Anti-mining protesters attempt to storm gates of governor's office in Indonesia

Dozens of protesters attempted to storm the gates of the South Sulawesi governor's office in Indonesia.

Dozens of protesters attempted to storm the gates of the South Sulawesi governor's office in Indonesia.

Footage shows dozens of demonstrators outside the building behind a fence but tensions escalate and they attempt to break down the gate.

The protesters are mainly women from islands located off the coast of Makassar including Kodingareng.

According to the protesters, mining activities have impacted the livelihood of their husbands as fishermen.

South Sulawesi Governor Nurdin Abdullah allegedly promised to stop the sand mining activities of a company from the Netherlands, PT Boskalis, in the Kodingareng Island area.

The group started protesting yesterday afternoon and stayed overnight outside the governor's office to demand an end to mining activities in their territorial waters.

The women said they will continue protesting outside the governor's office until their demands are met.

Speaking on camera, Ira, one of the protesters, said: "Mining activities have been going on for seven months.

It has impacted the economy and livelihoods of the residents and fishermen in our area.

Our children need food but there is no income because sand mining activities have had an impact on our husband's fishing." The problems regarding sand mining off the coast of Makassar have been an ongoing and contentious issue since 2017.