Kuantan River mass destruction

Where is my Kuantan River

By: Halim Al-Kuantani

I'm looking for my old Kuantan River, where I was playing , swimming, canoe racing and fishing with my friends during my childhood.It famous with it stream and had a lot of fish.

I returned to my hometown in the rural districts of Hulu Kuantan, Kuantan Singingi district, Riau province-Indonesia, to celebrate Eid al Firti 1432 H / 2011 M. My village percisely located at latitute: -0.60 '13 S and longitude :101.41 '41 " E and almost close to the equator .

This river used to be quite deep, and has a variety of fish species, including the famous cat fish called Patin and Tapa. The river is sufficient enough to provide the needs of fish for my villagers.

This is photo of Kuantan River, taken in 1985:

This is a photo of the river in the upstream of my hometown taken in 2007

 

Every Eid el Fitri celebration I always return back to my village visiting my mother who is 81 years old now, but I never take a bathe and swim in the river since in my mother's house has two water wells, one Thank God the water was very clear. In my trip this time, I had promised to my self to swim in the river of Kuantan. Exactly one day before I return back to the city where I spend my life now , I walked down to the riverbank, and I was realy sock watching my Kuantan River had changed into a desert and rock, and leaving little grooves or indentations for water to flow to the downstream.

 

I really like a stranger,did not believe for what I saw, and as if I no longer recognize my Kuantan River that I always proud of, and always tell  my children about. I witnessed with my own eyes some boats equiped with machine, rest on a riverbank that had been narrowed (which then I understood that were the scraper machines for gold mine ).

 

 

 

 

 

As the following figure:

 

  

The river is no longer able to provide enough fish for the villagers, and according to the information I got, the miners also use mercury and detergent in their process. What a horror of the destruction of nature has been done by these illegal gold miners.

Then where are my village people? ....., Why they pretended NOT seing any damages that had been done to the river , or had they been apathetic ?. I'm sure they also realize that they make a living by farming and rubber tapping. Rubber tapping can only be done in the dry season, while in the rainy season, they usually turn into gold miners traditionally in the Kuantan River. If the river already damaged by gold miners by using these machines, then what else could be done by the villagers to feed their family during the rainy season .......?

To whom or what agency should I complain or report of this environmental damage? where in my country, the level of public trust in government agencies or officials are already at a nadir. Complained to the rural head, police, military command units, sub district leader, district heads, or even to the governor, I have lost my trust?. why not, according to information I got from my brother that the district government has banned the mining, and also the agreement among rural head ,the villagers and community leaders also have banned the mining activities , but why mining is still going on....?, This makes me wonder.

I intended to report this case to local environmental NGO, again I'm prejudiced the Gold Miners will give some money to the NGO, and then the NGO will keep silent. Thought to report this case to the President, may not be honored, while he must have been very busy with state business which is far more important than this issue. Then if I should report to the GREEN PEACE as is the case in Kampar peat bog?. I thought I was too naive, since I still have a little hope that my government could handle it if they just want to.

For the time being, I just write this to release my disapointment and unhappiness, while I fully support my brother for what he has been doing to keep our Kuantan River clean and green .

Monday, September 7, 2011.