The district chief said mining had resumed at Kangkuro after two closures. Officials have identified seven illegal mining sites in the protected area.
The head of Sigi district in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province has called for illegal gold mining at Kangkuro to be stopped. Moh Rizal Intjenae said the site had been closed twice, but mining resumed. The district is coordinating monitoring and enforcement with police and the military, ANTARA reported.
Intjenae urged authorities to pursue not only miners but also people who provide them with housing or other support. He said local residents bear the environmental and social costs while only a few people benefit. The area around Lake Lindu is important to the ecosystem and provides water for agriculture. Local officials want to preserve it and develop organic farming and ecotourism.
Kangkuro is inside Lore Lindu National Park. Park-management data cited by the district administration lists seven illegal mining sites in Sigi. They include Kintabaru, covering 0.13 hectares, Ueloe at 0.3 hectares, Sibowi at 0.5 hectares and Kangkuro at 2.5 hectares.
In June 2025, conservation agencies, police, the military, local officials and community groups carried out a raid in Dongi-Dongi. They found an excavator and five people suspected of illegal mining. The park authority said temporary shelters, active mine shafts and equipment were destroyed.