Invaded the island in search of gold rush

Invaded the island in search of gold rush

The sun beat down on the city Namlea, the capital of the island of Buru, Maluku, when I trace the month March 2015 the city.

On both sides of the street I saw a lot of sign saying "sell gold".

Similar scenes, I met when I was in several different villages on the island of Buru.

I finally met with Mahani, a middle-aged woman.

Mahani explained that she used to be a farmer eucalyptus oil, but since the past three years into a gold miner on Bald Mountain.

Island formerly known as the producer of eucalyptus oil that four years is transformed into becoming a gold producer.

Begins with a dream

It all started with the dream of a population that in a location called Bald mountain, there is gold.

Residents in 2011 flocked to dig the area and found that the real gold at Bald Mountain.

Now Mahani and tens of thousands of people on the island of Buru switch professions generally a farmer eucalyptus oil, gold miners, for the reasons given by Mahani.

"If I were a gold miner that can than be a farmer eucalyptus oil. Because one day it can get results per gram, the price Rp385.000,00. Because the mother is difficult, for the sake of the children can go to school," said Mahani.

Gogorea

Gold miners in Gogorea, Buru, coming from across the region in Indonesia

Besides Mahani who is a resident of the island of Buru, many people from outside the island of Buru speculate on gold miners in Bald mountain.

This then led to conflict between people who do not rarely result in death. The government has tried to cover the bald mountain, but these efforts have not produced results.

Residents continue to look for gold. Trisno from Jakarta is one of them. However, Trisno gold miners in other locations on the island of Buru named Gogorea.

"My boss first attempt at Bald Mountain. Well, finally after the last riots, all existing drum on Bald Mountain moved to Gogorea. Finally, I who was in Jakarta, has not been working in the mine at all, told the boss to move to Gogorea, "said Trisno.

Gogorea

The process of making gold in Gogorea, Buru Island, Maluku

Trisno admitted previously a marketing employee bottled water in Jakarta, when his superiors assigned him to be a gold miner in Gogorea. He was forced to learn a lot about gold.

Sell ​​gold in store

But after gold miners get gold, what is actually happening with the gold?

Coming home from my trip on the island of Buru, I had a talk with Nur Octavhiani, a gold seller in shopping centers Cempaka Putih, Jakarta.

He has around 10 years of selling gold. Vhia, so Nur Octavhiani often called, explained the origin of the gold that he was selling.

"I personally take the goods from sales (the seller). And its sales itself usually take some of the factories. The factory started from there in Surabaya, Bandung, Jakarta up from Kendari, Makassar."

Gold

Selling gold is quite favorable for Nur Octavhiani

Selling gold is Vhia family business since decades.

In one month, the family-owned store Vhia can achieve a gain of about 30-50 million rupiah.

Even though it is an economics graduate management, Vhia decided to stay abreast of the family business to sell gold for gold business promising.

He also admitted knowledge he gained in college are useful for managing the gold shop. BBC