Court Clears US Mining Giant in Indonesian Environmental Suit
The suit was filed by a coalition of activist groups led by the country's top environmental watchdog, Walhi, in March. It accused Newmont Minahasa Raya of violating Indonesia's environmental law at its now defunct North Sulawesi mine between 1986 and 2003 by causing ecological damage and harming villagers.
"The plaintiff could not prove its accusations that there was environmental pollution caused by PT Newmont Minahasa Raya in Buyat Bay," Judge I Ketut Manika told the South Jakarta district court.
Newmont, the world's largest gold miner, has always denied dumping toxic waste in Buyat Bay, saying it disposed of toxins safely and levels of mercury and arsenic were within acceptable levels.
A criminal case against the company and one of its executives over the issue has already been tried and dismissed, though Indonesian prosecutors are appealing.
