"Flames of Death Unveiling the nickel’s industry grim reality" 18 November 2024

IMIP is a 4,000-hectare industrial complex in Bahadopi district, Morowali regency, in Indonesia’s Central Sulawesi province. Known as the world’s largest nickel industrial zone, IMIP employs more than 80,000 workers, not including 19,000 infrastructure project workers...

The Environmental Reporting Collective interviewed some survivors of the December 2023 explosion to investigate the chaos inside the accident and unveil the grim reality of working in the world’s largest nickel industrial zone...

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ERC obtained triage records of the explosion victims treated at Morowali Regional Hospital, which showed that they sustained second-degree burn injuries... In an email to ERC, Morowali Regional Hospital says that they treated 30 patients from the December 2023 explosion at IMIP, with more than 26% suffering from severe burn injuries and over 73% light to moderate burn injuries...

IMIP representatives gave a compensation of IDR 3 million, around USD 190, to Elon on Dec. 26... “That was the only time the company gave him IDR 3 million,” his mother laments. “After that, there was nothing more.” She also says when Elon underwent surgery, some medications were not covered by BPJS Kesehatan, Indonesia’s health insurance program. “We had to purchase [the medicine] ourselves and ended up spending IDR 2 million,” ... IMIP told Indonesian media that it compensated the family of each deceased worker IDR 600 million, or nearly USD 40,000...

Li Hongjun (李红俊) was one of the eight Chinese workers lost their lives following the December 2023 blast... Li’s father says IMIP paid them compensation of approximately RMB 1 million, or nearly USD 14,000 ... “I don't know how much compensation was paid for Indonesian workers who died,” Li’s father says. “I heard the compensation was much less than ours...The wages of workers in Indonesia are also lower than those of Chinese workers."

Workers tell ERC that the PPEs from the companies are often of poor quality, limited in supply, and not replaced when damaged. They complain that they are given thin and incomplete protective gear, and other similar deficiencies, and they face delays in replacing mask filters... During a visit to Morowali, ERC saw numerous PPE vendors around the area, further indicating that workers need to purchase their own gear...

ERC interviewed 52 workers from the four industrial sites on their working conditions. Workers say they have raised concerns about workplace safety conditions to their employers but some are hesitant to report accidents due to fear of repercussions...Dabir works in the molding section of PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP), in Halmahera, North Maluku province. He too faces occupational hazards ...but his protective gear is insufficient...

When contacted by ERC, IMIP refutes the workers’ allegations, saying the company complies with labor regulations, including reporting all workplace accidents to relevant authorities, ensuring employees receive benefits, providing enough PPEs and ensuring working hours are in accordance with labor laws.

At the time of publication, the other three companies – VDNI, GNI and IWIP – have not responded to our requests for comments...

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Bombang, a steel production worker at IMIP, tells ERC that supervisors discourage workers from reporting injuries to the company’s clinic, and that workers are often pressured to hide their injuries or lie about them...If workers fall ill, their salaries will be cut...

Chinese workers familiar with conditions at IMIP have also accused the companies, including the Tsingshan Group, of prohibiting employees from sharing information online and threatening them with fines... Zhang Qiang, a former welder who worked at Delong Industrial Parks’ VDNI (Phase II) ...and GNI (Phase III)... says he was promised steady work and pay, but his employers withheld his wages and confiscated his passport. ...He also complains of poor living conditions, with unsafe drinking water...

Meanwhile, female workers struggle with health and safety issues at the company. Nyili, a worker at VDNI, tells ERC, “Women don’t get menstrual leave” – although it is guaranteed under Indonesia’s labor law. During her pregnancy, she was denied maternity leave... IMIP worker Salmah had a similar experience. “Pregnant employees still work the night shift,” she says, adding that workers are allowed maternity leave only after they go into labor.... When contacted by ERC, Emilia Bassar, communications director at IMIP, says: “The duration of maternity leave provided is three months: one and half months before childbirth and one and half months after...”

Airlangga of AMAR Law Firm says there have been attempts to silence workers and penalize union organizers... The lack of transparency surrounding these issues further complicates the legal landscape, making it increasingly difficult for workers to advocate for their rights and for lawyers to assist them effectively...