NAGAN RAYA – Direktur Yayasan APEL Green Aceh, Rahmad Syukur mengecam dan menolak terhadap sinyal kehadiran kembali PT Emas Mineral Murni (PT EMM) di Kabupaten Nagan Raya.

"We ask the Regent of Nagan Raya, TR Keumangan, not to give PT EMM the slightest opportunity. This isn't just a matter of business permits; it's a matter of community dignity and the long history of struggle of the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang people," Rahmad Syukur emphasized on Wednesday, July 23, 2025.

It is known that in the midst of the celebration of the 23rd Anniversary of Nagan Raya Regency on July 22, 2025, the presence of a flower board from PT Emas Mineral Murni (PT EMM) surprised the public.

The birthday greeting was not only considered unethical, but also rekindled a wave of protest that had been repeatedly voiced by the Acehnese people since 2019.

It should be remembered that on July 1, 2021, the Indonesian Supreme Court officially revoked PT EMM's permit after a long series of lawsuits and demonstrations by the Acehnese people who rejected the exploration and exploitation of gold mining in the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang area, Nagan Raya, which was deemed to destroy the ecology, customs, and social order of the local community.

"We must not be part of those who hurt the people's feelings. The Supreme Court has revoked the permit, the people have rejected it, so what else is there to debate?" added Rahmad.

Rahmad stated that the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang area is more than just a geographical location. It is a traditional living space, a cultural area, and a place where martyrs fell in Aceh's dark history.

One of the important events that is unforgettable is the tragedy of the massacre of Teungku Bantakiah and his students on July 23, 1999.

"Mining gold on the land of martyrs is a betrayal of our history and dignity as a nation. This is not only an environmental issue, but also a historical wound and noble values that must be preserved," Rahmad declared loudly.

Opposition to the mining plan in the Beutong Ateuh area isn't a single narrative. Rahmad noted that several civil society organizations focused on environmental issues have publicly voiced their opposition and even created a petition that has been signed by over 80,000 people.
"We will not stop speaking out. No to the gold mine in Beutong Ateuh Banggalang. No to companies in the land of martyrs. No to repeating the wounds of old history," he said.

The indigenous people of Beutong Ateuh, Rahmad continued, have strict customary rules for preserving nature. The area is not just a forest, but a sacred space where local wisdom values live. Violations of the forest, poaching, and environmental destruction are subject to customary sanctions.

"If PT EMM or any other mining company enters, it won't just be forests that will be destroyed, but also traditional structures, community incomes, and even cultural ecosystems. This isn't a pessimistic narrative; it's a fact from various regions that have already been affected by mining," he said.

Rahmad Syukur Tadu invited all parties, starting from the Regent of Nagan Raya, the Governor of Aceh, to the DPRK and DPRA to remove Beutong Ateuh Banggalang from the mining area map through a spatial planning revision.

He pushed for Beutong Ateuh Banggalang to be made a traditional area, cultural area, and sustainable protected area.

"I believe that Aceh's leaders still side with the people. We must protect this ancestral land. Beutong Ateuh Banggalang is not for mining investment, but for a generation that loves its history, nature, and traditions," Rahmad concluded.