The tragedy of Lapindo: photo gallery

Seven years ago, the Indonesian town of Sidoarjo in East Java was the scene of a human tragedy.

The world’s largest mud volcano was created when a gas well belonging to an irresponsible company blew-out. The resulting torrent of mud has subsumed 22 villages. The mud flow is now known as ‘Lapindo’ after Lapindo Brantas, the company who ran the site.

The people of Sidoarjo are still angry as many residents have not received their full compensation.

Across Indonesia fossil fuel companies are extracting the country’s huge coal reserves and replaying the abuses of human rights that have plagued Sidoarjo. Many of the companies involved with these projects receive funds from the UK finance sector.

WDM campaigners Alex Scrivener and Andrew Taylor met local people and anti-mining activists at a protest at the site of the mud flow.