Indonesian activists protest against Taiwanese nickel giant over environmental and human rights concerns

• Indonesian activists and residents held a protest on August 5 in front of the headquarters of Walsin Lihwa, a Taiwanese nickel-processing corporation, to challenge the environmental impact and human rights violations linked to their mining operations in Indonesia.
• Key demands include improved labor conditions, transparent sustainability reporting, mandatory environmental and human rights due diligence, a phase-out of coal, and effective stakeholder engagement.
• Walsin Lihwa denied the allegations, citing compliance with local Indonesian regulations, but failed to address specific public concerns regarding pollution data and workplace accidents.

The Crisis in Nickel-Rich Indonesia

• Indonesia holds 42 percent of global nickel reserves, leading to aggressive industrial expansion in Sulawesi and North Maluku.
• The "Save Sagea" collective, formed in 2014, has been fighting to protect sacred karst ecosystems—including the Bokimoruru Cave and Legaelol Lake—from extractive industries that threaten food security and cultural heritage.
• Mining activities near the Sagea River have already led to visible water pollution, turning local waters brown and muddy.

Activism and Future Steps

• Local organizers have used social media, community organizing, and cultural rituals to localize the struggle, emphasizing the protection of ancestral lands.
• In Taiwan, activists and a legislator have pushed for mandatory corporate human rights and environmental due diligence legislation, highlighting reports of poor worker housing and lack of protective gear against toxic dust in factories.
• The Save Sagea coalition continues to lobby the Indonesian government to designate their region as a national geopark and revoke mining permits for operations threatening the local ecosystem.