[unofficial translation from Bahasa provided by Business & Human Rights Centre]

'Primary water sources polluted by Kolaka's nickel activities" 13 March 2025

Fast-flood with mud crashed Yanti Usman's house in Hakatutobu's village, Pomalaa district, Kolaka regent, Southeast Sulawesi on Tuesday, 11 March 2025. [...] Floods frequently happened in Hakatutobu since the nickel mining operated in the area.

On that day, nine residential buildings were sunk in Hakatutobu village. [...] "Forest located near the river are now damaged due to mining activity" said Yanti [...]

[...] Natural vegetation nearly tarnished due to the nickel mining activity.

[...] The river used to be the primary clean water sources for 1,200 Hakatutobu's villagerers for drink and cook. [...]

[...]

Hakatutobu village in Bone's bay just located 1 kilometer from mining sites in Kolaka regent. [...] Now there are five companies that operates in Hakatutobu area. Two of them are state-owned's PT Aneka Tambang Tbk and PT Vale Indonesia Tbk. under MIND ID holding group.

Pomalaa's block under PT Vale is dubbed as one of the national strategic projects. [...] Pomala's block is projected as an industrial zone for producing EV's raw material sources.

[...]

[...] Red-colored mud was detected in the coastal areas where most of Hakatutobu's villagers live, stretched along 500 meters and visible during the tide-down. Those sedimentation also caused murky waters. That coastal areas is the meeting point for three rivers; Latumbi in the north, Lambu Ato in south and Hakatutobu.

[...]

Amsar said that now the fish are nowhere to be seen in the coastal areas due to the sedimentation. [...]

Local fish-cage communities in Hakatutobu are impacted by the sedimentation in the coastal areas. [...]

MIND ID's corporate secretary Heri Yusuf already received the request for interview on this matter, Thursday 6 March 2025 [...] Heri said that he will seek clarification from their internal since its related to the company's operational activities.

[...] Heri has not submitted the response until this article was released.

[...]