion people
- Every second, an area of healthy land the size of four soccer fields is degraded
- 74% of the poor population depends directly on land that is prone to degradation
So, what about Indonesia? In this part of the world that is home to these fertile lands?
Raja Ampat Mine: The Permit Has Been Revoked—What Now?
Raja Ampat, the last paradise on earth, is more than just a world-class tourist destination. It is home to communities, biodiversity, and sacred ancestral lands.
But today, nickel mines are not only extracting nickel, but also everything above and around it: the land, forests, coral reefs, and biodiversity, as well as the rights, culture, living spaces, and dignity of local communities—which they have safeguarded for centuries.
“The President has decided, after taking everything into account and conducting a comprehensive review, to revoke the four mining permits (IUPs) located outside Gag Island. Therefore, effective today, the government has revoked four mining permits in Raja Ampat,”
— Bahlil Lahadalia, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM)
“That action (the revocation of the mining permit) must be followed by concrete steps to restore the rights of the local community, including the restoration of former mining sites,”
— Saurlin P. Siagian, Commissioner for Monitoring at the National Commission on Human Rights
Komnas Human Rights Commission stated the revocation Business Mining (IUP) (IUP) alone is enough. It is necessary a recovery (restoration) environmental and social for the that affected.
The Wounds of Those Affected
“Our forests are gone, our oceans are damaged, and our communities are now at odds with one another,”“During the tidal season, brown mining waste flows and pollutes the area all the way to my village,”
“If those islands are mined, in a few years they will disappear—and where will the indigenous communities living there go?”
— Paulina, a resident of Raja Ampat
The local community has not only been stripped of its land, culture, and spiritual heritage, but also continues to face internal conflicts among residents due to these mining activities.
Not Just in Raja Ampat
In addition to the Raja Ampat region, Wawonii in Southeast Sulawesi is a small island that is also threatened by nickel mining. Most of the residents of the small island of Wawonii make their living through farming. Their livelihoods have been disrupted since the arrival of nickel mining on the island. Clean water and air have become polluted. Social relations among residents have also been strained due to polarization between supporters and opponents of the mine.
In fact, Law No. 27 of 2007 on the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands clearly prohibits mineral mining activities on small islands. The area of Wawonii Island is only 715 km². Meanwhile, according to Law No. 27 of 2017, a small island is defined as an island with an area of 2,000 km² or less² , along with its ecosystem.
#WeAreAnOpenSociety: Keep Monitoring, Promote Transparency and Participation Across All Sectors
“Regarding the environmental pollution and damage caused, legal action will certainly be taken—both criminal and civil—since we have documented the environmental conditions as they are; therefore, those responsible must be held accountable for their actions,”
— Hanif Faisol Nurofiq, Minister of the Environment
Although the government has been responsive to the demands of residents and activists regarding the resulting environmental damage, we at Masyarakat Terbuka still need to ensure that:
- The “promises” of action that arise from our response are actually carried out by the responsible parties,
- Efforts to restore damaged ecosystems,
- The healing of the social, psychological, and physical "wounds" of the affected community,
- Residents are involved in every decision that affects their quality of life,
- In the future, natural resource management must be fair to everyone, and
- These measures are carried out in accordance with the principles of fairness, participation, and transparency.
In your opinion, #SahabaTifa, what has the government “not yet” done to address this recovery?
Tifa and Environmental Protection for Indigenous Communities
The Tifa Foundation, together with its partners and indigenous communities across Indonesia, is undertaking various initiatives to protect indigenous territories—which are also part of the Earth’s ecosystems—and to safeguard the environmental rights of indigenous communities.
From the To Cerekang Indigenous Forest in Sulawesi, Hulu Sungai Utara in Kalimantan, to Tanggedu in East Nusa Tenggara, we are taking various approaches to actively conserve and protect forests, such as:
- Strengthening ecotourism for empowerment and food security,
- Strengthening legal capacity to protect people’s rights, and
- Strengthening forest-based economies for sustainable well-being.
Tifa is committed to fostering an open society in Indonesia that upholds diversity, equality, and justice—a society in which the rights of marginalized indigenous communities are a voice we must amplify.
References
National News. (June 13, 2025). National Commission on Human Rights: Revoking mining permits alone is not enough; social restoration and rehabilitation are necessary. https://beritanasional.com/detail/105573/komnas-ham-cabut-iup-saja-tidak-cukup-harus-ada-restorasi-dan-pemulihan-sosial
BBC News Indonesia. (June 11, 2025). The story of the Papuan woman behind the viral “Save Raja Ampat” campaign – “Even if I’m arrested, I’ll keep fighting.” https://www.bbc.com/indonesia/articles/c4g3l2x23plo
Kompas. (June 7, 2025). It Turns Out There Is a Law Prohibiting Mining on Small Islands. https://money.kompas.com/read/2025/06/07/142350526/ternyata-ada-uu-yang-melarang-tambang-di-pulau-kecil
Kompas. (June 9, 2025). Wawonii Is Not Empty Land Either. Wawonii Is Not Just Empty Land
MetroTV News. (June 14, 2025). Mining activities in Raja Ampat are said to violate the 1982 UNCLOS. https://www.metrotvnews.com/read/b2lCp9mO-aktivitas-tambang-di-raja-ampat-disebut-bertentangan-dengan-unclos-1982
Law No. 27 of 2007 on the Management of Coastal Areas and Small Islands. Official Gazette of the Republic of Indonesia, 2007, No. 84. Jakarta: State Secretariat.
United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). (2025). Desertification & Drought Day 2025: Restore Land. Sustain Lives. Fact Sheet. https://www.unccd.int/sites/default/files/2025-05/DDD%20factsheet%20EN.pdf
Geneva Environment Network. (2025). World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought 2025. https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/events/world-day-to-combat-desertification-and-drought-2025/