A grassroots collective is pushing back against the nickel mining industry in North Maluku, Indonesia

October 26, 2025

Indonesian activist Adlunfiqri Sigoro, alongside community members and environmental organizations, protested at Walsin Lihwa Corporation's headquarters in Taiwan on August 5, challenging the Taiwanese nickel-processing company's practices in Indonesia. The protesters highlighted environmental damage, threats to local livelihoods, and poor labor conditions at Walsin's operations in Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park and Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park. Though Walsin's management met with the activists following the protest, the company failed to provide substantive responses to their demands for improved labor conditions, transparency, environmental due diligence policies, coal phase-out, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms.

Who is affected

Local communities in Sagea, North Weda, Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia
Workers at Walsin Lihwa's nickel processing facilities facing harsh conditions
Indigenous people whose sacred lands and cultural sites are threatened
Residents near the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park and Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park
The Sagean community whose livelihoods depend on farming, sago processing, and fishing
Local ecosystems including the Bokimoruru karst area, Sageyan River, and Lake Legaelol

What action is being taken

Indonesian activists, including Adlunfiqri Sigoro, are protesting at Walsin Lihwa's headquarters in Taiwan
The Save Sagea coalition is campaigning to protect their village from nickel mining and industrialization
Taiwanese news outlets are covering the protests and related environmental and human rights issues
Taiwanese legislators and Indonesian workers are calling for corporate human rights and environmental due diligence legislation
The Save Sagea coalition is working to raise awareness through social media, street protests, lobbying, and community organizing

Why it matters

Indonesia holds 42 percent of the world's nickel reserves, making it central to global supply chains for electric vehicles
The nickel mining and processing is causing environmental damage to sacred sites and water systems
Local communities are losing their food independence and traditional livelihoods
The karst ecosystem serves as a crucial water catchment and storage area for the region
Cultural and spiritual sites of significance to local communities are being threatened with destruction
Poor labor conditions at processing facilities create health and safety risks for workers
Five mining licenses are currently seeking to operate in the Sagea karst ecosystem, representing ongoing threats

What's next

The Save Sagea coalition will continue pushing the government to designate Sagea's karst ecosystem as a national geopark
The coalition is requesting that mining permits of companies operating around the Sagea River be revoked
No explicit next steps stated in the article regarding Walsin Lihwa's response to the protests

Read full article from source: Global Voices