Dear Jack,

The uncontacted Hongana Manyawa people of Halmahera Island, Indonesia, risk being wiped out entirely if the relentless destruction of their territory by nickel mining companies continues.

This is a human rights catastrophe, and we need your help to stop it.

The Hongana Manyawa, whose name in their own language means “People of the Forest,” depend on their abundant rainforests for food, shelter, and everything that gives their lives meaning. They have nowhere else to go.

But mining giants like Weda Bay Nickel – the company responsible for the largest nickel mine in the world – are seizing their land for mining, reducing once-thriving forests to barren pits, and risking the introduction new diseases to which the tribe has no immunity.

Between 2020 and 2022, around 1,500 hectares of land were deforested in the Weda Bay Nickel concession. That’s the equivalent of almost 2,500 soccer pitches. And this is only the beginning. The company is set to continue digging up the uncontacted Hongana Manyawa’s forest home for at least another 40 years. The Hongana Manyawa are resisting this invasion, but at this rate, they’ll likely be wiped out long before mining ends.

“Stop destroying our forest and our homes. Let my family live in peace” – contacted Hongana Manyawa man, 2023.

For the uncontacted Hongana Manyawa to survive and thrive, the Indonesian government must recognize their land rights and establish a protective “No-Go Zone.” Jack, please support our vital work with Indigenous peoples like the Hongana Manyawa. No amount is too small.

Thank you,

Caroline Pearce
Director