Charge!

The Indonesian government has announced that it will revoke the permit for a controversial gold mine after massive rioting against the project. The protests were aimed at Sumber Mineral Nusantara a company hoping to open the mine on Sumbawa island.

The crowd, which was thousands strong, ransacked and burned two government offices to express their outrage at the mine which would threaten the communities land and drinking water. The mob continued on to a nearby detention center and forced the authorities to release 35 of their comrades who were arrested at a protest against the mine last year.

Opposition to the mine has been ongoing for over a year. A similar protest last December resulted in two community members being shot and killed by police.