Nausus Entering Mollo
sunrays Fine embrace the pine-covered hills and lush meadows that our motorcycles swept rural roads. There is a sparkling pond on my right and a beautiful brown horse herd grazing on my left. In the distance, I noticed two large rocks scattered in the bushes. I put my eyes on the first sites to Mollo.
I first learned about Mollo, an area in the highlands of Timor Tengah Selatan, during a cultural exhibition in Jakarta several years ago. Color displays tenun ikat products they had reminded me somewhere in my native country of NTT. In the background there was a cartoon about the history behind the textiles, how "Mama" Aleta Baun bravely stopped the marble mines plundering sacred rock towers of his country.
Growing up in a compound of mining, I think mines have an interesting relationship to indigenous land where they operate. On the one hand, it would be almost impossible to find property in our modern urban civilization whose production has not involved mining products. On the other hand, mining is not without serious impact on the land where they operate and those traditionally dependent on the land for their livelihood. So despite my awareness of my own dependence on the mining industry, I have come to respect the communities that stand against it to protect their country.
marble extraction began in 04. Mollo sites include Nausus, Naetapan and Fatulik. "Our seniors do not know what that meant mining. They thought the company was there to carve a work on the rocks, "said Aleta. When they realized what was really happening, native of Mollo formed the Pokja OATS indigenous organization to fight against mining in their homeland.
Grazing Horses with Fatu Nausus background
According to a village elder, the first mine approached the tribes rajas local to negotiate permission to operate in Mollo, but did not really involve other important community leaders. the mine has promised to build houses, power plants, schools and health centers the people. But it did not take long for people to notice the damage and suffer its consequences.
long before people Mollo studied science, their ancestors had recognized Nausus like a Fatu important regulator of the hydrology of their homeland.
"The marble towers are porous and there is vegetation on their surfaces. When it rains, the water runs off the pores and follows the roots of the vegetation, forming Wellsprings at the base of the rock" explained Aleta. Nausus the source, as well as those found at the bottom of the other rocks in Mollo, become the source of four major rivers in Timor water. "Mollo is the heart of Timor," said Aleta, comparing the source rocks of Mollo at heart to pump blood to all of the island.
The Timorese believe that the rocks are bones of land, water is the blood and the land and forests of his flesh. Being an agrarian society, based on the land for their livelihood, the Timorese believe that disturbances in one of these elements cause the land to lose its power to sustain life.
therefore, the Timorese believe that the ancestors entrusted to look after the land and make sure that it remains capable of providing good livelihoods for future. Timorese names generations are traditionally derived from local sacred rocks, forests or water-carrying the family name, one himself or herself professes as guardian of the nature element, after which the clan is named.
the soil is sandy clay Mollo, so when the rocks are removed, erosion occurs easily. "An entire village that lived under rocks had to move," said Aleta. "The water flow in the Wellsprings decreased, and many have disappeared altogether, because the mine stripped our forests. We get flooding in the rain, but drinking water is difficult. "
Mama Aleta
The mines also caused a loss of habitat for monkeys, cuscus, civets, birds and snakes.
"According to tradition, the base of the rock is pasture for livestock. Tradition forbids us to disturb the rocks, "said Aleta." Even the WWF and the government attributes the place as a conservation reserve and foreigners are not supposed to access. But sometimes that country can be funny. "
Aleta attributed the closure of the mine to the prayers and rituals consistent people. The Timorese are known for their sacrament of trees. The sacred trees become a place for the bees to build a hive and produce honey. However, this ritual is sometimes used to declare war, as happened between Mollo indigenous who support the mine and those against. Perhaps, this family feud was the greatest of all disasters that led the closure of the mine.
Some community members also retaliated by destroying the company vehicles. However, seeing that violence does not solve the problem, the community decided to stand up for their rights in peace.
marble extraction Mollo was stopped in 2010. "the mines were closed by the power of the people," said Aleta. At the time, the community organized a peaceful blockade of the mine site. Even if the police and army were backing the mine, the outnumbered their community.
"we refrained from committing lawlessness, so the police thought twice about stopping, lest we press charges. No verbal abuse each side . We just made sure that their machines do not affect our rock. "
Today, four years after mining in Mollo, the natives actively participate in Pokja OATS to perform food safety, community leadership in the protection of natural resources, animal husbandry, women's empowerment, advocacy for justice, and cooperative enterprises. Aleta said she hopes that these activities also serve as a way to make peace in the community and mending family ties that were severed by the mining conflict.
In 2013 Mama Aleta received the Goldman Prize for local environmental activism.
"Yes, we need development. But what we really need are the earth, water, rocks, and forests. There is no need of destruction," said Aleta said. "people tend to think of NTT poor. But we do not need charity. We do not deny that we are behind in terms of electricity, infrastructure development and all the amenities. But n does not need to live in excess. This will only make us forget who we are, forget the unit, and forget our community. We prefer to live in shame "
Timor Tengah Selatan
Country :. Indonesia
Province: Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT)
House: 3,947.1 km 2 (TTS) / 30777 km 2 (Timor island)
highest Lift Elevation: Mutis (near Fatumnasi, TTS) 2,427m AMSL
the largest city: Soe
population 441,155 (2010 estimate)
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