Lower Thirds:

0:03	Report by | Ferdinand Himawan
0:31	Samawati | Fisher, Bajau People
0:49	Endang | Fisher, Bajau People
1:29	Muslimin | Miner, Kabaena People
1:57	Ferdinand Himawan | DW Reporter
2:26	Sahrul Gelo | Environmental activist

((INTRO 
To Indonesia - Massive nickel mining operations have polluted the waters around Kabaena Island in Southeast Sulawesi, turning the sea red and threatening the livelihoods of thousands. The presence of the mines has also sparked tensions between the island’s Indigenous people and the Bajau, a nomadic seafaring community. DW’s Ferdinand Himawan reports.))

Script: 

00:02
There’s no fish for dinner tonight. Samawati and her family are ethnic Bajau. They live and rely on the sea.  

But the blue waters where they used to catch fish are now brown, filled with waste from the nickel mines that operate on the island. 

00:18 (starts in off)
Samawati / Fisher / Bajau People 
"We, the people who live by the sea, are deeply troubled by this red soil. There’s no more hope that the water will ever be clear again — it feels almost impossible for things to go back to the way they were. All the fishermen reject mining, because our lives and livelihoods depend on the sea."

00:38
It’s not just an environmental problem – the waste also poses a health risk to anyone in contact with the contaminated water. 

00:46 (starts in off)
Endang / Fisher / Bajau People 
"I’ve felt it myself — the itching. My hands broke out in sores because of the water."

00:55
The mining company we spoke to says it has built reservoirs to contain the waste. But they are not big enough, and heavy rains cause the sediment to overflow into the sewer system and out to sea. 

01:08
The issue has split the local community – for the indigenous Moronene people who live in the mountains, the nickel mines have provided jobs and a steady income.  

01:20 (starts in off)
Muslimin / Kabaena People Working for Mines 
"For the time being, the presence of the mine helps support both my family’s economy and the local community. Take me, for example, I have two kids who are still in school. I don’t have enough money to cover everything, but each month, the company helps pay for their school fees."

01:42
The Moronene people have also profited by selling land to the nickel mining companies. They see the Bajau as migrants with no claim to the land. This conflict has made finding a solution harder. 

01:55
PTC Ferdinand Himawan, DW Reporter
"The Kabaena people are caught in a dilemma – protect the sea or depend on mining for their livelihood. Stuck between the two, they hesitate to act. But time is running out. The longer they wait, the worse the damage gets."

02:10
Islands like Kabaena are protected by law. But with 16 companies currently operating here, activists say the government is failing in its commitment to protect the environment. 

02:21 (starts in off)
Sahrul Gelo / Environmental Activist
"We reject mining, especially on Kabaena Island, not just because it breaks the rules, but because the current regulations don’t protect the local community. If there is going to be mining, then it should happen only when the laws truly protect both the people and the environment." 

02:43
The government says it is still gathering information on the impact of the mines and environmental damage affecting the island. But with global demand for nickel driving a mining boom in Indonesia, it’s likely that communities like the Bajau and future generations will continue to pay the price.  

END