1. Vedanta to invest Rs 70,000 cr in India
2. Eco-watchdogs vs coal miners: a tie for now
3. Court refuses stay on auction for mining in Faridabad
4. Tatas, Jindal Steel first companies to make oil from coal
5. Protest against Jindal Steel, Hindalco projects in Jharkhand
6. NMDC plans capex worth Rs 22,000cr
7. NOW is the time to get Venezuela mining resources back on track!
8. Vale keen to invest in mining, gas exploration in Oman
9. Local company licensed to exploit Thach Khe iron ore mine
10. Vena Resources Receives Environmental Permit for Azulcocha Mine
11. Congress urged to change old mining law
12. Labor MP breaks ranks over uranium mining
13. Govt to put Rs 300cr more in Achuthapuram SEZ
14. Storage of Important Reservoirs in the Country
15. UN: Fishing at sea more dangerous than mining
16. `Corruption eats 20 pct of govt budget`
Mining – India
Vedanta to invest Rs 70,000 cr in India |
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| Press Trust Of |
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Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Group will pump in whopping Rs 70,000 crore in
“We intend to invest Rs 50,000 crore in (the) aluminium sector and Rs 20,000 crore in other areas like copper, iron ore and zinc by 2011-12 in
Of the proposed investment, about 50 per cent has been invested while the fund for the rest is tied up, he added.
“We are sitting on Rs 30,000 cash (for the projects). There is no funding problem,” Agarwal said, ruling out any adverse impact of the global economic slowdown on the plans. After executing the Rs 70,000-crore investment plans in the country, Agarwal said, Vedanta’s production will increase manifold and it would clinch the position of the world’s fifth-largest metal and mining company from the present tenth position.
With the proposed capital expenditure, Vedanta Group intends to augment its annual aluminium production to 2.6 million tonnes from the current 500,000 tonnes, besides enhancing the iron ore output from group firm Sesa Goa to 25 million tonnes a year from 10 million tonnes now.
The company also plans to raise its copper and zinc production to 1 million tonnes a year each, from 500,000 tonnes and 800,000 tonnes annually, respectively.
Vedanta Group firm Hindustan Zinc has already embarked on an expansion, which would see it become
Hindustan Zinc, at present, produces 100,000 kg of the precious metal and has undertaken expansion of its Sindesar Khurd mines in Rajasthan to augment its capacity and join the league of leading silver-producing nations like
http://business-standard.com/india/news/vedanta-to-invest-rs-70000-cr-in-india/10/00/350723/
Eco-watchdogs vs coal miners: a tie for now
- Visiting central team denies PSUs’ claims of delayed clearances, says most project reports flawed SUMAN K. SHRIVASTAVA
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In a sparring match that yielded no winners, visiting environmental officials from Delhi today battled it out with public sector representatives of the mining industry, both zealously protecting their turf at an event designed to better understand each other’s perspectives and speed up clearances of coal projects.
Director, coal mines, Union ministry of environment and forests, T. Chandni surprised all by declaring that 90 per cent of mines running in Jharkhand were without environmental clearances. “We are persuading them to follow the environment protection law,” she said. “We have got a good response from Central Coalfields Ltd (CCL) but not so from Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL).”
Chandni’s statement, made to The Telegraph on the sidelines of a two-day interactive session between the ministry’s 15-member Environment Appraisal Committee (EAC) and coal company chiefs of CCL, BCCL, Mahanadi Coalfileds Limited (MCL) and Eastern Coalfields Limited (ECL), was greeted with an immediate response.
Coal India Limited (CIL) chairman Partho Bhattacharya said: “Environment laws are a recent development while the mines were opened 50 years ago. There were no green laws at that time,” he declared, but promised to adhere to green norms.
CCL runs around 63 mines in Jharkhand, while BCCL owns around 75, and ECL 10.
EAC chairman A. Balraj was categorical too. Refuting the industry’s complaint that they sit on clearances, he said: “Not a single project is pending with us for environmental clearance. All we look at while conducting appraisals is that projects should not clash with the (interest and well being of) people.”
Chandni had an answer to CIL’s Bhattacharya, too. “Stop various washeries which are polluting the Damodar river,” she told him. She also pointed out how companies weren’t following norms while reclaiming abandoned mines. And how proposals sent to them were hazy on the environmental criteria. “The environmental impact assessment (EIA) study is often vague and incomplete. Sometimes, the data furnished by Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDI) and the concerned coal company varies. That’s why we are forced to return proposals,” she said.
When a senior coal industry official sought a model EIA that could be valid for all coal projects, Chandni shot back: “Just as every mining project needs a project feasibility report, each project also needs an environmental assessment.”
In the end, it was left to CIL’s Bhattacharya to make peace at the CMPDI-hosted event at the Indian Institute of Coal Management (IICM) auditorium. “We are on the same side. Development is our common goal which can be achieved only when we increase coal production and meet the growing demand of the upcoming thermal power stations,” he said.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090303/jsp/jharkhand/story_10617437.jsp
Court refuses stay on auction for mining in Faridabad
Express News Service
Posted: Mar 03, 2009 at 0159 hrs IST
The court also refused to grant any immediate relief to Faridabad Gurgaon Minerals Ltd, whose seven-year mining lease for Sirohi and Khori Jamalpur expired on February 5. The counsel for the two mines contended for a stay over the auction, saying a petition is already pending in the High Court and that the auction might adversely affect the company’s rights.
The main petition filed by the company seeking extension of lease has been adjourned. As per the petition, the company held two mining leases for extraction of stone and ordinary sand minor minerals in Khori Jamalpur and Sirohi villages for seven years.
The Haryana government has already rejected the August 28, 2008 representation of the company seeking renewal/extension of the mining leases. The company had subsequently challenged the omission of Rule 18 of Punjab Minor Minerals Concession Rules 1964 providing for renewal of mining leases. The petitioner had also prayed for direction to the Haryana government to decide their representations of December 14 and 26, 2008 for extension of leases in lieu of the reduced area for mining operations.
In its application, the company today sought directions to the state authorities for not dispossessing it till the company removes its property, or for three months from February 5 — whichever was earlier. The company had also demanded that the state government should be restrained from creating any third party rights in areas during this period to avoid any complication.
The petitioner took the plea that it has deployed a large number of heavy earth-moving machinery, including 17 computerised weigh bridges on the access roads to the two mines. The value of the machinery runs into crores, the mining company’s counsel told the court. As per the application, assistant mining engineer,
Tatas, Jindal Steel first companies to make oil from coal
Tata Sons and Jindal Steel and Power (JSPL) will be the first two companies in the country to produce oil from coal through projects entailing a total investment of about Rs 90,000 crore.
A decision to this effect was taken by the prime minister’s office (PMO) on February 27 — two days before the code of conduct came into force. However, the haste would ensure no profit for the government because it will not get any share from the near 3.5 million tonnes of oil and oil products from each coal-to-liquid (CTL) block.
A top coal ministry official said Strategic Energy Technology Systems (SETSL) — the consortium between Tata Sons and South Africa-based Sasol Synfuels International (Proprietary) — has bagged the Arkhapal block.
Jindal Steel and Power has been awarded the Ramchandi promotional block. Both the blocks lie in Talcher, Orissa.
On being contacted, a Tata Sons spokesperson said refused to make any comments.
A JSPL spokesperson confirmed the company is interested in the project. The spokesperson, however, said the company has not received any written communication from the government. JSPL will partner with
The ministry official said that the government could not ask for its share from the CTL projects because the coal sector has not yet been opened for competitive bidding. A bill to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957, was introduced for discussion in Parliament during the recent session that concluded on February 26.
A group of ministers had last year approved introduction of competitive bidding in the coal sector.
“The law ministry has objected to our proposal seeking share from the CTL projects because the bill to introduce competitive bidding in coal sector has not yet been cleared in Parliament,” he said.
He added that the SETSL and JSPL would be required to set up the project within the timeline as proposed by them during presentations made before the inter-ministerial group (IMG) formed for the purpose.
SETSL and JSPL were the only two companies left in the race for the CTL project after the IMG, headed by Planning Commission member (energy) Kirith Parikh, scrutinised applications received from 22 interested companies in August last year.
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/companies/tatas-jindal-steel-first-companies-make-oil-coal-474
Protest against Jindal Steel, Hindalco projects in Jharkhand
March 2nd, 2009 - 7:18 pm ICT by IANS -
“We will lay down our lives but will not give an inch of land to Jindal Steel and Hindalco,” the protesters shouted as they marched to the governor’s residence to lodge their protest.
“We oppose acquisition of agricultural land for such projects,” said Amit Kumar, a leader of Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik), the organisation that spearheaded Monday’s protest march. “Steel will not fill our stomachs. We need wheat and rice, not steel.”
Another key investor in the state, ArcelorMittal, is also facing similar protests in Jharkhand, where the steel behemoth proposes to set up a 12 million tonne steel plant.
Jindal Steel proposes to set up a six million tonne steel plant, as well as a 1,000 MW power plant, on a combined investment of Rs.150 billion (Rs.15,000 crore). Both companies have been allocated iron ore mines and coal blocks in Jharkhand.
Hindalco is setting up a smelter plant on an investment of Rs.80 billion (Rs.8,000 crore).
NMDC plans capex worth Rs 22,000cr
Tags: Hyderabad, Iron ore, NMDC, Industry
The country’s largest iron ore producer,
Speaking to Financial Chronicle, Rana Som, chairman and managing director, NMDC said, that the company is looking to invest the money in existing steel plants and for setting up mining units. “We would invest the money by 2014. It would be partly financed by debt and mostly by the company’s internal accruals,” Som said. NMDC was also scouting for land for the new projects as a part of the company’s overall expansion plan.
Som also added that the company is actively looking at entering into joint ventures (JVs) with both Indian and foreign players for manufacturing equipment. However, when asked whether the company had identified some players, he said, “In mining, there are very few choices. Although, we have not finalised any company for a JV, but there are some which we are looking at,” Som said. Last week, there were media reports that the company had entered into a JV with Stirling Resources, an Australia-based mineral resources developer to identify iron ore deposits in New Zealand and Australia. NMDC is also at present in talks with some African companies for undertaking mining operations.
Conceding that the present economic meltdown was taking a toll on the company, he said that production had taken a slight hit. “In 2008, our production was 30 million tones (mt), but this year it is expected to be around 28 mt. For three months, our production and sales have suffered. But things are improving now,” Som added. He said lower production would however have no major impact on the company’s finances. “Our overseas plans have been delayed because we have become more cautious in our approach,” he said.
http://www.mydigitalfc.com/industry/nmdc-plans-capex-worth-rs-22000cr-405
Mining – International
NOW is the time to get 
VHeadline guest commentarist and gold investor Todd MacSween writes: In today's worldwide market and the financial crisis, the creation of employment would appear to be the major focus of each country. That's why NOW is the time to get all mineral and natural resources that
If indeed Venezuela has waited and delayed the new mining law due to President Chavez' political focus and quest for continued re-election ... if indeed Venezuela has delayed due to reviewing all of the concessions granted by past political administrations ... NOW of all times, with the Executive branch in charge and control of projects already reviewed and approved, it's time to put these projects to work for the good of Venezuela..
In the worldwide financial crisis NOW is NOT the time to add even more strain to companies needing finance to proceed further into production. Within the mining industry, specifically, there are equipment shortages and order backlogs which make production an even greater challenge.
Professional economists have also been predicting the economy will get much worse with an even greater recession than most politicians fear.
As an investor in Venezuelan gold, I have great faith in the investments that
As an investor, I can see the need for company diversity in order to survive tough environments but the thought of individuality and total assimilation as an entire system will simply not succeed.
As an investor, I can see projects such as las Brisas and Las Cristinas will eventually come to a conclusion.
It's only all too transparent as to the intention other companies have with regard to Venezuela, and their timing and circumstances are in favor of hostile attempts to steal companies for half their value. This play on public opinion is common throughout the investment world and NOT just isolated to one region ... a hostile political atmosphere is always the best place forf other companies to attempt to improve their own agenda.
When it comes to the steel industry, common sense, as well, indicates a need for coal and coal production and open pit mining ... in Venezuela's case, there's also a need for massive infrastructure replacement which in future will require both industries at full production. It would make no economic sense to import a commodity which is presently in surplus within
Kaolin, and other minerals far too numerous to mention, are priority to improve the economic stability of
In today's scenario of growing economic disaster, NOW is the time for
http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=77887
Vale keen to invest in mining, gas exploration in Oman
03 March 2009
SOHAR -- Global mining giant Vale, which is developing a world-scale iron ore pelletising plant at Sohar at a cost of $1.356 billion, is actively exploring investment opportunities in mining, gas exploration and power generation in the Sultanate, the head of the Brazil-based conglomerate said here yesterday. Addressing a press conference after attending the cornerstone-laying ceremony for the Sohar project, Roger Agnelli, President and CEO, said Vale was already in discussion with
"(The iron ore pelletising plant) is our first big investment here, and we are looking for opportunities in the mining business," Agnelli said. "We are talking with the Omani government to see if there are opportunities to mine for copper, phosphates, and other minerals that might be available here." With a view to securing energy supplies for its iron ore processing activities, Vale is also exploring opportunities in gas exploration in the Sultanate, Agnelli said. "We are talking with some potential partners in
The Sohar pelletising plant and distribution centre is Vale's biggest ferrous-based investment outside of
Asked about the likely impact of the current downturn in the global steel industry on the Sohar venture, Agnelli stated: "Everything about Vale is long-term. So it's necessary for us to be patient, and to have enough (financial) muscle to go through this downturn. Of course, in the short-term all the markets have been affected by the crisis. But we are confident that in two years (when the Sohar project is operational) the market will be completely different. Besides, despite the recession in some countries, the
Vale's decision to invest in the Sultanate was based on a number of factors, not least the excellent infrastructure, as well as the support extended by the Omani government and the Sohar Industrial Port Company (SIPC), which is the port authority for the Port of Sohar. "
Other factors, he explained, was Oman's proximity to the steel clusters in the Middle East, North Africa and India, all of which will depend on the Sohar project for their pellet requirements, he said. Also present at yesterday's media briefing were Sergio Leite, Vale's Country Manager (Oman) and Managing Director for the Middle East, North Africa and India; Jose Carlos Martin, Executive Director (Ferrous Division), Silmar Silva, Vale's Global Planning Director, and Jan Meijer, Chief Executive Officer - Port of Sohar.
Vale is the second largest diversified mining company in the world in terms of market value. The Brazilian-headquartered conglomerate operates in several areas such as iron ore and pellets, nickel, copper, manganese, bauxite, alumina, aluminium, kaolin, potassium, coal, logistic and energy. In 2008, the mining conglomerate posted record gross revenues of $38.5 billion, 16.3 per cent more than the $33.1 billion of 2007. It also reported record net earnings of $13.2 billion, with an 11.9 per cent increase over the 2007 figure of $11.8 billion.
Local company licensed to exploit Thach Khe iron ore mine
Nhan Dan Online – Thach Khe Iron Joint Stock Company has been licensed by the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment to explore iron ore at the Thach Khe iron ore mine in three communes in Thach Ha district, Ha Tinh province.
Accordingly, the company is allowed to explore iron ore on a total area of 527 hectares at a depth of 550 metres underground for 30 years. The first four years will be for basic construction. From the fifth to the tenth year, the company is permitted to explore 5 million tonnes of iron ore a year and double the output from the 11th year onward.
The exploited iron ore will be supplied to the processing plant with a capacity of 2-4 million tonnes of steel billet a year, which has also been invested by the Thach Khe Iron Joint Stock Company.
Thanh Chau
http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/business/020309/business_l.htm
Vena Resources Receives Environmental Permit for Azulcocha Mine
updated 7:06 a.m. PT, Mon., March. 2, 2009
TORONTO, ONTARIO - Vena Resources Inc. ("Vena" or the "Company") (TSX: VEM)(LIMA: VEM)(FRANKFURT: V1R) is pleased to announce that after an extensive 18 month effort the Government of Peru has approved an environmental impact assessment (EIA) for the Azulcocha polymetallic mine.
Juan Vegarra, Chairman and CEO of Vena Resources commented: "This is a tremendously important milestone for the Company. Vena has invested close to US$20 million in the development of the Azulcocha mine and has delineated a NI 43-101 compliant underground resource of close to 200 million pounds of Zinc thus far. The orebody is open in multiple directions and the infrastructure buildup, completed over the last 18 months, includes a modern three MvA electrical substation, onsite lab, mining infrastructure capable of supporting over 350 employees and a scalable floatation mill capable of processing up to 1,400 tpd.
A prefeasibility study was completed in June 2005 on the tailings with robust economics resulting in an NPV of US$37.2 million and an IRR of 157% using US$0.50 per pound Zn and US$0.60 per pound Mn and this NPV does not include possible gold credits. A scoping study completed by MineFill Services from
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29464881/
Congress urged to change old mining law
Former transition team official says companies could pay federal royalties of up to 8 percent
John Leshy, who served on the president's Interior Department transition team, told a House panel Thursday that revisions to a 137-year-old hard-rock mining law were long overdue. He said the government should reinstate environmental restrictions for hard-rock mining on public land that were wrongly abandoned by the Bush administration, contending that legislation that would impose environmental controls and first-ever royalty fees would not hurt the industry.
"Gold is, and has been for quite a long time, a very profitable industry," Leshy, a professor at the University of California Hastings College of Law, told the House Natural Resources subcommittee. "Its current position is indeed enviable in comparison to the economic carnage currently being visited across much of the American economy."
He said the industry "can readily absorb the modest royalties levied."
Leshy also expressed support for legislative provisions that would direct the Interior secretary to veto any mining proposal that causes substantial environmental harm. As the Interior Department's top lawyer in the
The mining industry is citing the declining economy as the latest reason to block congressional efforts to update the General Mining Act of 1872. That law was signed by President Ulysses Grant to help develop the West's mineral deposits in the 19th century.
Under the law, private companies haven't paid royalties to taxpayers for an estimated $245 billion worth of minerals extracted from public lands in more than a century. It also allows companies to buy public land for as little as $2.50 an acre.
Since Obama took office, the Interior Department has said the 1872 law should be updated based on a consensus reached between the environmental and mining communities.
Legislation introduced last month by Rep. Nick Rahall, D-W.Va., who chairs the House Natural Resources Committee, calls for an 8 percent gross royalty on mineral production from new mines on public lands and a 4 percent gross royalty on mines that are already in operation.
A similar mining reform measure passed the House 244-166 in 2007, but failed to make it out of a Senate committee due partly to opposition from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and a veto threat by then-President George W. Bush.
Mining is worth $5 billion yearly to
In November 2007, candidate Obama told reporters in
"Given the difficulties that the industry is already having in maintaining its operations, I think it is important for us not to move with royalty payments that are so significantly higher than they were previously," Obama said at the time.
Sheri Eklund-Brown, chair of the
Leshy said gold has more than tripled in value against the U.S. dollar since April 2001 to about $1,000 an ounce, more than double the average cost of production.
The majority of the federal lands where hard-rock mining operations occur are in 12 Western states:
http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/030209/sta_400188623.shtml
Labor MP breaks ranks over uranium mining
Posted
Premier Anna Bligh says uranium mining would not be much help to the
Ms Kiernan says she has long held the view that uranium could help sustain the region in the future.
"I acknowledge that the Premier and I have differing views on this matter but it won't stop me from putting the interests of my community first and advocating the mining of uranium if allowed," she said.
"I've said consistently over the last two-and-a-half years - we need to have the debate in our area."
But Ms Bligh says a uranium industry report last year predicted it would take three years to create just 150 jobs.
"In
"So whatever else people might think about uranium, anyone who thinks it's going to solve today's problems [is] kidding themselves."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/03/03/2506019.htm?section=business
Other News – India
Govt to put Rs 300cr more in Achuthapuram SEZ |
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| VDS Rama Raju / Chennai/ |
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Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrastructure Corporation Limited (APIIC) will spend about Rs 300 crore over the next two-three years to create additional infrastructure at the Achuthapuram AP Special Economic Zone.
The state government has earmarked 5,446 acres of land for the Achuthapuram SEZ in
APIIC has already spent about Rs 300 crore to develop infrastructure like roads, drains, power and water supply at the SEZ. The fresh investments of about Rs 300 crore would be for constructing a common effluent treatment plant, solid waste management project and other infrastructure facilities, VVS Prasad, zonal manager (Projects), told Business Standard.
The government has allotted about 1,700 acres to companies including Hindustan Petroleum Corporation, WS industries, Pokarna Granites, Southern Online Bio-tech, Confidence Petroleum, Anjaneya Alloys, Rain Commodities, Vellamgani Renewable Energies and Uniparts.
While Uniparts
APIIC has a provision to supply 75 million litre of water a day to the industries in the SEZ. The industries currently use only 3-4 million litre of water. The corporation has also set up a 220KV substation and two 33/11 KV substations in the SEZ.
Storage of Important Reservoirs in the Country
16:52 IST
Central Water Commission (CWC) under Ministry of Water Resources is monitoring storage position of 81 important reservoirs spread all over the country, of which as many as 36 reservoirs are having significant hydro-power benefits with installed capacities of more than 60 MW each. The combined live storage in these 81 reservoirs at the beginning of monsoon i.e. 1st June, 2008 was 19 % of their designed capacity and stood at 36 % per cent of the designed capacity as on 26th February 2009. The present storage is 85 % of last year’s storage and 101% of last 10 years average storage during the same period. Out of these 81 reservoirs there are presently 34 reservoirs where this year’s storage is 80 % or less than the average of previous 10 years and in remaining 47 reservoirs the storage is more than 80 % of the average of previous 10 years.
In order to derive the best possible benefits from the available water, Central Water Commission is keeping in touch with the Department of Agriculture and Co-operation and providing information of the weekly storage position to the Crop Weather Watch Group for evolving suitable crop strategies and also appraising the situation to various Departments and Ministries involved in Water Resources Planning.
Basinwise storage position as on 26th February’09 is as follows:
The storage position in 5 basins namely, Indus, Narmada, Rivers of Kutch, Krishna and Cauvery & Neighboring East Flowing Rivers are better than average of previous 10 years. Ganga, Tapi, Mahanadi and
Out of 36 reservoirs with significant hydro potential, 22 reservoirs have storage build up less than the average of last 10 years capacity.
SK/BS
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=48186
UN: Fishing at sea more dangerous than mining
The Associated Press
Published: March 2, 2009
ROME: Thousands of people are killed every year because of incompetence and human error while fishing at sea, which could make it the most dangerous job in the world, a U.N. agency said Monday.
The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization said that an estimated 24,000 people die every year out of a total of about 15 million workers engaged in full time marine fishing.
The death rate is higher than the average rate for other jobs considered the most dangerous in the world, including quarrying, logging and coal mining, the agency said in its report on the state of world fisheries.
A 2003 estimate by the U.N's International Labor Organization put the number of work-related deaths worldwide at 2 million per year.
The agency said human error, negligence and incompetence are estimated to be the causes of 80 percent of accidents. It also blames competition and the poor quality of many fishing vessels.
"The main cause of loss of life is typically the loss of the boat," said Jeremy Turner, a fishing expert at FAO who worked on the report. "When you lose a boat, you lose a large number if not all of the crew. Other reasons are collisions and explosions."
Turner said that the reduction of crews to cut costs, lack of training, bad weather and fatigue also play a role, in a scenario that sees "just too many boats."
"When you fish like that, safety goes out of the window," he said.
Turner said that some of the most dangerous fisheries are located in the northeastern Pacific Ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean and the
Fishing and aquaculture supplied the world with about 110 million tons of fish in 2006, the FAO report said. Top producing countries are
The FAO report also warned of the perils of overfishing saying that about a half of major commercial fishing areas that it monitors are fished to their limits, and a fifth are overexploited.
A separate report issued Monday by conservation group Oceana said that predators such as bluefin tuna, dolphins and whales are suffering from lack of food as well as disease and fertility problems because of overfishing of their prey.
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/03/02/europe/EU-UN-Fishing-Deaths.php
`Corruption eats 20 pct of govt budget`
2009-03-03 10:37:16
By Guardian Reporter
A new human rights report has highlighted shortfalls in the country`s accountability and governance system which have led to substantial losses in the national budget each year through corruption.
The 2008 Human Rights Report for
It says the losses are incurred through theft, fraud and fake purchasing transactions, adding: ``There was little accountability in most government entities…20 per cent of the government`s budget in each fiscal year was lost to corruption, including theft and fraud, and fake purchase transactions.``
It further notes that there were a number of continuing human rights problems, elaborating: ``Police and prison guards used excessive force against inmates and suspects, at times resulting in death, and police impunity was a problem.``
According to the report, prison conditions in the country were harsh and life threatening, there were widespread police corruption and violation of legal procedures, and the judiciary suffered from corruption and inefficiency in the lower courts.
Freedom of speech and press were partly limited, governmental corruption remained a problem, the authorities restricted the movement of refugees; societal violence against women persisted, and trafficking in persons and child labour were problems, it says.
``There were no politically motivated killings by the government or its agents during the year; however, on several occasions security forces used lethal force against citizens, including persons in custody,`` it points out, adding that senior police officials accused subordinate officers of unlawful killings.
Citing a specific example, the report says in January villagers at Isaka village in Kahama District reported that local policemen beat 16-year-old James Deus to death while he was in custody for allegedly being part of an armed robbery attack on a petrol station in Shinyanga Region.
``No information was available on how the authorities responded to the killing,`` notes the report, also documenting Legal and Human Rights Centre findings that there were 17 incidents of mob violence, 30 of ``witch`` killings, and 13 of torture in police custody from January to June.
It says there were unofficial reports of hundreds of persons with albinism killed across the country during the year but some 26 - mostly women and children - were confirmed killed.
Numerous others were mutilated in the misguided belief that their body parts could be used to create wealth and at year`s end there were approximately 270,000 such persons living in the country, according to the report.
Turning to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment, it says the Tanzanian constitution and law prohibit the practice of torture and cruel punishment but there were reports of police officers abusing, threatening and otherwise mistreating civilians, suspected criminals, and prisoners during the year.
``Beatings were the method most commonly used,`` it says, citing an incident in April in which more than 150 villagers in the Ormelili, Embukoi, and Orkolili villages in Siha District of Kilimanjaro Region protested routine harassment by local police officers.
The report says prison conditions remained harsh and life-threatening, adding: ``Diseases were common and resulted in numerous deaths in prisons…guards sometimes beat and sexually abused prisoners during the year.``
It was vocal on arbitrary arrests and detention, saying: ``The constitution prohibits arbitrary arrest and detention; however, both were problems.``
It gives the example of an incident in May in which police raided the homes of seven citizens in Pemba who had sent a petition to the United Nations asking for recognition of the right of Pemba residents to self-determination.
On the role of the police and security apparatus, the report says the police force remained underfunded and largely inefficient, but adds that police use of excessive force, police corruption, and impunity were serious problems.
Contacted for comment on the report, which largely blamed the police force for a number of failures, Inspector General of Police Said Mwema declined to give an immediate response.
He said: ``I have not yet received and gone through the report….so I cannot comment further. Give me time to work on it.``
He asked The Guardian to forward to him a copy of the report so that he could flick through it and give informed comments.
On denial of fair public trial, the report is explicit that the constitution provides for an independent judiciary but the judiciary remained underfunded, corrupt, inefficient and subject to executive influence.
``Corruption was particularly pervasive among lower court officials and court clerks….Court clerks took bribes to decide whether or not to open cases and to hide or misdirect the files of those accused of crimes,`` it notes.
Quoting news reports, it says magistrates of lower courts occasionally accepted bribes to determine guilt or innocence, pass sentences, or decide appeals of cases coming from the primary courts to district courts.
The report says the constitution provides for freedom of speech but does not explicitly provide for freedom of the press.
In the area of societal abuses and discrimination, it says some Muslim groups claimed that the government discriminated against them in hiring, education and law enforcement practices and some Christian groups said that all sensitive government positions were filled by Muslims.
This was despite the fact that the government policy prohibits discrimination against any individual on the basis of religious beliefs or practices, it adds.
``But neutral observers said that there did not appear to be government bias toward any particular religious group,`` notes the report.
It hails the government for launching a crackdown on high-profile corruption suspects, saying: ``Beginning in October, the government arrested and filed charges against more than twenty individuals, including four officials of the Bank of Tanzania, for their involvement in a scheme to obtain funds fraudulently from the bank`s external payment arrears account.``
However, despite expressing appreciation for the efforts, it notes that the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators reflected that corruption remained a serious problem.
``The government continued to use specialised agencies to fight corruption, but their effectiveness was limited,” says the 33-page report.
- SOURCE: Guardian
http://ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2009/03/03/132696.html
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