Field Trip Reflection
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Movie (Final Product) Screen Caps
Documentary Video Script
*walking into airport and flying plane*
*videos of aerial view (- mining sites) + oceans + views*
W: Bangka Belitung (also referred to as Babel) is a province part of the Indonesian archipelago, located at the 104*10’ East Longitude and 0*50’-4*10’ South Latitude. It consists of two main islands and a cluster of other small ones, lying east of Sumatra. The area, other than being the popular hometown of Andrea Hirata, author of Laskar Pelangi (or Rainbow Troops), is also popular for its oceanic tourism and mining sites. Belitung’s most famous resource is tin, which are obtained through decades of mining.
*while narrator is speaking, show aerial footage of mining sites*
*the process of gathering data (videos of interviews and surveys)*
A: During our field trip, we explored both tourists attractions and mining sites, which contribute to a huge part of the Bangka Belitung economy. Besides those, we also interviewed the local government regarding mining sites.
*video of Pemda answering questions regarding governmental issues about mining sites along with subtitles (without the footage talking about illegal mining sites*
W: Surprisingly, even with the help of tin mining, the economy of Bangka and Belitung is still in a very low level. Tin is scarce and the price of it is low. There are also non-Bangka-Belitung people who took advantage of the tin. The truth is the complete opposite of our prediction…
N: Pak Suhardi - the head of the sub-district Meramak - mentioned that the mining sites becomes a popular occupation for the Babel locals. Besides its popularity, its contribution to the economy is undeniable, and has been since it first began in 1709. He also mentioned that tin mining is completely reasonable if it follows the national standards (or Standar Nasional Indonesia) set by the government. However, he also says that even with those standards, a lot of illegal mining still goes on because of the lack of enforcement of those standards, and that even though there are 300 legal mines in Bangka Belitung, there are only 100 that follow the established standards.
W: Because of that, he hopes that instead of seeking work in mining areas, he hopes that more people will look to work in agriculture, so that Bangka’s economy will remain stable, even when the area runs out of tin.
*videos of scenes in the mining sites (front-view)*
A: With the increase of legal and illegal mining sites across the areas of Bangka and Belitung, we want to know if there are actually downsides relating to the community itself. The polluted environment might, according to our speculation, prove as a potential risk to the people’s health. To get reliable information, we visited a local Health Center in Bangka and asked the head nurse, Ibu Mila, about health concerns of the people.
*interview to the head nurse with subtitles - Nadia Voiceover (focus on mention of the life expectancy and infant mortality)*
N: She also mentions that there are no proven ways in which the mining sites affects the people’s health. However, she suspects that there is an effect of the mining smoke to the health of the miner’s lungs, though her theory goes unproven because the people of Bangka are commonly heavy smokers. Aside from those things, she also suspects that the mining waste is poisoning the water, causing health hazards to the people.
A: From the data, we can predict that if the mining sites continue to exploit tin resources, there would be health concerns due to the polluted environment and the availability of breeding places for Anopheles mosquitoes that cause malaria. People could suffer from lung diseases due to smoke near the mining sites, skin diseases due to radiation and the increasingly intense sunlight due to lack of forestry, and malaria.
*videos about tin mining sites from above and from land*
A: So, in what ways might the industry’s violation of government policy be an ethical concern? Illegal tin mining sites obviously oppose the government’s rules and regulations about tin mining and site establishing. However, even the government allows illegal mining sites to operate due to Bangka and Belitung’s reliance on tin as the backbone for their economy. They oppose the establishment of mining rules. This would prove that the people of Babel are too focused on one area of business that they would break the rules in order to benefit their economy.
*video of Pemda talking about illegal mining sites*
W: After we have obtained information from the local sub-district government and the health center, we wanted to know what is the real situation of mining from the perspective of a local miner. To get honest and on-hand information, we interviewed a local miner in the Belitung province named Bapak Arfan and his opinions on the mining sites.
*video of our interview with Bapak Arfan with subtitles - Woosung Voiceover*
N: Bapak Arfan ends the interview with his hopes that more people will actively participate in the agriculture of the area, because he sees the potential of that industry. He also hopes that more miners will be aware of the environmental responsibilities they hold after mining, and will be willing to dedicate time to rejuvenate the land instead of leaving it infertile.
A: Besides local miners, we also visited a mining company in Bangka, PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri to see mining from an industrial point of view. PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri is the first Green Smelter Factory in Bangka, who doesn’t produce exhaust fumes. We want to see if their perspective is different than those of Pak Arfan’s and Pak Suhardi’s.
*video of the person presenting in the mining company*
*aerial mining site views*
N: Environmentally, the mining sites also bring impact. We managed to gather aerial footage of the mining sites, where the destruction is evident. In the footage, we see how many mining sites are left immediately after all the tin is dug out, without the process of rejuvenating the land. The mining company we visited also mentions that the reasons there is visible damage on land is because the method used to mine is digging craters out of the ground and collecting the tin. The crates become slowly larger and more frequent in the horizon to avoid erosion in the sites. Because of the lack of awareness to restore the land’s nutrients afterwards, the craters are left to destroy the environment.
*interview with Pemda about environment*
W: The head of the sub-district also mentions his hopes that the miners will more actively participate in the neutralization of land post-mining, to keep the land healthy and fertile. He’s also seeking ways to re-introduce nutrients to the ground, to increase the potential of the land becoming agricultural sites.
*mix-footage*
A: Knowing that the mining sites are covering more areas of Bangka and Belitung, the plantation of the area would eventually die due to the people not rejuvenating the land. If there are no decisive actions towards preventing the loss of trees, the province’s temperature would increase over the years. The process of the digging itself can result into the change of elevation in the land, which can result into sea flooding.
W: More and more children are also becoming uneducated or have left school in pursue of becoming miners. This is due to the stereotypical theory that every Bangka-Belitung people would end up being a miner. If the number of uneducated children increases, there might be a chance that the availability of jobs other than mining would be very scarce. If this continues, when the tin runs out, Babel will be at a dead end because the people are too reliant on economy and will lack the skills to pursue other careers. Eventually, the people will have to realize that if they don’t seek other work areas, their future generations will face defeat. Environmentally, too, if people continue exploiting the resources, all the land will become infertile and unfit for agriculture, causing a dead end for those who seek work in agriculture. Health-wise, the fumes from mining will continue to destruct the lungs of the miners, working hand-in-hand with heavy smoking. The water pollution will also cause more people to become sick, and although it is unproven that water is a cause of the new sicknesses developing, it is a very hazardous threat.
*road footage, plane footage, mix footage*
A: Through this documentary and our discoveries, we hope that even when mining continues in Babel, the people will more actively participate in environmental and health awareness. We hope that the government will be more strict in enforcing the rules and regulations of minding, to avoid further environmental or health related destruction. The Bible verse Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”
W: The verse tells us that its our responsibility to correct our actions so that through what we do, we don’t disadvantage the society, environment, and people around us. We hope that the people of Babel will slowly turn into a province that doesn’t only mine tin, but also produces agriculture. We hope that the future generations of Babel will be more educated, so that their awareness on responsibility also increases and so future generations will improve.
N: Through this video, we hope that you, too, will realize that as humans, its our responsibility to take care of our own health and the environment, because that’s the responsibility God has given upon us, and taking care of our surroundings should be a personal dedication.
*series of pictures of fieldtrip fun ft. credits*
*videos of aerial view (- mining sites) + oceans + views*
W: Bangka Belitung (also referred to as Babel) is a province part of the Indonesian archipelago, located at the 104*10’ East Longitude and 0*50’-4*10’ South Latitude. It consists of two main islands and a cluster of other small ones, lying east of Sumatra. The area, other than being the popular hometown of Andrea Hirata, author of Laskar Pelangi (or Rainbow Troops), is also popular for its oceanic tourism and mining sites. Belitung’s most famous resource is tin, which are obtained through decades of mining.
*while narrator is speaking, show aerial footage of mining sites*
*the process of gathering data (videos of interviews and surveys)*
A: During our field trip, we explored both tourists attractions and mining sites, which contribute to a huge part of the Bangka Belitung economy. Besides those, we also interviewed the local government regarding mining sites.
*video of Pemda answering questions regarding governmental issues about mining sites along with subtitles (without the footage talking about illegal mining sites*
W: Surprisingly, even with the help of tin mining, the economy of Bangka and Belitung is still in a very low level. Tin is scarce and the price of it is low. There are also non-Bangka-Belitung people who took advantage of the tin. The truth is the complete opposite of our prediction…
N: Pak Suhardi - the head of the sub-district Meramak - mentioned that the mining sites becomes a popular occupation for the Babel locals. Besides its popularity, its contribution to the economy is undeniable, and has been since it first began in 1709. He also mentioned that tin mining is completely reasonable if it follows the national standards (or Standar Nasional Indonesia) set by the government. However, he also says that even with those standards, a lot of illegal mining still goes on because of the lack of enforcement of those standards, and that even though there are 300 legal mines in Bangka Belitung, there are only 100 that follow the established standards.
W: Because of that, he hopes that instead of seeking work in mining areas, he hopes that more people will look to work in agriculture, so that Bangka’s economy will remain stable, even when the area runs out of tin.
*videos of scenes in the mining sites (front-view)*
A: With the increase of legal and illegal mining sites across the areas of Bangka and Belitung, we want to know if there are actually downsides relating to the community itself. The polluted environment might, according to our speculation, prove as a potential risk to the people’s health. To get reliable information, we visited a local Health Center in Bangka and asked the head nurse, Ibu Mila, about health concerns of the people.
*interview to the head nurse with subtitles - Nadia Voiceover (focus on mention of the life expectancy and infant mortality)*
N: She also mentions that there are no proven ways in which the mining sites affects the people’s health. However, she suspects that there is an effect of the mining smoke to the health of the miner’s lungs, though her theory goes unproven because the people of Bangka are commonly heavy smokers. Aside from those things, she also suspects that the mining waste is poisoning the water, causing health hazards to the people.
A: From the data, we can predict that if the mining sites continue to exploit tin resources, there would be health concerns due to the polluted environment and the availability of breeding places for Anopheles mosquitoes that cause malaria. People could suffer from lung diseases due to smoke near the mining sites, skin diseases due to radiation and the increasingly intense sunlight due to lack of forestry, and malaria.
*videos about tin mining sites from above and from land*
A: So, in what ways might the industry’s violation of government policy be an ethical concern? Illegal tin mining sites obviously oppose the government’s rules and regulations about tin mining and site establishing. However, even the government allows illegal mining sites to operate due to Bangka and Belitung’s reliance on tin as the backbone for their economy. They oppose the establishment of mining rules. This would prove that the people of Babel are too focused on one area of business that they would break the rules in order to benefit their economy.
*video of Pemda talking about illegal mining sites*
W: After we have obtained information from the local sub-district government and the health center, we wanted to know what is the real situation of mining from the perspective of a local miner. To get honest and on-hand information, we interviewed a local miner in the Belitung province named Bapak Arfan and his opinions on the mining sites.
*video of our interview with Bapak Arfan with subtitles - Woosung Voiceover*
N: Bapak Arfan ends the interview with his hopes that more people will actively participate in the agriculture of the area, because he sees the potential of that industry. He also hopes that more miners will be aware of the environmental responsibilities they hold after mining, and will be willing to dedicate time to rejuvenate the land instead of leaving it infertile.
A: Besides local miners, we also visited a mining company in Bangka, PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri to see mining from an industrial point of view. PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri is the first Green Smelter Factory in Bangka, who doesn’t produce exhaust fumes. We want to see if their perspective is different than those of Pak Arfan’s and Pak Suhardi’s.
*video of the person presenting in the mining company*
*aerial mining site views*
N: Environmentally, the mining sites also bring impact. We managed to gather aerial footage of the mining sites, where the destruction is evident. In the footage, we see how many mining sites are left immediately after all the tin is dug out, without the process of rejuvenating the land. The mining company we visited also mentions that the reasons there is visible damage on land is because the method used to mine is digging craters out of the ground and collecting the tin. The crates become slowly larger and more frequent in the horizon to avoid erosion in the sites. Because of the lack of awareness to restore the land’s nutrients afterwards, the craters are left to destroy the environment.
*interview with Pemda about environment*
W: The head of the sub-district also mentions his hopes that the miners will more actively participate in the neutralization of land post-mining, to keep the land healthy and fertile. He’s also seeking ways to re-introduce nutrients to the ground, to increase the potential of the land becoming agricultural sites.
*mix-footage*
A: Knowing that the mining sites are covering more areas of Bangka and Belitung, the plantation of the area would eventually die due to the people not rejuvenating the land. If there are no decisive actions towards preventing the loss of trees, the province’s temperature would increase over the years. The process of the digging itself can result into the change of elevation in the land, which can result into sea flooding.
W: More and more children are also becoming uneducated or have left school in pursue of becoming miners. This is due to the stereotypical theory that every Bangka-Belitung people would end up being a miner. If the number of uneducated children increases, there might be a chance that the availability of jobs other than mining would be very scarce. If this continues, when the tin runs out, Babel will be at a dead end because the people are too reliant on economy and will lack the skills to pursue other careers. Eventually, the people will have to realize that if they don’t seek other work areas, their future generations will face defeat. Environmentally, too, if people continue exploiting the resources, all the land will become infertile and unfit for agriculture, causing a dead end for those who seek work in agriculture. Health-wise, the fumes from mining will continue to destruct the lungs of the miners, working hand-in-hand with heavy smoking. The water pollution will also cause more people to become sick, and although it is unproven that water is a cause of the new sicknesses developing, it is a very hazardous threat.
*road footage, plane footage, mix footage*
A: Through this documentary and our discoveries, we hope that even when mining continues in Babel, the people will more actively participate in environmental and health awareness. We hope that the government will be more strict in enforcing the rules and regulations of minding, to avoid further environmental or health related destruction. The Bible verse Genesis 1:26, “Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’”
W: The verse tells us that its our responsibility to correct our actions so that through what we do, we don’t disadvantage the society, environment, and people around us. We hope that the people of Babel will slowly turn into a province that doesn’t only mine tin, but also produces agriculture. We hope that the future generations of Babel will be more educated, so that their awareness on responsibility also increases and so future generations will improve.
N: Through this video, we hope that you, too, will realize that as humans, its our responsibility to take care of our own health and the environment, because that’s the responsibility God has given upon us, and taking care of our surroundings should be a personal dedication.
*series of pictures of fieldtrip fun ft. credits*
Survey Compilation:
Pemda/Sub-District
Source: Pak Suhardi, Bapak Camat, Merawak Sub-district (population: 13,000), Bangka Regency.
PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri (Local Mining Company)
Source: Pak Leo, General Affair.
Background Information:
Health Center (Puskesmas)
Source: Head Nurse.
Information about Puskesmas:
Local Tin Miner Interview
Source: Bapak Arfan, tin miner.
Questions:
Pemda/Sub-District
Source: Pak Suhardi, Bapak Camat, Merawak Sub-district (population: 13,000), Bangka Regency.
- Tin mining in Bangka has been around since 1704. This is a form of blessing from God.
- However, the environmental conditions are worsening since the arrival of tin mining sites. The soil’s nutrients have been removed in the mining process, not enabling plants to grow in that area. Moreover, land elevation is decreased, increasing the possibility of flooding in Bangka and Belitung.
- Me: What is the condition of Bangka’s economy after the establishment of the mining sites?
- Bangka’s economy is very poor. There are only a few tin remaining in the area, and the price of the tin is also lowering. Foreigners are also taking advantage of the availability of tin in Bangka. When we import tin or tin products from other countries, we pay for twice as much as the original price. This pose a threat to Bangka’s economy. (Talking about the environment and local people) Because of the damage to the soil, the local people are unable to farm their plantations and do agricultural activities. In order to help, PT Timah (a tin mining company) needs to reclaim the land by purifying the acidity of the soil.
- Ryuta: Legal and illegal mining sites
- Legal mining sites are mining sites that has fulfilled the standards and has been granted the license to mine. On the other hand, illegal mining sites are those that have not meet the requirements for mining. These illegal mining sites are quite many in Bangka. Illegal mining prove to be dangerous for the people’s health. However, as tin mining is a primary source of living for Bangka people, there are many illegal mining sites that are legalized.
- Deo: Laws of Mining Sites
- If the law of mining sites are violated, the company would have their tin confiscated and their mining activities stopped by the government. The leader of the sub-district (Pak Camat) is watching mining sites that frequently violates the law. Pak Camat would step into action if the mining activity destroys the natural habitat of the area.
- On the other hand, there might be other reasons why other mining sites has never run into troubles. Their license might not have been distributed.
PT. ATD Makmur Mandiri (Local Mining Company)
Source: Pak Leo, General Affair.
Background Information:
- The mining facility started in 2007.
- The first Green Smelter Factory in Bangka. It doesn’t produce exhaust fumes. It turns fumes into vapor that is released into the air.
- It is located in Jelitik Industrial Area in Sungai Liat, Bangka.
- The activities include mining and processing tin.
- IUP: 188.45/318/TAMBEN/2011 (the law the mining activity is based on).
- The company has owned mining license for … years
- Mining activities include:
- Open area and underground mining.
- Collecting minerals by means of water collection (shooting high-pressured water into the soil and gathering minerals contained inside the water).
- Facility area: 2.5 hectares.
- Located 40 km from Pangkal Balam Seaport.
- Produces 600+ metric tons of tin per month.
- Has 200 employers.
- 13 regular tin furnaces,
- 1 electric tin furnace,
- 1 slag tin furnace,
- 5 refining stations,
- 1 chemical lab,
- and 2 crystallizers.
- Polluters in tin can include iron (Fe) and lead (Pb). The crystallizers filter leads that are contained/mixed with tin.
- Tin processing:
- The collected tin is heated in a furnace with the temperature of 1300 degrees Celsius. After it is heated, it liquefies and is poured onto a specific container.
- After the tin hardens, an oxygen-shooting pipe is inserted into the tin, helping the cooling process.
- Tin products include: anodes, billets, and ingots.
- Febe: The Advantages of Tin Mining:
- It is the main source and the largest driver of Bangka’s economy. Though there are other sources of Bangka’s economy, such as agriculture and fishery, tin mining is by far the primary source of money.
- One of the factors that makes tin a main source of money to Bangka’s economy is that it is available in large numbers.
- Though there were predictions that the tin resources in Bangka would empty in the next few years, it never happens.
- However, there are also disadvantages of having tin as a primary source of economy.
- The culture of the Bangka people are too focused to tin. They rarely consider other jobs other than tin mining, and there were also many children in Bangka who dropped out of school due to believing that although he/she graduates from education, he/she would end up being a miner.
- Mining activities result in damages to the environment. After mining, the soil’s nutrient have been taken out, not enabling plantations to be planted in the area.
- Balqis: Health and Safety Concerns for Miners:
- The laws of mining sites have set the standards for safety precautions and the health conditions of the miners.
- There is always a safety briefing prior to the actual mining activity (before the miners travelled underground in search for tin). The miners are to wear helmets and complete safety equipments.
- Alvin: Skill in Mining
- Mining skills have been practiced for generations.
- Nowadays, traditional mining skills are combined and aided with modern technology.
- The Chinese people of Bangka are also miners. In fact, they are the one who mine for the first time.
- There are no specific institutes that started the idea of tin mining in the first place. Tin mining is in the blood of Bangka people since the very beginning (from their ancestors).
- Me: Competency Standards
- Competency standards of a mining site are supervised and determined by Dinas Pertambangan dan Surveyor Indonesia (Agency of Mining and Survey of Indonesia).
- The standards of mining sites include baths, clothes washing, toiletries, safety, food, and many more.
- AMDAL
- No local people shall reside in the industrial area.
- Since industrial areas are far away from local houses, there are no problems between mining sites and the local people.
- Any changes to the mining site has to have the people’s agreement.
Health Center (Puskesmas)
Source: Head Nurse.
Information about Puskesmas:
- Only a basic health center.
- 75 beds for inpatients.
- Officially announced by the emissary of Vatican City.
- Ryuta: Life Expectancy
- 75 Years for all citizens.
- There are no significant differences from the year 2010-2015.
- Febe: Diseases
- Bangka is an endemic place for malaria. Swamps commonly are the breeding place for Anopheles, a malaria-transmitting mosquito.
- The government has, in some way, drastically reduce the amount of people infected with malaria. Now, the health centers only receive 0-2 patients per month.
- Dengue fever is also commonly found in Bangka. As Dengue Fever is a disease caused by mosquitoes (specifically the Aedes Aegypti), there are also other possible mosquito-transmitted diseases in Bangka.
- The common breeding place for the Aedes Aegypti mosquito is in houses. It can also travel to other areas of Bangka via being trapped in vehicles.
- There are also causes of death that are not due to diseases. Accidents during mining activities, such as struck down by landfall, can cause deaths.
- Alvin: Diseases in Miners
- A preventive action towards handling diseases in miners is through collaborating with the Health Agency. For example, we can collaborate with them to prevent malaria.
- The Health Center can support the plans of the government in reducing the infection of malaria.
- The Health Center can teach preventive ways to the miners by safety briefing.
- Samuel: The Impact of Tin Mining to The People Socially
- The impact of tin mining is that it makes the soil in the area infertile and the trees cut down. The amount land for agricultural purposes is reduced.
- The water waste from the mining site is thrown out into the river. Supply of clean water is reduced.
- This, combined with the increasing population of the people, proves to be a trouble in the dry season as there are many people that do not have access to clean water.
- Rachel: Developmental Issues in Infants Due to Tin-Polluted Water
- There are no written research regarding this topic.
- However, it is clear and obvious that tin-polluted water is bad for the people’s health.
- Fernandez: Changing the Way of Mining (as A Concern to Health)
- Actually, mining activities are allowable. The BUMN (Badan Usaha Milik Negara or State-Owned Enterprises) does mining activities safely and without causing major harm.
- However, there are also decisions by the government that allow illegal mining sites.
- Open mining sites can be dangerous for the people’s health. After mining, the land should be covered to prevent radiation. The land should also be reclaimed to return the nutrients to the soil and make it fertile.
- Fernandez: Decrease of Land Elevation
- To prevent seawater from flooding the land, there are breakwaters placed alongside the beaches and coasts of Bangka.
- Once the land elevation has decreased, it can’t return into its original level. Decrease of land elevation can’t be fixed.
- Ibu Stela: Teeth Problems Caused by Tin
- Bangka people are known for their bad teeth. They need to brush their teeth more often.
- Deo: Diseases Caused By Dust
- Diseases caused by dust have not affected the people in a major way.
- Diseases such as lung cancer can be caused by high smoking rates of the Bangka people.
- Dust, however, can cause Tuberculosis when inhaled (due to the bacteria in the dust).
- Skin cancer can occur due to sunrays and exposure of radiation in tin mining sites.
- Cancer are not to be blamed solely on dust from mining sites.
Local Tin Miner Interview
Source: Bapak Arfan, tin miner.
Questions:
- Health concerns
- There are no effects of tin mining in health.
- It is the opposite; working in mining sites cause you to sweat, which is good or your health.
- Not using sandals can increase blood circulation.
- Economy
- The salary goes to the bosses. If they receive high salary, it is also beneficial for the workers.
- Benefits and disadvantages
- Beneficial for me and the other workers. We got paid.
- There are many people who get a living by doing mining activities.
- It is non-beneficial for the environment. The surroundings (water, soil, etc.) become polluted and it can potentially be a concern for future generations.
- Infertile soil and bald forests can be reclaimed to restore the environment into its proper conditions.
- The government encourages the citizens to find other jobs, such as in the areas of farming/agricultural activities and fisheries. Tin and tin mining do not last forever. Switching to other jobs is a preemptive action in anticipating the time when tin mining is no more.
- It takes time to adjust to the farming process. Usually, cultivation comes in the next 2-3 years after planting, unlike the instantly available tin.
- Safety concerns in mining
- “I have not experienced any accidents during mining.”
- Regarding accidents, people could get struck down by landslides or heavy equipment. However, this is unlikely since the depth of the mining site is just 1-2 metres.
- Availability of Health Center
- There are free Health Centers in specific areas in Belitung.
- Free medical checks.