Red marble mine exploitation in Ngargoretno village, Magelang, Central Java, has since 2000 brought no welfare to residents. They have only been suffering and forced to face disasters.
By
MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO
·5 minutes read
Ngargoretno means a mountain of welfare. However, in the eyes of Soim, wellbeing has not yet come true in the village. Red marble mining, once regarded by some people as bringing prosperity, has only invited the threat of disasters, such as landslides and dryness.
Today, Soim and volunteers from Selorejo Peduli Menoreh (Selorejo Cares for Menoreh) and Gabungan Relawan Muda (Garuda, or Young Volunteers Union) are actively patrolling the area to find cracks in the earth ahead of the rainy season. Simple crack detection tools are planted by the use of two wooden poles. If the distance of the two widens, they increase their alertness. In the past, before the mining activity, residents had no need to take such measures.
Apart from environmental damage, marble mining made almost no contributions to the advancement of the village. Ngargoretno, located around 9 kilometers southwest of Borobudur temple, has remained an isolated village with limited infrastructure and information access.
In order to reach the village at the altitude of about 550 meters, from the zone of Borobudur temple we will pass an old concrete road. The road is passable by two-wheeled vehicles and bends along the banks of Menoreh Hill, with a ravine on the left side.
The red marble can be likened to the foundation of this village.
Entering the village, we will find reddish rocks amid deciduous teaks. They are the red marble covering an area of 70 hectares, around 20 ha of which are being mined by a company.
“The red marble can be likened to the foundation of this village. If it continues to be exploited and mined, the potential for landslides will be very great. Furthermore, the vibrations caused by heavy machinery can affect the earth’s solidity,” Soim said.
The presence of the mine has also made Ngargoretno residents segmented into groups, opposing each other. Some favor the mine and others are against it. From the beginning, Soim has belonged to the latter group. He was once considered a provocateur because of his firm rejection of the mining operations.
He had to pay a high price for the rejection. Owing to the conflict between residents, Soim had to leave his village for Yogyakarta for 10 days in 2008 to ease the situation.
“At the time, the atmosphere was uncomfortable. During a ritual feast, for instance, residents were sitting in pro and contra groups,” said the husband of Tri Wahyuningsih.
Village tourism
Soim thought hard about how to halt the damage to nature resulting from the red marble mining in his village. But on the other hand, he had to offer an alternative income to a number of residents whose livelihoods depended on marble mining. He found the answer in tourism.
“Through tourism, the existing potential in the village can give economic benefits, while nature can be conserved,” he said in Selorejo hamlet, Ngargoretno village, Salaman, Magelang, Central Java, on Oct. 29.
Through tourism, the existing potential in the village can give economic benefits.
Soim, entrusted as chairman of the Argo Inten Village Enterprise (BUMDes), started developing a village tourism package in 2016. The package comprises a tour of the red marble zone called the Indonesian Natural Museum of Marble and a visit to the Borobudur Dino Park furnished with a selfie arena. The red marble zone tour is mandatory.
To draw tourists’ interest, Soim has set up a network with tourism activists in the village, even the nearby regency. Through a jeep community, tourists can enjoy a package for a tour of Sedayu village in Purworejo, Ngargoretno village in Magelang and Nglinggo village in Kulon Progo.
“This package is named Gelang Projo or Magelang-Kulon Progo-Purworejo. The cost is Rp 1 million [US$71.12] per person,” he said.
Beyond all these, Soim has developed another activity to support village tourism. For example, he offers a package of learning to milk etawa (Jamnapari) goats, making batik at the gallery of Batik Kere Blirik Gendis, processing goat dung into fertilizer, harvesting honey and making crystalline sugar.
“This isn’t a tourist village, but rather village tourism. It’s how the real activities of the village community can be enjoyed by other people,” he added.
Through the tourism initiated by Soim, the social segmentation and tension in his village have begun to be alleviated. Local people are now talking to each other and working together to welcome visitors.
Residents further maintained concord, harmony, cohesion and unity.
The acting village head of Ngargoretno, Supomo, appreciated the creativity and perseverance of Soim in developing village tourism.
“I give him my support,” Supomo said.
Soim keeps striving to make residents realize the importance of conserving and maintaining the environment. Along with some residents, Soim encourages local people to plant coffee, banyan and palm trees to make the earth around the village even more solid and free from landslides.
SOIM
Born: Magelang, July 6, 1981
Wife: Tri Wahyuningsih, 37
Children: Bagus Deni Hermanto, 17, and Nadia Rihadatul Ays, 14
Education:
State Primary School 1 Ngargoretno, 1994
State Junior High School 1 Samigaluh, 1997
Muhammadiyah Vocational High School Salaman, Department of Secretary, 2001