See original article here by Yayasan Apel Green Aceh

Beutong Ateuh Communities Urge Aceh Parliament to Establish Special Committee as 87 Organizations Worldwide Call to Save the Leuser Ecosystem

Nagan Raya, Aceh — Opposition to planned mining activities in Beutong Ateuh Banggalang Subdistrict, Nagan Raya Regency, Aceh, has intensified once again. Local communities, together with the APEL Green Aceh Foundation, officially submitted an open letter signed by 87 national and international organizations to Commission III of the Aceh House of Representatives (DPRA), urging the government to halt all mining permit processes that threaten the Leuser Ecosystem, indigenous communities’ livelihoods, and Aceh’s historical
heritage.

The open letter symbolizes that the conflict over mining in Beutong Ateuh is no longer viewed merely as a local issue. It has become a matter of concern for global environmental networks that recognize the area’s extraordinary ecological and historical significance for both Indonesia and the world.

Speaking before Commission III of the DPRA, Rusli, a community leader from Beutong Ateuh, delivered a firm message reflecting years of resistance against extractive industries entering their territory.

“We, the people of Beutong Ateuh, reject mining until death. This position did not emerge today. We have consistently resisted since the struggle against PT EMM, and our message remains the same: reject mining permits in Beutong Ateuh,” said Rusli.

Eight Years of Resistance, Yet the State Has Failed to Listen

The opposition from Beutong Ateuh residents is not new. Since 2018, communities have consistently pursued various peaceful and constitutional forms of resistance.

Dozens of demonstrations have been held in Beutong Ateuh, Nagan Raya, Banda Aceh, and Jakarta. Traditional leaders, women, students, youth groups, and religious scholars have all actively participated in defending what they regard as their ancestral source of life.

At least twelve official petitions have been submitted to local governments, the Aceh Parliament, relevant ministries, and the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

Communities have also conducted public awareness campaigns through screenings of the documentary Pawang Uteun, which depicts the relationship between indigenous communities and forests and highlights the severe consequences if mining is imposed on the area.

After more than eight years of struggle, a fundamental question remains:

How many more times must the people of Beutong Ateuh declare their opposition before the state truly listens to its own citizens?

Allegations of Non-Transparent Licensing Processes

During the meeting with the Aceh Parliament, residents also questioned recommendations issued by village and subdistrict officials supporting two mining companies, allegedly without consultation with affected communities.

Residents argue that the process ignored public participation and was conducted behind closed doors.

“We are disappointed. Village heads issued recommendations without consulting the people. The subdistrict head never involved customary leaders, religious leaders, or the wider community. Everyone has long known that the people reject companies that would destroy our forests and ecology. Why was everything done in secrecy?” Rusli asked.

These circumstances raise serious concerns that the licensing process in Beutong Ateuh is being carried out without democratic participation and may violate communities’ rights to information and to determine the future of their territory.

Disaster-Prone Area in the Heart of the Leuser Ecosystem

Syukur, Executive Director of APEL Green Aceh, emphasized that opposition to mining in Beutong Ateuh is grounded in strong ecological and legal considerations. According to him, the area has been designated under both the Aceh Spatial Planning Qanun and the Nagan Raya Spatial Planning Qanun as a disaster-prone zone, meaning it should not be allocated for large-scale mining activities.

Beutong Ateuh is also part of the Leuser Ecosystem Area (KEL), the last landscape in Sumatra where elephants, tigers, orangutans, and rhinoceroses can still coexist within a single intact ecosystem. The Leuser Ecosystem is internationally recognized as part of the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2004. Yet threats to Beutong Ateuh extend beyond ecological concerns.

The area also contains important historical sites related to Aceh’s struggle, including:

• The mass grave of Cut Nyak Dien’s troops;
• The burial site of prominent Islamic scholar Tengku Alue Panah;
• The site of the massacre of students of Tengku Bantaqiah, one of the internationally recognized cases of serious human rights violations in Aceh.

“Destroying Beutong Ateuh means more than destroying forests. It means erasing Aceh’s history, threatening the Leuser Ecosystem, and creating disaster risks for future generations,” said Syukur.

Global Solidarity: 87 Organizations Raise Concerns Over Mining Threats

International support for the people of Beutong Ateuh has also come from environmental organizations around the world.

Among them is Marianne Klute from the international environmental organization Save the Rainforest (Rettet den Regenwald), who warned of the severe consequences for the Leuser Ecosystem if mining proceeds.

According to Marianne, Beutong Ateuh remains relatively intact precisely because local communities have protected and utilized natural resources sustainably.

“We are deeply concerned about the Leuser Ecosystem and its unique biodiversity, which appears to be sacrificed for economic gain. Nature in Beutong remains relatively intact because local communities use and protect it in environmentally friendly ways. Mining would destroy everything, trigger disasters, and violate human rights,” said Marianne Klute.

Her statement underscores that threats to Beutong Ateuh have become an international concern, as the area is considered an important part of global efforts to address climate change and biodiversity loss.

Communities Offer Alternatives: Indigenous Forests and Sustainable Economies

APEL Green Aceh stressed that the people of Beutong Ateuh are not merely saying “no.” For generations, communities have relied on agriculture, non-timber forest products, traditional plantations, and customary forest management systems. These economic practices have demonstrated that prosperity can be achieved without destroying the landscape.

Therefore, APEL Green Aceh is urging the Aceh Government to recognize Beutong Ateuh as an indigenous forest area and remove it from mining concession maps.

Communities Call on Aceh Parliament to Establish a Special Investigative Committee

In their final demand, local communities and APEL Green Aceh called on Commission III of the Aceh Parliament to immediately establish a Special Committee (Pansus) to investigate all mining permit processes in Beutong Ateuh.

They are seeking a comprehensive investigation to determine whether the licensing procedures have complied with the law or merely served the interests of a small number of actors without the consent of affected communities.

“We urge Commission III of the Aceh Parliament to establish a special committee on mining permits in Beutong Ateuh. Investigate whether these permits truly follow legal procedures or merely serve particular interests without public participation. Do not allow the future of
Aceh’s forests to be decided behind closed doors,” Syukur stressed.

Amid the global climate crisis, the struggle of the people of Beutong Ateuh has become a
symbol of a larger question:

Will the state stand with the people who protect the forests, or will it pave the way for
investments that sacrifice Aceh’s history, environment, and future?