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Peaceful protest at minerals expo urges protection for Raja Ampat
A group of Greenpeace activists and Papuan youth held a peaceful protest on the first day of an ongoing critical minerals expo in Jakarta to demand protection for Papua's biodiverse marine region of Raja Ampat.
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A man holds up a banner reading “What’s the true cost of your nickel?” as part of a peaceful protest staged by Greenpeace Indonesia and Papuan youth on June 3 during the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo 2025 at the Pullman Jakarta Central Park in Grogol, West Jakarta. (Courtesy of/Greenpeace Indonesia)
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reenpeace Indonesia and Papuan youth staged a peaceful protest on Tuesday during the Indonesia Critical Minerals Conference & Expo 2025, which is running from June 3 to 5 at the Pullman Jakarta Central Park in West Jakarta, to warn of the environmental toll of nickel mining, particularly on ecologically rich Raja Ampat, an archipelagic regency in Southwest Papua.
As Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno took to the stage to deliver his speech, a group of protesters walked into the conference venue unfurling large banners that read “Nickel mines destroy lives”, “Save Raja Ampat from nickel mining” and “What’s the true cost of your nickel?”
In a press release issued on the same day, Greenpeace said the demonstration was meant to send a clear message to government officials and industry leaders attending the event about the environmental and social costs of nickel extraction.
“While the government and mining oligarchs are discussing how to expand the nickel industry at this conference, our people and the planet are paying a high price,” said Iqbal Damanik, a forest campaigner at Greenpeace.
He added that rapid growth of the nickel industry, driven by global demand for electric vehicle batteries, had led to environmental degradation across several regions on Sulawesi including Morowali and North Konawe, as well as the islands of Kabaena and Wawonii in Southeast Sulawesi.
According to Greenpeace, over 500 hectares of forest and vegetation have been cleared for nickel mines on the West Papua islands of Gag, Kawe and Manuran, leading to soil runoff and sedimentation that endangers coral reefs and marine ecosystems.
Read also: Hotel industry raises concern over nickel mine in Raja Ampat
