Semarang – November 21, 2024 – Publish What You Pay (PWYP) Indonesia, in collaboration with the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP) of Diponegoro University (UNDIP), organized the Extractive Transparency Day (ETD) 2024 on November 21, themed “The Future of the Extractive Industry: Sustainable Governance for the Golden Generation 2024.” The event was attended by over 150 participants, including representatives from the government, local government, state-owned enterprises (BUMN), companies, and civil society organizations at both the national and local levels, aiming to create a public discussion space that deeply addresses the importance of transparency and collaboration among stakeholders in facing sustainability challenges in the extractive sector. ETD serves as an annual forum for implementing EITI to introduce transparency initiatives in the extractive industry towards better governance.
EITI itself aims to promote good governance, public accountability, and a better investment climate in managing the extractive sectors such as oil, gas, minerals, and coal. Indonesia has initiated EITI since 2010 and has become an implementing country along with 59 others. Indonesia’s participation in EITI is a manifestation of the application of good governance in the extractive industry and an effort to support anti-corruption activities, particularly in the oil and gas and mining subsectors.
In the 2024 ETD, a number of speakers from various stakeholders were present, including Gita Mahyarani, Executive Director of the Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI-ICMA); Nisa Vidya, Senior Sustainability Specialist at Harita Group; Poppy Ismalina, Associate Professor of Economics at Gadjah Mada University; Muhammad Arif, a community representative from Towara Village, North Morowali Regency; Aryanto Nugroho, National Coordinator of PWYP Indonesia; and Laila Khalid Alfirdaus, an academic from UNDIP.
ETD also provided an opportunity for Muhammad Arif, the community representative from Towara Village, North Morowali, to express the direct impacts of the extractive industry on local communities, including environmental damage and the diversion of resources such as clean water. Arif demanded greater involvement in decision-making and the fulfillment of their rights. This underscores the need for open and transparent dialogue between companies, the government, and local communities so that the industry can provide fair benefits.
Aryanto Nugroho emphasized that transparency and accountability are part of human rights. He criticized the lack of oversight and robust law enforcement in mining governance, as well as the limited access for communities to important information related to mining operations. This was identified as a violation of community rights, where increased participation in oversight and transparency is considered crucial.
This ETD also featured an EITI data workshop session that provided insights into the importance of data processing and effective visualization in supporting data-driven decision-making in the extractive sector. With active participation from experts and practitioners, this session aimed to enhance participants’ abilities to analyze data and construct effective narratives to present analytical results. One of the main instructions in the workshop was how to utilize data visualization techniques to communicate complex information in a more accessible way to the public, thereby increasing understanding and community engagement.
This event marked a significant first step towards achieving sustainable and transparent governance in Indonesia’s extractive sector. With collaboration between the government, businesses, and communities, the vision of Indonesia Gold 2045 is expected to be realized, not only through economic growth but also through sustainability and welfare for all people. The success of EITI and events like ETD demonstrate that change towards better governance is possible, as long as there is a joint commitment from all stakeholders to create a more transparent and accountable environment. (AN)