The article discusses the environmental impact of nickel mining on Obi Island, Indonesia, led by the Harita Group. Since mining began in 2010, local residents have reported contaminated water from the Tugaraci River, leading to health issues. Despite acknowledging the pollution, many locals cannot afford alternatives to the increasingly toxic water supply. Internal communications reveal a long history of pollution and negligence by the mining conglomerate, highlighting the stark contrast between corporate profit and community health, as the mining supports global electric vehicle markets.
The water tastes different now and sometimes there are bubbles. It gives us stomach aches," says local resident Nurhayati Jumadi. "But I can't afford bottled water, so we still drink from the spring.
Thousands of leaked internal emails and reports provided by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) clearly show the Obi village of Kawasi was subjected to systematic pollution at the hands of Indonesia's Harita Group for more than a decade starting in 2012.
As early as 2012, internal emails flagged contamination from hexavalent chromium or chromium 6 (Cr6) a highly toxic chemical and known carcinogen in the Tugaraci river downstream of the mining site.
The local population pays a high environmental price. Women from Kawasi Village on Obi Island make the daily crossing through a river carrying tools and supplies to reach their plantation gardens.
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