Indonesia's gold rush is rushing in billions of dollars. But not even billions of dollars can begin to cover the true cost of the dirty (and mostly illegal) industry.
Around 1 million poor, Indonesian children are exploited in the gold mines. These children and their families are being exposed to high levels of mercury that can cause mercury poisoning and birth defects starting in the womb (e.g. large skulls, deformed fingers, missing limbs). Many families are still processing the "mercury-gold amalgam" in their kitchens -- near their families -- because they haven't been properly educated on the risks.
Gold mines are also poisoning Indonesia's rich biodiversity. Runoff from the mines often escapes into waterways, depletes oxygen and kills fish. Forests - - and endangered elephant, orangutan, tiger, rhino, etc. habitat - -are constantly being clear-cut to make room for the illegal mines.
The only things growing from the gold mines are more illegal activity, corruption, injustice and violence. Poor miners often hand over half or all of their earnings to corrupt police officers and soldiers. When miners fight back through strikes and protests, violence can and does occur.
Sign and share this petition urging Indonesia to crack down on illegal gold mining. The industry's billions of dollars can never compensate for the irreparable harm it's caused to poor Indonesians, to Indonesia's natural biodiversity and to Indonesia's disappearing wildlife.
Photo Credit: James St. John
