Updates from the Coal Mining Heritage

he Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto (OCMHS) is a technological ensemble clustered into integrated heritage areas with outstanding universal value and is currently listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is an integrated colliery and transportation network for transporting coal from the mining site, passing through the railroad tracks along Lake Singkarak, then arriving at the final destination, namely the final coal storage area located on Sumatra’s west coast before being transshipped to Europe. Competition among colonial countries to control strategic energy resources also encouraged the Netherlands East Indies Government to search for energy resources in their colonies. The discovery of a large number of coal deposits in the Ombilin Basin, Sawahlunto, West Sumatra, drew the interest of the Dutch Government to invest in coal mining operations in the area due to its enormous potential and value. The opening of the first OCMHS coal mine sites in Sawahlunto began in 1891. The construction of the coal mining infrastructure and integrated transportation network to the final coal storage area was built in stages until the early 1900s, following the development needs at that time.

Since its first discovery and operation, the ownership and management of the Ombilin coal mine have changed several times. Nevertheless, the exploitation and management of the Ombilin coal mine continued until the 1980s, when it was declared that the exploitation of the Ombilin coal mine was no longer efficient and mining exploitation activities were completely stopped in 2002. Nearly 40% of the population of Sawahlunto, the majority of whom are mine workers, started to leave the city leaving the city to slowly become a ghost town.

In 2001, the then Mayor of Sawahlunto, Amran Noor, established the vision of the city of Sawahlunto which set “Sawahlunto as a Cultural Tourism Mining Town in 2020”, as the first step to develop and revive the city. On the one hand, the city development plan to revive the city helped build the optimism of the people of Sawahlunto City. But on the other hand, there were concerns from conservationists whether the development would destroy the mining heritage value of the city, as development is often closely linked with destruction of heritage.

Therefore, nominating the OCMHS to become a UNESCO World Heritage site was considered as an important step to support city preservation, which eventually could also support the revival of the city and bring prosperity to the local community through site visits.

Attributes of the Property to be Preserved

The Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto comprises of 12 cultural heritage component parts located in 7 cities and regencies in West Sumatra Province – namely Padang Municipality, Padang Pariaman Regency, Padang Panjang Municipality, Tanah Datar Regency, Solok Municipality, Solok Regency and Sawahlunto Municipality – with a total area of 268.18 hectares within a buffer zone of 7,356.96 hectares.

Area A: Sawahlunto Mining Site and Company Town, comprise of:

- Component A1. Soengai Doerian Mining Site (which includes 5 attributes: Doerian Mining Pit Compound, Pandjang Mining Pit Compound, Soengai Doerian Mining Pit Compound, Loento Mining Pit Compound, Mining Tunnel).

- Component A2. Mining School (which includes 1 attribute: Mining School)

- Component A3. Coal Processing Plant Compound (which includes 1 attribute: Coal Processing Plant Compound).

- Component A4. Ombilin Railway Transportation (which includes 4 attributes: Sawahlunto Train Station, Kubang Sirakuak Power Plant, Kalam Railway Tunnel, Muara Kalaban Train Station).

- Component A5. Company Town (which includes 5 attributes: Mining

Administrative Compound, Labour Quarters Compound, Health Facilities, Market, Supporting Facilities).

- Component A6. Salak Power Plant and Rantih Water Pumping Station (which include 2 attributes: Salak Power Plant and Rantih Water Pumping Station).

Area B: Railway Facilities and Engineering Structures, comprise of:

- Component B1. Railway System (which includes 1 attribute: Railway System).

- Component B2. Batu Tabal Train Station (which includes 1 attribute: Batu Tabal Train Station).

- Component B3. Padang Pandjang Train Station (which includes 1 attribute: Padang Pandjang Train Station).

- Component B4. Tinggi Bridge (which includes 1 attribute: Tinggi Bridge).

- Component B5. Kayu Tanam Train Station (which includes 1 attribute: Kayu Tanam Train Station).

Area C: Coal Storage Facilities at Emmahaven Port (now Teluk Bayur Port), comprises of:

- Component C1. Silo Gunung Coal Storage (which includes 1 attribute: Silo Gunung Coal Storage).

Preservation Efforts

Nominating the OCMHS to become a UNESCO World Heritage was part of the efforts to continue to develop the region, empower the local community, whilst also promoting the preservation effort. In other words, the preservation and promotion of cultural mining heritage resources combined with community development and empowerment would lead to the sustainable development of the site. This is also in line with the Indonesian government’s cultural diplomacy agenda in increasing the quality of cultural heritage conservation and improving the quality of life and welfare.

However, the preservation efforts are not without challenges. There are a number of conservation issues within the OCMHS area, such as the potential damage to the area’s landscape due to illegal mining, the deterioration and lack of maintenance of buildings or infrastructures that are part of the attributes of OCMHS, and development plans within the area. These conservation issues are to be resolved through collaborative measures among related management parties.

For example, to address the issue of illegal mining in former mining areas in Sawahlunto Municipality, PT Bukit Asam, Tbk (Bukit Asam Company), as the owner of the area and concession, has proposed an extension of the concession for its coal mining control area. This was intended to protect the area from illegal miners, as well as to protect against the possibility of new mining permits being granted by the relevant ministries to the current illegal miners.

In addition, the mining permit extension of PT Bukit Asam Tbk also allows deep mining practice tests by a mining school built within the area. Thus, the current mining practice in the area is being conducted on a very small scale for educational purposes only. On the issue regarding deterioration and lack of maintenance of buildings or infrastructures that are part of the attributes of OCMHS, the national government (through the Technical Implementation Unit) in collaboration with the local governments, had been registering buildings that are attributes of OCMHS on the List of

UNESCO World Heritage List in 2019, the level of tourist visits to the OCMHS area had increased. However, this did not last long due to the Covid-19 pandemic that hit the world. The regional quarantine period in 2020-2021 to reduce the number of people exposed to the Covid-19 virus had been used by OCMHS site managers to carry out routine maintenance and monitor the condition of their assets in Sawahlunto Municipality and along the Sawahlunto-Teluk Bayur railway.

In addition, there are also a number of recommendations suggested by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for the conservation of the site. The Indonesian government has been working to fulfill its obligation following the recommendations in ensuring the site will continue to sustain its outstanding universal value. This is also part of Indonesia’s efforts to safeguard its cultural heritage for the future.

Cultural Heritage Objects, both at the local level and at the national level. Meanwhile, at the community level, the government has been educating the community and disseminating information on the “Dos and Don’ts” of cultural heritage object preservation, especially on objects with world heritage status.

Regarding development plans within the area, the government has initiated the implementation of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) on several attributes. After the OCMHS was inscribed on the

(Prita Wikantyasning, Senior Cultural Administrator, Directorate of Cultural Development and Utilization, Directorate General of Culture,