US Claims "Forced Labor in Nickel Industry"
Indonesia Strengthens Supervision of Domestic Nickel Industry
Photo of a nickel production plant. The photo is unrelated to the article. [Photo by AFP Yonhap News]
The Indonesian government is strengthening oversight of its domestic nickel industry. This move comes in response to claims from the United States that forced labor is occurring within the nickel sector.
Major foreign media reported on the 27th (local time) that Yuli Adiratna, head of the Labor Inspection Agency at Indonesia's Ministry of Manpower, made this announcement.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor included Indonesian nickel in its annual report titled "List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor," based on a report from a non-governmental organization (NGO). The report states that among workers in Indonesia's nickel industry, there are adults recruited from China through fraudulent methods who suffer from low wages and discrimination while having their passports confiscated.
Additionally, the report notes that most large industrial complexes built on Sulawesi Island for nickel ore reprocessing are owned by Chinese companies, and it is estimated that about 6,000 Chinese migrant workers are employed there. Nickel production in Indonesia is concentrated on Sulawesi Island, with most producers being Chinese firms.
Indonesia produces the largest amount of nickel needed for electric vehicle manufacturing worldwide. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, Indonesia's nickel reserves are approximately 21 million tons, the largest globally, and its annual production is 1.6 million tons, accounting for about half of the world's output. Consequently, Indonesia aims to become a key country in the electric vehicle and battery manufacturing sectors.
In light of these circumstances and the U.S. report on forced labor in Indonesia's nickel industry, Indonesia has decided to promptly strengthen oversight of the nickel sector.
Meanwhile, Director Yuli stated that the Ministry of Manpower has not confirmed the U.S. claims.
The Chinese Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, has not commented on the contents of the U.S. report.
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