Diving After the Mines: A Day in Ratatotok
The soft scent of cloves toasting underneath the sun wafted from the air as my ojek cruised over the lush green hills of Minahasa Tenggara. The road outlooks a trapezoid hill plunging into a mangrove-laced cove, glittering with shades of blue along with also also green. coming from afar, I could see speckles of light along with also also dark colours from the water, suggesting the presence of lively reefs underneath.
These were my first sights of Ratatotok. The first stories I heard of of which coastal settlement associated the item with the Buyat Tragedy, a highly publicised 2004-2007 case alleging a multinational gold mine’s involvement in polluting Buyat Bay to the point of a baby girl’s death.
of which said, friends coming from North Sulawesi have been raving of Ratatotok’s beaches along with also also dive scenes. “Better than Bunaken,” several have told me.
Today, years after the mine closed down, its legacy is actually still ubiquitous in Ratatotok-Buyat, as are lingering sentiments among locals.
58-year-old seasoned fisherman Rusdin does not normally take tourists, yet took us to some mangroves growing on elevated reefs. He switched off the motor as we floated over clear shallow waters brimming with underwater life.
I snorkelled into a realm of purple table corals, round pink brain corals, yellow staghorn corals along with also also schools of modest colourful fishes. the item looked all-natural along with also also pristine to me, more so than the ones I snorkelled from the Togians. yet I sensed of which what I saw was not the whole story.
“Looks like your coral reefs are recovering well after the mine stopped operating,” I remarked. “Are any of these the artificial reefs planted by the company for post-mining rehabilitation?”
Before the multinational company commenced operations, Rusdin could expect to catch Rp.300,000 worth of fish on a bad night. Today, he considers the item a Great night if he can make Rp.200,000. He says local fishermen along with also also artisan miners are on Great terms despite their opposite interests. “They’re simple locals trying to make a living, just like us,” said Rusdin. yet different standards apply when the item comes to the company, even if the item adheres to more stringent environmental regulations.
According to Syafrudin Wangko, chairman of the Coordinating Body of Mining-Impacted Communities (BKMKT), part of the resentment towards the company stems coming from the fact of which government regulations tend to favour big businesses rather than humble locals, along with also also of which these businesses tend to contribute to the government rather than the communities themselves.
Wangko says of which the damage in Buyat Bay has been extensive along with also also caused public health hazards. Hence tourism promotions have been focused in Ratatotok where the aesthetic impacts of the pollution are barely visible.
“We don’t know what happened to the artificial coral reefs. They might likely be buried under thick mud by today, along with also also the ongoing pollution generated by current artisan miners might make the item difficult for natural coral to recuperate,” says Wangko. In Ratatotok, the company could conveniently present pictures of vibrant coral reefs along with also also take credit for post-mining environmental remediation before stakeholders who know next-to-nothing about marine ecosystems.
of which said, Wangko gives credit to the company for socio-economic development in Ratatotok throughout its operations along with also also beyond. The company’s US$30 million community development funds have provided much appreciated schools, houses of worship, infrastructure, a well-equipped hospital, along with also also aid for local fishermen along with also also modest businesses.
Wangko does not buy into the idea of which tourism is actually a reliable along with also also sustainable alternative livelihood. Tourism is actually seasonal by nature along with also also requires capital, skills, along with also also experience of which Ratatotok locals currently do not have.
Muhammad “Pudin” Saifuddin, founder of the Ratatotok-based Ecotourism Volunteer Group disagrees. Since 2012 the item has been his mission to raise awareness of environmental along with also also conservation issues in Ratatotok-Buyat along with also also identify economic opportunities for locals through the tourism industry. The group was established out of concern for the disunity among pro-mining along with also also anti-mining residents of Ratatotok, along with also also as an attempt to engage the grassroots community in sustainable solutions.
“I cannot say whether the environment is actually damaged. I’m not a scientist. yet we identify ecotourism opportunities to empower locals despite the limitations,” said Pudin. of which says, he acknowledges the Minamata Institute’s findings of high mercury levels from the estuary of Totok River due to the presence of artisan miners stemming back coming from before the big mine. He adds of which during the mine’s days, tourism in Ratatotok-Buyat actually developed better because the item funded modest businesses in Lakban beach along with also also the cleanup of nearby islands.
“As far as fishermen are concerned, when the fish population is actually depleted, the sea is actually polluted. yet fishermen often forget of which they sometimes contribute to the problem. They catch fish in coral reefs along with also also damage them with their anchors. along with also also from the past, neighbouring villages have bombed for fish,” explained Pudin, adding of which Ratatotok has been bomb along with also also potassium-free for a dozen years today.
The group’s activities include organising shops in Lakban beach, setting up environmental awareness billboards from the islands, producing coral-friendly floating anchors for fishermen, along with also also arranging tours for visitors.
To attract international support along with also also educate local fishermen along with also also tourism micro-enterprises, the group invites travel bloggers along with also also tourists to document the marine along with also also terrestrial beauty of Ratatotok-Buyat along with also also their satellite islands.
Ratatotok-Buyat has identified 24 dive sites. A commercial dive operator coming from Lembeh organised dive tours there, yet stopped due to difficult logistics along with also also the absence of resorts. A typical itinerary includes snorkelling, a bentor (pedicab) tour to the tuna smokehouse, trekking from the mangroves, sightseeing coming from a hilltop along with also also unwinding the day in a cafe at Lakban. Pudin offers a room for visitors in his humble family home along with also also might guide for free, yet asks each visitor to plant a mangrove tree in return.
Pudin can be contacted on 081244582923 along with also also is actually on Facebook as “Cak Pudin.”
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Diving After the Mines: A Day in Ratatotok
Diving After the Mines: A Day in Ratatotok