Another Islamic organization accepts management of mining projects

Following the Nahdlatul Ulama, the Indonesian Muhammadiyah also accepted the proposal of President Joko Widodo, who wants to grant licenses for extraction ventures to religious organizations in the country. The proposal was immediately rejected by the local Church and criticized even by some voices in the Muslim world.

Jakarta (Indonesia) – Indonesia’s second largest Islamic (moderate) organisation has accepted the Indonesian government’s proposal to develop mining ventures. Haedar Nasir, chairman of Muhammadiyah, justified the decision after an internal meeting in Yogyakarta earlier this week, explaining that it will bring “huge benefits”.

“We are obliged to be compassionate towards others,” he added. “If it were only our internal needs, we would have said no to the offer.” Haedar Nasir then said that the decision was agreed upon by all parties in the organisation and explained that public prosperity and environmental protection would not be sacrificed. “If the projects are mismanaged, Muhammadiyah will not hesitate to return the mining licence,” he said, referring to the IUP (Izin Usaha Pengelolaan), the management licence granted by the government.

Muhammadiyah is the second religious group to accept the offer of President Joko Widodo, whose term ends in October. A few months ago, Nahdlatul Ulama, Indonesia’s main Islamic organisation, also accepted the proposal. The decision, however, was rejected by the Indonesian Bishops’ Conference, which said that “mining ventures are not the Church’s core business.”

Jokowi (as the Indonesian president is known) has often reiterated that his wish is for mining ventures to “also benefit religious communities and not just commercial entities.” And it is in this vein that Muhammadiyah has agreed to take over the management of mining ventures. The organization’s secretary, Abdul Mu’ti, said that the IUP was accepted on the basis of a number of considerations, including the fact that the Constitution authorizes the exploitation of resources for the benefit of all Indonesian people and that Muhammadiyah itself had authorized, in an internal meeting, the promotion of economic activities, for which cooperation with experienced commercial entities that will support the management of the license for a limited period is mandatory.

However, there was criticism of the decision within Muhammadiyah itself. The organization’s former president, Busyro Muqoddas, was not only not present at the meeting where the proposal was accepted, but repeatedly criticized the decision: “It is serious and a great natural disaster that IUP is accepted for coal mining,” he told reporters on July 30, adding that he hopes Indonesians will be aware of the environmental damage that will be caused in order to make huge profits.

Muqoddas is currently in charge of the legal and human rights department of the Muhammadiyah. He has previously stressed that mining ventures violate the land rights of indigenous peoples, which is known as the “land grabbing” phenomenon. Such conflicts have already occurred in Purworejo district and on Rempang Island in Riau province. Muqoddas also said that his position was supported by 11 other people, including another former president of the Muhammadiyah, Din Syamsuddin.