Save Beutong from the Threat of Mining!
Beutong is a hidden paradise in the interior of Aceh. This area remains a target for mining mafias. Under the guise of investment, Beutong will be turned into a gold mining industrial zone, potentially eradicating the cultural traditions of indigenous communities, destroying their living spaces and livelihoods, as well as the rich rainforest ecosystem in the Leuser Ecosystem, one of the last remaining forest areas in Southeast Asia.
Based on Aceh Qanun Number 19 of 2013 concerning the Aceh Regional Spatial Planning (RTRWA) for 2013-2033, Beutong Ateuh Benggalang District is an area prone to natural disasters, such as floods, landslides, droughts, earthquakes with a scale of VII-XII MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity).
Besides its natural beauty and the importance of the forest for biodiversity and the global climate, Beutong is also full of historical significance for the struggle of the Acehnese people.
This is one of the considerations in the Supreme Court of the Republic of Indonesia Cassation Decision Number 91 K/KTUN/LH/2020 of 2020 which revoked the Mining Business Permit of PT. Emas Mineral Murni in Beutong Ateuh Banggalang covering an area of ​​10,000 hectares.
But danger still looms. In late 2023, a new mining company (BME) emerged. Local residents immediately protested. At their request, we created a petition to "Save Beutong from the threat of mining!" Thanks to the signatures of nearly 85,000 people worldwide, BME gold mining has now been avoided! This is a major success for the rainforests of Aceh and Sumatra!
The threat remains. Suddenly, EMM appears to be looking for gold again. The company has erected a large plaque in front of the government building that reads, "Happy 23rd Birthday, Nagan Raya Regency!"
The Beutong Ateuh Banggalang community continues to reject the proposal. Teungku Malikul Aziz, son of the late charismatic Acehnese cleric Teungku Bantakiyah, led a Beutong community delegation for an audience with Governor Muzakkir Manaf and members of the Aceh People's Representative Council (DPRA) on Monday and Tuesday, September 7-8, 2025.
On this occasion, the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang community expressed their rejection of all forms of mining, even community mining.
"For us, Beutong Ateuh Banggalang must be removed from the national mining zone, there are no ifs or buts," Teungku Malikul Aziz emphasized in a meeting with the Governor of Aceh, Muzakkir Manaf, Monday, September 7, 2025.
Governor Muzakkir Manaf responded to this by saying, "We will not give Beutong to other parties, our natural resources are only for the welfare of the Acehnese people," said the man often called Mualem.
As is known, Beutong is included in the strategic mining investment area in accordance with the Decree of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Number 86 of 2022 concerning the Mining Area of ​​Aceh Province.
On Tuesday, September 8, 2025, a delegation from the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang community held another audience with members of the Aceh People's Representative Council (DPRA). "We came here to ask for support from our representatives to remove Beutong from the national mining zone," said Teungku Malikul Mahdi, the youngest son of the late Teungku Bantakiyah.
Teungku Muharuddin, Chairman of Commission I of the Regional People's Representative Council (DPRA), stated that his office strongly supports the aspirations of the Beutong community. "We will convey these aspirations to the Central Government in Jakarta," said Teungku Muharuddin, a politician from the Aceh Party.
At the end of the meeting, Teungku Malikul Mahdi handed over a petition document rejecting the mine signed by more than 85,000 people.
The petition “Save Beutong from the Threat of Mining” was launched by the NGO Save the Rainforest on the website hutanhujan.org in Indonesian, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian and Dutch.
The petition has garnered significant attention from the global community. So, what are you waiting for? The Indonesian government must act immediately and halt all attempts to exploit Beutong as a gold mining area.
Save the Beutong Ateuh Banggalang!