THE irony of Indonesian environmental protection policy is now visible in the waters of Moronopo, East Halmahera, North Maluku. While President Joko Widodo is calling for world leaders to increase green coverage, mud is covering mangrove forests there. The cause: mining of nickel ore by state-owned company, Aneka Tambang (Antam).

The sediment has appeared because an Antam subcontractor acted carelessly. Mud spread and burst through a d