Mining – India 1
1. More land for uranium plant 1
2. High Court tells State Gov t to take action against mechanised sand mining 2
3. Adivasis fighting against nuclear terror in Jharkhand 2
4. SAIL, NMDC, RINL to invest Rs 13k cr for expansion 4
5. Bangalore: Govt Transfers Official Investigating Mining Scam, Earns Lokayukta Ire 5
6. ICVL close to acquiring four coal blocks in Mozambique 6
7. Stop illegal mining in Bellary, HC orders state govt 6
8. Protest over mining project 7
9. NALCO cuts aluminium rates by up to INR 5,000 a tonne 7
10. Haryana govt to act tough against illegal miners in Aravalli 8
Mining – International 9
11. Crocodile Hunter’s Widow Disputes Mining Rights 9
12. Grassroots groups back alternative mining bill (HB 6342) 11
13. BZA approves mining operation 12
14. Mine proposal rests with the State Government 13
15. Native Title Tribunal stops mining leaseWarwick Stanley 13
16. Illegal miners invade Tampakan mine site 15
17. Cotaje uranium mine restart possible in Bolivia's Potosi 16
18. Proposed site for coal mine in B.C. to be assessed by UNESCO. 17
19. Underground coal mine expands ActiveMine installation 17
20. OZ Minerals cleared to sell Indonesian project 18
21. UPDATE 1-Kazakhstan says some foreign uranium deals illegal 19
22. UAE launches first Arab uranium exploration firm 20
23. Allegations of killings, thefts in Zimbabwe diamond mining 20
Other News – India 23
24. Major bottleneck cleared for Polavaram 23
25. TDP wants govt. to review SEZ policy 24
26. Amnesty International Report on Asia 24
27. World Bank to invest $1 Billion in India 30
28. Food crisis, not over yet! 30
29. Urban poor most affected by Climate Change 32
30. Three wildlife reserves from India added to UNESCO's list 33
Mining – India
More land for uranium plant
KADAPA: Five hundred more acres of land has been allotted to the Rs. 1,106 crore uranium processing plant being set up at Thummalapalle in Vemula mandal.
-Special Correspondent
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/27/stories/2009052753820400.htm
High Court tells State Government to take action against mechanised sand mining
Staff Reporter
BANGALORE: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday expressed anguish over continued mining of sand from rivers by using mechanised boats and asked the State Government to put an end to such practices.
A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice P.D. Dinakaran and Justice V.G. Sabhahit passed the order on a petition by B. Raje Gowda. The petitioner said he was permitted to mine (excavate) sand in five acres from the Hemavathi riverbed at Varantha Kalahalli in Belthur, K.R. Pet in Mandya district. He said he was using mechanised boats to extract sand from within the riverbed.
He said that the State had, on March 31, 2009, issued a notice asking him to stop using boats to mine sand from the river. He said an official of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board had inspected the extraction site and said that only minimal damage is caused due to sand mining.
The Government said the senior geologist, Department of Mines, had asked the authorities to take action to ensure that mining by mechanised means is not permitted. The Bench, however, took to task the authorities for ignoring sand extraction by mechanised means. It said such extraction could change the course of the river asked the Government to take steps to halt sand mining on riverbed by mechanised means.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/27/stories/2009052754340500.htm
Adivasis fighting against nuclear terror in Jharkhand
(Gladson Dungdung) Contact Reporter
Publication Date 27/5/2009 10:53:10 AM(IST)
The state of Jharkhand known as the abode of Adivasis (Indigenous People), containing 40 percent of India’s minerals, has been witnessing a series of people’s resistance against unjust development for decades. The industrialization has been chalked full of investor uncertainty and city dweller middle class cries foul but the anger of the Adivasis against the land acquisition for development projects is not calming down in the state.
In a fresh incident, thousands of Adivasis from the Talsa village near Jamshedpur entered into the offices of the Deputy Commissioner of East Singhbhum at Jamshedpur on May 19, to resist the Uranium Corporation of India Limited’s (UCIL) drive to acquire their land for its new tailing pond near Turamdih mill.
The villagers started gathering in front of the Deputy Commissioner’s office in the morning. They were armed with the traditional weapons – bows, arrows, axes, swords and sickles. The agitators with placards, banners and traditional weapons were up in arms against the PSU under the leadership of the village chief Durga Charan Murmu. The Adivasis became angry when UCIL informed them of its land acquisition drive through a public notice last month. The company proposes to acquire 276.62 acres of land for its tailing pond project. The tailing pond will be used for dumping waste generated from UCIL’s Banduhurang mines. The villagers have been fighting UCIL for compensation since 1983 but their issues were never addressed, and now they have have joined hands against the company’s new project.
The Adivasis demanded that the Deputy Commissioner should come out of his office for receiving the memorandum. They rejected the officers’ plea to submit their memorandum to sub-divisional officer Kartik Kumar Prabhat who was present at the spot in the capacity of the Magistrate. After a hue and cry of the district administration, the villagers agreed to submit their memorandum to the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) H.N. Ram who arrived at the spot. “We have taken the memorandum and would look into the demands made by the villagers,” H.N. Ram said. The villagers called off the protest after the ADC promised the villagers to look into the matter and take the appropriate action.
The painful suffering of Talsa village began with the notification for land acquisition in 1983-84. According to the agreement made between the Talsa Gram Sabha and UCIL management in 1983, the company promised to provide employment for two to three members from each displaced family. Accordingly, the UCIL management started making appointments and providing jobs to 45 displaced persons by 1988. But in 2000, the management suddenly decided to resume the extension project and went ahead without fulfilling its commitment. The majority of those displaced between 1984 and 1985 were not rehabilitated properly and left in isolation.
According to the 2001 Census , the total population of Talsa village is 912. The village is highly dominated by Adivasis with the population of 889. Presently, the village population has increased—therefore approximately 1500 people will be completely displaced if the company acquires the land. These villagers have already given half of their agricultural land to the UCIL but now the company plans to acquire the entire village. The villagers are strongly resisting it. Section 144 (a law that prevents the assembly of five or more people and gives the government “absolute power” in “urgent cases of nuisance or to apprehended danger”) has been imposed by the Gram Sabha after a meeting of villagers on May 10. According to the village head Durga Charan Murmu, the UCIL failed to meet its promises made in 1983 therefore Adivasis don’t want to give their lands to the company at any cost. “Most of the villagers depends on agriculture for their livelihood, we have a place of worshiping our God and our culture is based on land therefore we don’t want to lose our remaining land any more,” Murmu said.
The people of mining areas live in constant threat due to radiation as there are open cast uranium mining projects being operated. After the uranium ore is mined and processed, the “yellow cake” is sent to the Nuclear Fuel Complex in Hyderabad for enrichment. The waste is then brought back to the UCIL complex for further extraction. Finally, the waste is dumped into the ponds, which is open and unprotected. In the last year during the rainy season, the radioactive waste from the tailing pond of Turamdih uranium mines spilled over into the village’s wells, ponds and fields. The UCIL admited it but denied its threat to life due to radiation. But the fact is aquatic creatures died, fishes got strange diseases and crops were affected therefore the villagers had stopped using water of the pond and wells.
However, the UCIL claims that it has not seen any effect of radiation on its workforce. But the people’s lives are in danger in the uranium mining areas of Jharkhand. Precisely, because on the one hand, they lose their land and do not paid sufficient compensation as promised, and they also suffer from chronic diseases like lung cancer, skin disease and physical deformities caused by radiation on the other. In fact, lives have been lost, cattle have died and human suffering is ongoing but the state who’s duty it is to protect the rights of these people, instead promotes the nuclear terror in the name of development. Therefore, the Adivasis of Jharkhand have decided not to surrender their land for any project and fight against such terror, which has carried with it a heavy cost on the villagers for decades.
http://www.mynews.in/fullstory.aspx?storyid=19278
SAIL, NMDC, RINL to invest Rs 13k cr for expansion
Press Trust of India / New Delhi May 26, 2009, 17:49 IST
Top three steel PSUs SAIL, NMDC and RINL will infuse Rs 13,000 crore this fiscal as part of their programme to expand production capacities to about 35 million tonnes in the next two-three years.
"SAIL, NMDC and RINL will together spend Rs 13,000 crore in the present fiscal on their respective expansion programmes with an aim to almost double their production capacities by 2011-12," Steel Secretary P K Rastogi told PTI.
State-run Steel Authority of India (SAIL) and the Rashtriya Ispat Nigam (RINL) at present produce about 18 million tonnes of the commodity. Navratna mining giant National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) is in the process of setting up a 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA)- steel unit in Chhattisgarh.
SAIL alone will see an expenditure of Rs 10,000 crore on capacity expansion this fiscal while the remaining Rs 3,000 crore will be spent by NMDC and RINL, he said.
SAIL is in process of implementing a Rs 54,000-crore modernisation project to take its production capacity to 26.3 MTPA from the present about 15 MTPA by 2011-12. RINL is working to double its production capacity to 6.2 MTPA in the given time-frame.
Despite the prevailing economic slowdown, the expansion programmes of these public sector entities are going on full swing, Rastogi said, adding that SAIL is likely to hit the capital market to raise funds for the capacity augmentation.
Moreover, the steel major had earlier said that it would look to double its capital expenditure for the current fiscal from the last fiscal's level, of about Rs 5,233 crore to fund its expansion programme.
Industry observers applauded the efforts of public sector majors to go-ahead with their expansion programmes amid the liquidity crunch and the slump in demand that hit the steel sector and said that many private firms have succumbed to the downturn and announced cut backs on their expansion plans.
"On account of the slump in steel demand, private steel major like JSW Steel has announced slashing of investments for their multi-billion dollars expansion programmes," he said.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/sail-nmdc-rinl-to-invest-rs-13k-cr-for-expansion/62863/on
Bangalore: Govt Transfers Official Investigating Mining Scam, Earns Lokayukta Ire
Bangalore, May 26: By transferring Dr U V Singh, senior Indian Forest Service officer who has been functioning in the Lokayukta team that has been investigating the mining scam, the government has earned the ire of the Lokayukta. Lokayukta Justice N Santosh Hegde, irked by the fact that the government did not obtain his prior concurrence before effecting the transfer, brought the same to the notice of senior government officers.
U V Singh, a 1985 batch IFS officer, who has been functioning as forest conservator in the Bangalore Lake Development Authority, has been promoted as the chief forest conservator and posted as the registrar of Tumkur University, through an order dated May 23.
Singh, who had also functioned in the team that investigated post-2000 mining scam earlier, had reported that Obalapuram Mining Company, with which the state ministers are involved, had illegally conducting mining in the land located within Karnataka border, even though it holds mining lease in Andhra Pradesh alone. Based on this finding, a person named T Narayan Reddy from Bellary had filed a petition in the High Court. The divisional bench of the High Court had ordered for a joint survey of the inter-state border to conclusively arrive at a decision.
Attempts had earlier also been made to separate him from the Lokayukta investigating team. Once he was ordered not to go out of the city while on another occasion, he was transferred as the chief executive officer of Uttara Kannada zilla panchayat. As the Lokayukta expressed his displeasure then, these transfers had to be cancelled.
A senior officer of the chief minister's secretariat said Singh was transferred because of lack of information. In view of subsequent developments, he will be retained at the current place of posting, he confirmed.
http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=60391&n_tit=Bangalore%3A+Govt+Transfers+Official+Investigating+Mining+Scam%2C+Earns+Lokayukta+Ire
ICVL close to acquiring four coal blocks in Mozambique
New Delhi (PTI): International Coal Ventures, the special purpose vehicle of five leading PSUs to scout coal properties abroad, is close to acquiring four mining blocks in Mozambique with estimated reserves of 900 million tonnes.
"ICVL is the front runner to acquire the mining assets of Zamdezi Energy Corporation. The bidding date for the blocks was postponed from April 17 to May 22 as the Indian consortium had not got the necessary regulatory approvals to bid for the coking-coal assets," an official source said.
Of the four blocks, two are unexplored while in the rest, partial drilling has been done, source added.
ICVL, which comprises SAIL, RINL, NMDC, CIL and NTPC as members, is understood to have bid on May 22 to takeover the Mozambique company that possess the mining blocks, another source familiar with the development said.
"ICVL had to seek approval from the Coal Ministry that led to a delay in its bidding for the blocks," a senior government official said.
The Prime Minister's Office during a review of ICVL had directed its members to acquire virgin thermal coal properties through Coal India's overseas arm Coal Videsh. For acquisition of developed coking coal assets, it was decided that the proposals would be routed through ICVL.
As the coal properties in Mozambique are greenfield, ICVL has sought permission from the Coal Ministry to proceed with the bidding process.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200905271611.htm
Stop illegal mining in Bellary, HC orders state govt
Express News Service
First Published : 28 May 2009 04:08:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 28 May 2009 08:33:03 AM IST
BANGALORE: The High Court has directed the state government to stop the illegal mining near Jambunatheshwar temple at Hospet taluk, Bellary.district.
Heading the division bench, Chief Justice P D Dinakarn issued the directive to the Mining and Geology department after hearing the public interest litigation filed by K Guruprasad, a resident of Bellary.
The petitioner argued that R P Iron ore company has been carrying out illegal mining near the temple area.
The court observed that if the department has served the notice to the company, the government is free to take any action against it.
The petitioner has argued that Jambunatheshwara temple is a historic temple run by the Muzari department, but the government has not taken any steps to stop the nearby illegal mining.
HC stays ZP and TPs’ heads’ election
The High Court has stayed the elections to the posts of President and Vice-President in three Taluk Panchayats in the state. The court has also extended the stay order for the election of the President and Vice President posts of the Zilla Panchayats.
Justice Rammohan Reddy issued the stay order to the elections of Mysore, Malavalli and Chitradurga Taluk Pancyats’ President and Vice-President posts after hearing a batch of petitions.
The petitioners have argued that the roster system was not followed while reserving the posts of President and Vice-President.
The court has also extended stay of elections to the posts of President and Vice- President in Zilla Panchayats till June 3, 2009.
http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Stop+illegal+mining+in+Bellary,+HC+orders+state+govt&artid=B2fG%7CejyY/E=&SectionID=7GUA38txp3s=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=zkvyRoWGpmWSxZV2TGM5XQ==&SEO=
Protest over mining project
Special Correspondent
LONDON: Members of the rights group, Survival International, held a protest outside the Indian High Commission here on Wednesday to seek Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s intervention in stopping British mining giant Vedanta Resources from “destroying” the land of Orissa’s Dongria Kondh tribe.
In a letter, addressed to the Prime Minister, they handed over to the High Commission, the protesters said environment clearance for the mining project in the region was given without consulting the local community.
“It is impossible to blast three million tonnes of rock from an open pit every year for 25 years without having the most profound impact on people in the vicinity,” it said.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/28/stories/2009052861462200.htm
NALCO cuts aluminium rates by up to INR 5,000 a tonne
Thursday, 28 May 2009
PTI reported that NALCO has cut prices of its products by up to INR 5,000 a tonne, a step aimed to discourage imports from China which have got a boost after the domestic currency turned stronger against the US dollar.
As per report, aluminium ingots and sow will now cost about INR 70,000 a tonne in the local market and wire rods and billets would be priced at around INR 78,000 a tonne to INR 79,000 a tonne.
Mr BL Bagra director finance of NALCO said "We have cut prices of ingots and sow by INR 5,000 a tonne and other products like wire rods, billets by INR 4,000 per tonne to discourage imports from countries like China and Bahrain."
Mr Bagra said the step became imminent in view of threat of the largest exporters of the metal China and the Gulf countries pushing their products in the Indian market. He said "In order to achieve parity with the prices of the imported metal products we had to cut our prices."
Mr Bagra said when asked that if the price cut is a reflection of the gloomy global outlook at the London Metal Exchange, which has seen aluminium prices falling by about 70% in the last 6 months, adding that LME is the basis of pricing of any metal across the globe. But it had no major say in our price cut.
He said the price correction should not be taken as a sign of a slump in domestic demand as the off takes are expected to surge in the current fiscal, even though it is stable at present after an improvement in the last quarter. He added that the demand is stable at present. There was an improvement in demand in the previous quarter. Off takes are expected to improve during this fiscal.
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/05/28/OTYwODQ%3D/NALCO_cuts_aluminium_rates_by_up_to_INR_5%252C000_a_tonne.html
Haryana govt to act tough against illegal miners in Aravalli
Published: May 27,2009
Chandigarh , May 27 The Haryana government today said strict action would be taken against those indulging in illegal mining in the Aravalli region of the state.
To a question from reporters, Tourism Minister Kiran Choudhury said strict action was taken against encroachers of forest land and all efforts had been made to preserve the Aravali Hills.
"The Supreme Court has also given strict verdict and banned mining in the Aravali region. This has been possible due to the efforts of the Haryana Forests Department. In future also, those indulging in illegal mining will be punished severely and such activities would be stopped completely,"she said.
http://www.indopia.in/India-usa-uk-news/latest-news/583781/National/1/20/1
Mining – International
Crocodile Hunter’s Widow Disputes Mining Rights
May 27th, 2009 | Mining, public relations
Remember how I talked about how the mining industry needs some PR help. Well, here’s example uno, primero, one:
Evidently, an Australian mining company by the name of Cape Alumina Pty made a horrible PR decision.They attempted to claim mining rights on a tract of land owned by the estate of the late Steve Irwin(aka “The Crocodile Hunter”). The company purchased the mining rights for 15% of that particular piece of property in 2004. Their express purpose was exploring the suitability of the land for mining bauxite.
Silverback Properties(owned by the Irwins) came into possession of the cattle grazing rights for the 135,000 hectare (333,600 acre property in 2006. In a highly “generous” gesture, the outgoing Environmental Minister, Malcom Turnbull, gave them $6 Million AUD in taxpayer grant money to purchase those rights. That, as most would readily gather, is nearly two years after Cape Alumina purchased (with privately raised funds, I might add) the mining rights. This was the same conclusion that the Australian courts came to in September of 2009.
It seems that Cape Alumina has found deposits of bauxite that amount to over 100 Million tonnes, during their exploration process. Not content with the courts’ ruling, Terri Irwin(Steve’s widow) and a few of their well known friends are attempting to appeal the ruling in the press. The most recent development was Russell Crowe’s visit to the David Letterman show. Check out the five minutes or so that they take to cover the subject below:
Notice how Russell skates over(never mentions) the fact that the rights were signed over before the Irwin estate took possession of the land. There’s no mention of the ruling in favor of Cape Alumina, either. The actual issues pertain to property rights, and they’ve turned this company’s legitimate right to mine into a defamation of Steve Irwin’s legacy. They are the masters of PR spin and the media domain. They’ve turned this into the moral equivalent of opening a shotgun factory in Kurt Cobain’s mansion.
What is the mining company’s response to the allegations? In an interview with Western Australia Today, the company’s head, Dr. Paul Messenger had this to say:
“I’ve written to Terri Irwin and Russell Crowe inviting him to come with me to Cape York to look at the land, to understand what we are doing, to talk to the locals,” he said.
“One of the unfortunate things about this whole process is that the rights, the interests and aspirations of the traditional owners of the land have been completely overlooked.
“And their very existence has been denied by claiming that area is Steve’s Place. It’s not Steve’s Place. This is traditional (Aboriginal) land.”
With all due respect to the native contingent of Australia, I would like to pose the following query: Since when does anyone care about the native population of a continent? Ask the Inuits, Native Americans, Mayans or Aztecs about the last time they were given even token thought(except when some country decides to trot them out to show how “diverse” their historical heritage is, during say… an Olympic opening ceremony). Cape Alumina is going to have to do better than that(not that their concern for indigenous peoples is insincere, or unwarranted). They are dealing with the ghost of one of Australia’s–nay, the World’s leading conservationists and celebrities.
So they did, by citing scientific environmental impact studies, and refuting the arguments of Crowe & Co. in rather wonkish fashion here. What’s wrong with this argument? It’s a logical response to an emotional issue, that is being presented out of context, to people who do not live in Australia and are unfamiliar with the peculiars of the case. Points for facts presented, demerits for daring to present facts in their response to the general public. The general public wants outrage, a sob story, an avoidable tragedy. Hard news be hanged.
What does the future hold for Cape Alumina? Sure, they have the law on their side, for now. Given enough public pressure during an election year, the laws can change , and in rapid fashion. Since CA won’t have the equipment in place to start extraction until 2012, there is more than enough time for the Australian political establishment to “see the light”, and reject the valid claims of the mining company in question. It’s a sad situation, but in the end, I believe the spin will win.
We’d love to hear some comments out of the readers from Oz. Please sign up, and leave your thoughts with us.
Stay tuned, as we continue to bring you the lates news and commentary concerning the tire and mining industries. Until then, I’ll be…
Signing off…
No related posts.
http://buybigtires.com/wordpress/2009/05/27/crocodile-hunters-widow-disputes-mining-rights/
Grassroots groups back alternative mining bill (HB 6342)
Published: May 28,
DAVAO CITY - House Bill (HB) 6342 or Alternative Mining Bill (AMB) continues to draw support even among grassroots organizations and church formations in Southern and Central Mindanao.
Leaders of the Columbio Multi-Sectoral Ecology Movement (CMEM), an alliance of grassroots organizations in the Municipality of Columbio, Sultan Kudarat recently passed a resolution urging their district representative, Datu Pax S. Mangudadatu, to support the enactment of this bill.
“The AMB reflects our position that the mining industry should be needs-based, should bring development to the local communities and does not favor foreign interests” said Audie Itable, chairperson of CMEM.
“What is more promising in the bill is that the bill ensures that the benefits from mining operations should outweigh the anticipated impacts to the community and the environment.” Itable also reiterated their group’s call to scrap Republic Act (RA) 7942 otherwise known as the Mining Act of 1995.
The La Bugal-B’laaan Tribal Association, through its chairperson Quentol Labuayan, was present in the filing of the bill at the Office of the Secretary General of the House of Representatives. In 1997, La Bugal filed a petition in the Supreme Court questioning the validity of the Mining Act.
“Ang AMB naghatag ug dakung respeto sa among katungod isip katawhang Lumad ug sa among yutang kabilin tungod kay ginaila niini nga kami ang nanag-iya bisan sa mga minerals nga anaa nasulod sa among teritoryo” Labuayan said. (The AMB gives great respect to our rights as indigenous peoples because they acknowledge our right to our ancestral domains and the minerals in these territories.)
On March 2009, a multi-sectoral environmental alliance in Davao Oriental were also happy about the AMB. The group is committed to influence their own district representative Corazon Malanyaon to support the bill through the signatures they will gather from their respective communities. “Hopefully, Mt. Hamiguitan and Pujada bay will be finally spared from mining activities with the passage of the AMB since these two are protected areas” said Lilia Paglinawan, Luwas Kinaiyahan convenor.
Even church groups vowed to campaign for the passage of the bill. Fr. Romeo Catedral, the Social Action Director of the Diocese of Marbel said their diocese fully supports the Alternative Mining Bill. He also said that they demanded the scrapping of RA 7942.
“We are not against development and we are not against mineral utilization. We believe that the alternative bill will ensure that benefits from mining will go not only to the community but will improve Philippine economy” Catedral said. “The bill will raise government share from mining to at least 10 percent apart from the direct share of the Local Government Units.” (LGUs).
Catedral also lauds the bill since “it clearly acknowledges the importance of environmental protection as well as food security and shows authentic respect to the communities. We hope our law makers will show real concern by supporting the passage of the bill.”
“The final bill was a product of years of consultations with various sectors and even economic and environmental experts to ensure that it reflects the interest of the indigenous peoples and local communities, their rights and the environment are protected, food security is prioritized and that the government will largely benefit from it” said Atty. Rhia Muhi of the Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center - Kasama sa Kalikasan/Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC/KsK-FoE Phils).
The bill was authored by Rep. Riza Hontiveros-Baraquil , Rep. Walden Bello, Rep. Lorenzo “Erin” Tanada III, Rep. Carlos Padilla and Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. The filing was attended by various sectors including representatives from mining affected communities in Mindanao.
For reference:
Erwin B. Quinones
Campaigns Paralegal
Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center
Kasama sa Kalikasan
Friends of the Earth Philippines
(LRC/KsK-FoE Phils)
http://davaotoday.com/2009/05/28/grassroots-groups-back-alternative-mining-bill-hb-6342/
BZA approves mining operation
Construction for Hoosier Heartland
Updated: Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 10:01 PM EDT
Published : Wednesday, 27 May 2009, 10:01 PM EDT
Kristin Crowley
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - Milestone Contractors will mine dirt to build a bridge for the Hoosier Heartland. The Board of Zoning Appeals granted permission to dig at 3619 North 500 East in Tippecanoe County. Construction will start as early as June 22nd, and that means changes for people who drive in the area.
"People won't be able to get through on 500 East anymore. The residents that live out there, they will be able to get in and out. But only in one direction," said Project Superintendent Ron Nagle.
Nagle said the road will remain closed for the duration of the project, estimated to finish in September of 2010. For that time, drivers must use alternate roads.
"The detour will be 300 north to 750 East to 450 North will be the detour route in each direction," said Nagle. "With every construction project there's inconvenience. And we will do our best to communicate when those inconveniences will happen and to work with the people and help them out when they do occur to get them in and out as quickly as possible."
While Nagle's aware of the inconvenience, he and Milestone's attorney Dan Teder said the community is welcoming the project.
"I've met a majority of the residents on 500 East that will be directly affected and we haven't heard any complaints yet," said Nagle.
"(Milestone's) contacted all the surrounding property owners as well. We have received no objection and it's my understanding everyone is very supportive of the project and the work that milestone's gonna do," said Teder.
Once completed, a six acre, 25 foot deep farm pond will be in the area. Restoration of the land under construction should be completed in 2011.
The Board of Zoning Appeals also granted two variances for the contractors.
It eliminated a required buffer-yard and is allowing a farm-field fence be built along the pond instead of a six foot security fence.
http://www.wlfi.com/dpp/news/local_wlfi_lafayette_bza_mining_052720092300
Mine proposal rests with the State Government
28/05/2009 9:37:00 AM
The controversial proposal to build an open cut gold and base metals mine at Chakola is now waiting the stamp of approval from the State Government after the period for public comment on the proposal closed on May 8.
Cooma-Monaro Shire Council’s general manager John Vucic said a number of comments on the proposal had been received.
“A number of them were very good in terms of support, but a number were very bad, in terms of anti mining and sighted some significant environmental concerns,” he said.
Mr Vucic said council was ready to make a decision on the project but that it would have to wait on the State Government’s response to the Environmental Impact Statement.
“Hopefully this can come before council in July,” he said.
http://cooma.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/mine-proposal-rests-with-the-state-government/1525494.aspx
Native Title Tribunal stops mining leaseWarwick Stanley
May 28, 2009 - 7:59PM
An Aboriginal land corporation has had a historic win in the National Native Title Tribunal by blocking a company's application for a mining lease.
In the first case where a company has failed to win a mining application on land granted under the Native Title Act, Reward Minerals Ltd subsidiary Holocene Pty Ltd was denied a lease over Lake Disappointment in Western Australia.
The Western Deserts Lands Aboriginal Corporation (WDLAC), which holds the native title area on trust for the Martu people, hailed the decision as "a historic and special day".
WDALC director Brian Samson said the tribunal had established that the area targeted by Holocene for the mining of potash was a "very significant" sacred site for the Martu.
"The decision ... highlights the strength of the Martu people, their culture and their native title rights and interests," Mr Samson said.
"This was a historic and special day for both the Martu people and traditional owner groups all over Australia."
The Martu hold native title rights over 136,000 square kilometres of land in the Western Desert, including Lake Disappointment on the eastern edge of the Pilbara.
In his finding, NNTT deputy president Chris Sumner said the effect of Holocene's proposed project on "a site of particular significance" had to be considered in relation to the management, use or control of the land by the native titleholders.
"In my view, the interests, proposals, opinions and wishes of the native title party in relation to the use of Lake Disappointment should be given a greater weight than the potential economic benefit or public interest in the project proceeding," Mr Sumner said.
He said he had not ignored the fact that Holocene had invested considerable time, effort and money in attempting to launch the project and had negotiated in good faith until discussions broke down.
Mr Sumner noted that the native title holders had been entitled to take different positions in the inquiry than they had adopted during the negotiations.
He said the Martu were entitled to believe that conditions other than the legal right to compensation would be considered "in return for mining on a place that is very special to them".
"What they now say is that the substantial interference with one of their important traditional sites is not acceptable in light of the limited benefits available to them.
"(These are) effectively for the upgrading of a road and the possibility of some employment and business opportunities."
Emeritus Professor Robert Tonkinson, chair of anthropology at the University of Western Australia until his retirement in 2003, told the NNTT inquiry that traditionally Lake Disappointment was an area "where no interference would be contemplated by the Martu".
WDALC chairman Gordon Madijalu said the decision had vindicated the Martu people's stand against mining.
"Martu people, through their prescribed body corporate, have shown they are willing and able to fight for their land and rights," Mr Madijalu said.
"WDALC will continue to protect Martu people's native title to the fullest extent possible."
Reward Minerals did not respond to requests for comment.
http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/native-title-tribunal-stops-mining-lease-20090528-bowc.html
Illegal miners invade Tampakan mine site
by MindaNews
Thursday, 28 May 2009
KORONADAL CITY (MindaNews/27 May) -- A multisectorial inspection team headed by the Catholic church has reported that illegal small-scale mining activities have once again encroached into the mines development site of Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) in Tampakan, South Cotabato.
The team, which also included Sangguniang Panlalawigan members, non-government organizations and the military, visited the place, specifically the village of Palo 19, on Tuesday (May 26).
Ramon B. Ponce de Leon, South Cotabato Provincial Environment Management Office chief, chided SMI for its failure to stop the illegal mining activities, as well as the reported illegal logging operations also in the mines site.
The area, as well as in the neighboring towns of Columbio in Sultan Kudarat and Kiblawan in Davao del Sur, is said to be rich in copper and gold deposits. SMI has secured a Financial and Technical Assistance Agreement from the government for the development of the mines site.
“Banlas,” or sluice mining activities, is reportedly being practiced anew in the mountainous parts of Tampakan. The practice requires the pouring of large amounts of water on a mountain's surface to extract the rocks containing the gold ore.
Last year, cases were filed against 26 individuals for allegedly engaging in sluice mining operations in Tampakan. While warrants were issued for their arrest, none have been caught so far.
Sluice mining was stopped after a dialogue last year, but the illegal miners have apparently resumed operations.
John B. Arnaldo, SMI corporate communications manager, denied that his company has been negligent in protecting its mines development site from illegal activities. “We have been in touch with the local government unit regarding these problems,” Arnaldo said in a radio interview.
The mining company announced last month it has finished the extended prefeasibility study for the Tampakan project, which would need at least $5.2 billion for its commercial development. But it has yet to get an environmental compliance certificate from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
SMI is hoping to extract 12.8 million metric tons (MT) of copper and 15.2 million ounces of gold deposited in the mines site. (MindaNews)
http://www.mindanews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6436&Itemid=50
Cotaje uranium mine restart possible in Bolivia's Potosi
The Bolivian Government could get into uranium mining through a restart at the Cotaje deposit in Potosi.
Author: Dorothy Kosich
Posted: Wednesday , 27 May 2009
RENO, NV -
Potosi Province Mining Secretary Carlos Colque says the government will consider restarting a uranium mine at the Cotaje deposit.
In comments broadcast by Radio Fides and reported by Bloomberg Tuesday, Colque said the government is considering beginning production by 2010 if uranium reserves are confirmed.
He added that the province has invested about 2 million bolivianos ($283,000) in the project.
On March 27th, the United Nations atomic energy program said it would cooperate with Bolivia on the exploration and exploitation of uranium mines.
The National Service of Geology and Mining (Sergeomin) identified 11 locations with uranium deposits in the district of Cotaje between the towns of Huari in Oruro and Sevaruyo in the border area between both departments and the Mulato River in Potosi.
However, Mining Ministry Director Freddy Beltran said the central government isn't involved in the project at the Cotaje deposit. Bloomberg reported that Beltran said a uranium production plant in the same location closed 25 years ago.
http://www.mineweb.net/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72103?oid=83893&sn=Detail
Proposed site for coal mine in B.C. to be assessed by UNESCO.
Canwest News ServiceMay 26, 2009
VANCOUVER - UNESCO's world heritage committee will consider a petition from 11 Canadian and U.S. conservation groups asking that Waterton- Glacier International Peace Park be designated a world heritage site in danger.
The request, made by Sierra Club B.C., Wildsight, and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society among other groups, follows Cline Mining Corp's proposed mountain top removal coal mine development in B.C.'s adjoining Flathead River Valley.
``The Flathead River Valley provides critical habitat for rare and endangered species that migrate to and from Waterton-Glacier, and it has the highest density of grizzly bears in the interior of North America,'' said Wildsight's Ryland Nelson.
``We're asking the world heritage committee to assess potentially grave impacts on water and wildlife in Waterton-Glacier, given that B.C.'s land use plan for the Flathead River Valley prioritizes mining and energy development,'' Nelson added.
Sierra Club spokeswoman Sarah Cox says the mine proposal will remove tonnes of coal and dump waste rock upstream from the park.
Waterton-Glacier will become the 31st world heritage site in danger and the only one in North America, if the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization committee decides to add it to the list.
The mine proposal is under review by the B.C. government.
The park is about 275 kilometres south of Calgary on the U.S., Alberta border.
http://www.canada.com/Proposed+site+coal+mine+assessed+UNESCO/1632309/story.html
Underground coal mine expands ActiveMine installation
Active Control Technology Inc. today announced that an existing customer has expanded its deployment of ActiveMine, a wireless voice communications, tracking and data network for the mining industry.
The customer has ordered seven additional MSHA-approved wireless Wi-Fi nodes and network equipment to meet the needs of its expanding underground coal mine in West Virginia.
According to the company, the expanded installation is the largest MSHA approved wireless Wi-Fi mesh network in the U.S. and is believed to be the largest underground Wi-Fi mesh network anywhere.
The mine's ActiveMine network now has 57 nodes extending several miles underground to two separate mine faces.
http://www.cnsmagazine.com/issues/ISArticle.asp?aid=1000327114
OZ Minerals cleared to sell Indonesian project
Posted 2 hours 17 minutes ago
Miner OZ Minerals says it has received the official green light to sell its Martabe gold and silver project in Indonesia to a Hong Kong-listed investment company.
Australia's foreign investments review board found the $268 million sale of Martabe to China Sci-Tech (CST) posed no foreign investment objections, OZ said.
"This is an important step towards completion of the sale of Martabe and we continue to work with CST in order to complete the transaction towards the end of June," OZ chairman Barry Cusack said in a statement to the market.
The Government last month approved a revised $1 billion takeover offer for the debt-laden company from China's Minmetals.
That offer excluded the Martabe project in North Sumatra and the Prominent Hill mine in South Australia.
The proceeds from the sale of the Indonesian project would make an important contribution to addressing OZ Minerals' refinancing issues, the firm's chief executive Andrew Michelmore said when announcing the proposed CST deal in April.
OZ said the sale was still contingent on the approval of CST shareholders and some of OZ's lenders.
State-owned Chinese corporations have made a number of bids for Australian mining assets in recent months, including a proposed $27.3 billion investment in mining giant Rio Tinto by Chinalco, which is still under review.
Beijing's interest has sparked intense debate in Australia over whether to allow Chinese state-owned entities to increase their control over the country's resources.
- AFP
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/05/27/2582569.htm?section=business
UPDATE 1-Kazakhstan says some foreign uranium deals illegal
Wed May 27, 2009 3:05am EDT
* Security service says stakes in some fields sold illegally
* Joint venture with Uranium One, Japanese firms singled out
(Adds details, background)
By Olzhas Auyezov
ALMATY, May 27 (Reuters) - Kazakhstan, one of the world's biggest uranium producers, accused a key industry executive on Wednesday of illegally selling deposits to foreign companies, in a move certain to alarm investors in the strategic sector.
The former Soviet republic is home to a fifth of global uranium reserves and analysts expect Central Asia's biggest economy to become the world's top global producer this year.
Last week Kazakhstan's KNB, the successor security service to the Soviet-era KGB, arrested Mukhtar Dzhakishev, long-serving head of state Kazakh uranium producer Kazatomprom, along with seven other executives.
"Preliminary results of the investigation show that Mukhtar Dzhakishev and other managers ... squandered state property in the form of Kazakhstan's largest uranium fields by handing them to a number of offshore companies," KNB said.
KNB singled out the sale of a 30 percent stake in the Kyzylkum uranium joint venture as an example of an illegal transaction. The stake was sold for 15.6 million tenge (about $100,000), it said without naming the buyer.
Canada's Uranium One (UUU.TO) owns 30 percent in the venture while a group of Japanese firms own another 40 percent. The rest belongs to Kazatomprom. The venture runs Kazakhstan's largest uranium mine, Khorasan.
None of the foreign firms could be reached for comment. A Kazatomprom spokesman said he had no information on the probe.
KNB said there were other cases of illegal asset sales in the uranium sector but gave no details.
Under Dzhakishev, Kazatomprom has expanded aggressively, forming joint ventures with foreign companies to develop uranium fields in exchange for access to foreign markets and rising among the ranks of top global producers.
It runs two other joint mining projects with Uranium One and also has joint ventures with Canada's Cameco (CCO.TO), France's Areva (CEPFi.PA) and several Japanese, Chinese and Russian firms.
Kazakhstan produced 8,521 tonnes of uranium last year, up from 6,637 in 2007. It planned to raise output to 12,200-12,300 tonnes this year. (Editing by Maria Golovnina and Erica Billingham)
http://www.reuters.com/article/mergersNews/idUSLR38442820090527
UAE launches first Arab uranium exploration firm
Tue May 26, 2009 11:04pm IST
By Amena Bakr
DUBAI, May 26 (Reuters) - A United Arab Emirates based private business group has launched the first independent Arab uranium exploration company, as several regional countries plan to build nuclear reactors, an executive said on Tuesday.
Arabian Uranium Ventures, a unit of Thani Holdings which has a diversified business in oil and gas, mining, real estate and trading, was launched on Tuesday and will be extracting the radioactive metal from the Middle East and Africa.
"With growing energy needs, ever-decreasing oil and gas reserves and environmental concerns, I believe the business case for Arabian Uranium Ventures is sound," Rishard Camball, chief executive officer of Thani Holding, told Reuters.
He added that the company will only be involved in the extraction of the metal and not its conversion into uranium rods which are then used by nuclear reactions.
"There are only four or five companies in the world which are very closely monitored that manufacture these rods, this very sensitive business which we have no interest in."
The UAE plans to have its first nuclear reactor ready by 2017. Last week, U.S. President Barack Obama approved a nuclear energy deal with the UAE worth potentially billions of dollars to U.S. energy companies.
Other Arab countries including Egypt, Yemen and Jordan are also in the process of setting up reactors.
"This is a very good opportunity for us to start our project now before any of the Middle East reactors start operating, because it generally takes seven to ten years for the extraction to be complete," said Camball.
http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINLQ44239020090526
Allegations of killings, thefts in Zimbabwe diamond mining
Last Updated: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 | 4:14 PM ET
Women take a break from digging for diamonds in Marange, Zimbabwe, in November 2006. (Tsvangiray Mukwazhi/Associated Press)
Zimbabwe, a country beset by poverty, cholera and political violence, also possesses great mineral wealth, and lately there have been allegations of government involvement in the theft of mined diamonds and killings of local panners, CBC News has learned.
Under military control since late last year, the Marange diamond fields in Chiadzwa — potentially one of the richest diamond deposits in Africa — were seized by the government from a private mining company called African Consolidated Resources in 2006.
It is an alluvial field, meaning many of the stones just sit on the ground, ready to be scooped.
Tens of thousands of people — doctors, teachers, lawyers — impoverished by President Robert Mugabe's decades-long regime, had descended on the area, which lies near the border with Mozambique.
The fields are off limits to the media, but a CBC crew recently got in by joining the convoy of a local MP. They toured through the heavily guarded villages that surround the fields to meet with people who said they witnessed the killings, and their aftermath, first-hand last year.
Lovemore, a former telecom worker-turned diamond panner, said he saw soldiers shoot some of his fellow panners. "Yes, some were killed because of this diamond," he told the CBC's Adrienne Arsenault.
A cemetery worker near Chiadzwa showed Arsenault a mass grave that he said contained the bodies of 68 people who were allegedly slaughtered in that campaign. He produced dozens of burial orders filled in December — names unknown.
A local mortician also said he saw those bodies. "They were found in the field, beaten by soldiers, beaten by police," he said, adding he also observed gunshot wounds.
Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and his wife Grace arrive at the swearing-in ceremony for South African President Jacob Zuma in Pretoria, South Africa, on May 10, 2009. (Jerome Delay/Associated Press)
The Zimbabwe government vehemently denied the allegations.
"Only three people died as a result of infighting among the diamond panners, and the culprits have been arrested and they are actually going through our court of law now," said Obert Mpofu, the country's minister of mines.
He dismissed the idea of a mass grave. "It is totally fantasy. It is totally false. I don't know what people want to achieve by doing this."
The government also denied that military and other officials were benefiting directly from illegal panning in the fields.
"We are on top of the situation, and there is not even a single illegal diamond activity now because of the measures we are taking," Mpofu said.
However, a former military officer, who used to work in Chiadzwa, and was able to produce some industrial and gem-quality diamonds fresh from the fields with just a few hours notice, refuted that assertion.
"That's a lie.… It's only those with connections who are now able to dig and profit," he said. "It is the soldiers and police who are manning the area who allow you to go and dig, and when you dig, you show them what you have. Sometimes they take the diamonds and go sell them for their own profit."
His story was consistent with what other panners told the CBC.
The former officer also said that at night he had seen soldiers digging and then handing over their finds to powerful people.
"They come during the night, take the diamonds, and share them with senior government officials," he said.
Diamond profits unshared
The government is vague when queried about how much is mined and where the money goes. Some people, like the local MP, believe diamond profits could help to solve many of the nation's problems — if only they could be shared.
After uncontrolled inflation, Zimbabwe's once thriving economy has collapsed. About one-quarter of its population has fled, with most of those who remain depending on food handouts. Poverty and AIDS have taken a toll, slashing life expectancy to 37 years for men and just 34 years for women.
The MP is trying to set up a trust for villagers to receive some of the mining proceeds and is also pushing for immediate short-term relief — to help build a proper medical clinic for example.
The existing clinic, which serves 8,000 people, is little more than a ramshackle two-room shed with a caved-in roof, few medications and two exhausted nurses.
And yet it is stands on land that may be rich enough to offer hope of a cure for much of what ails Zimbabwe.
http://www.cbc.ca/world/story/2009/05/26/zimbabwe-diamonds.html
Other News – India
Major bottleneck cleared for Polavaram
G.V. Prasada Sarma
Alternative land handed over
The project is intended to bring 7.2 lakh acres under irrigation and produce 930 mw of power
Government is learnt to have written to the GVMC on Yeleru canal closure
VISAKHAPATNAM: Work on the multi-purpose Indirasagar (Polavaram) Project is expected to pick up momentum as the bottleneck of handing over alternative land has been cleared. In lieu of 3,223 ha of forest land facing submersion in Khammam, East and West Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts, alternative land has been provided in the Godavari and Visakhapatnam districts.
The project, estimated to cost Rs.15,000 crores, is intended to bring 7.2 lakh acres under irrigation and produce 930 mw of power. Its Left Main Canal will bring 1.5 lakh acres under irrigation in Visakhapatnam district and 23 tmc ft of water to the city to help meet the growing industrial and domestic needs.
Besides, the State Government has to pay Rs.372 crores to the Union Ministry of Forests and Environment for taking up development of forest in the area handed over to it.
The forestland on which work has to be taken up is yet to be handed over to the Irrigation Department. In Visakhapatnam district, work involves 111 ha of forestland mainly in Payakaraopet and Elamanchili areas. In Package 6 from Payakaraopeta to Darlapudi and in Package 7 from Darlapudi to Tallapalem canal and lining work has been going on in non-forest land, according to officials.
Work halted
However, the closure of Yeleru canal that mainly supplies drinking water to the city is required for the project work in about 33 km in Package 8.
This coupled with land acquisition that is yet to be completed has brought work to a halt.
The Yeleru canal was to have been closed twice to enable the work during the past one year-once in December and January and again in May and June. But owing to the failure of the North East monsoon and keeping in view the water supply for the city the closure did not take place, said an official.
The Government is also keen that work should be taken up by closing the Yeleru canal and is learnt to have written to the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation to adhere to the closure in December and January.
In the 10 km stretch between Kanitihi Balancing Reservoir and Meghadrigedda Reservoir about 4.6 km constitutes the existing Raiwada canal on which work can be taken up.
But in the remaining stretch about 110 acres of land has to be acquired. Besides, another 70 acres is to be acquired near Anakapalle. Draft notification and draft declaration have been completed for acquisition.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/05/28/stories/2009052858860300.htm
TDP wants govt. to review SEZ policy
Hyderabad (PTI): The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on Thursday demanded that the government review its policy on Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and safeguard the interests of farmers and fishermen.
A resolution to this effect was adopted at the TDP's annual 'Mahanadu' (conclave) on Thursday. TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu chaired the proceedings.
The party expressed serious concern over the forcible acquisition of fertile agriculture lands to the extent of over one lakh acres from small and marginal farmers for establishment of SEZs in Andhra Pradesh.
It also wanted the government to regulate the establishment of SEZs and prevent fertile agriculture lands from being taken away for the purpose.
"Another 28,000 acres of land was being taken away in the name of Vanpic and Coastal Corridor projects. Besides, a petro-chemical corridor has been proposed along the east coast, which would deprive thousands of fishermen of their livelihood and displace people in eight coastal villages," the TDP apprehended.
The party pointed out that though the highest number of SEZs (90) were sanctioned in Andhra Pradesh alone, not even 10 have taken off so far and the much-promised employment to lakhs of people remained just a dream.
"Keeping all this in view, there is an urgent need for the government to review its policy on SEZs. It should not acquire fertile agriculture lands for the SEZs and other projects," the party demanded.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200905281412.htm
Amnesty International Report on Asia
Staff Report
Published: May 28, 2009, 10:19
The Amnesty International Report 2009 documents the state of human rights during 2008, in 157 countries and territories around the world.
It reveals the systemic discrimination and insecurity that prevent progress in law from becoming a reality on the ground.
Here is a summary of the human rights situation in countries in Asia.
BANGLADESH
In the first national parliamentary elections in seven years, the Awami League won a landslide victory in predominantly peaceful polls held on 29 December.
Before the election, despite the relaxing of emergency measures and institutional reform, restrictions on freedom of assembly and association remained and tens of thousands of political activists reportedly attempting to gather peacefully in their party offices were detained throughout the country.
Police used excessive force to disperse peaceful rallies, injuring participants. At least 54 people were estimated to have died in suspected extrajudicial executions by police and the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) in the first half of the year alone. No one was held accountable for the deaths. At least 185 people were sentenced to death, and fivemen were executed.
Throughout the year the caretaker government strengthened institutional reforms. In September, the ordinance establishing a national Human Rights Commission came into effect. The Right to Information Ordinance was enacted in October, under which citizens can request access to information held by public bodies.
However, eight security agencies were exempt from the ordinance unless the information requested related to corruption and human rights violations.
CAMBODIA
Impunity, inadequate rule of law and serious shortcomings in the court system continued to cause a systemic lack of protection for human rights.
Forced evictions, carried out with the direct involvement or complicity of government authorities, further impoverished thousands of marginalized Cambodians.
Human rights defenders and community activists defending land and natural resources were imprisoned on baseless charges. Freedom of expression and assembly were restricted.
CHINA
The Olympic Games in Beijing brought heightened repression throughout the country as authorities tightened control over human rights defenders, religious practitioners, ethnic minorities, lawyers and journalists.
Following protests and unrest which began in March in Lhasa the government originally detained over 1,000 people. Hundreds remained in detention or were unaccounted for at year’s end.
The authorities used a series of violent incidents alleged to be linked to terrorists to launch a sweeping crackdown on the Uighur population in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (XUAR). Torture and other ill-treatment remained widespread.
The authorities maintained tight control over the flow of information, with many internet websites blocked, and journalists and internet users harassed and imprisoned for the peaceful expression of opinions.
The authorities made increased use of punitive forms of administrative detention, notably the Reeducation through Labour system, to silence critics in the lead-up to the Olympic Games.
INDIA
Police were either inactive or responded with excessive force in the face of sectarian violence against religious and linguistic minorities and ethnic clashes.
Adivasis (indigenous communities) and small farmers continued to protest their exclusion from government decision-making on new development projects which could threaten their livelihoods and result in forced evictions.
The low-level conflict continued between Maoists and the government and militia widely believed to be supported by the government. Both sides committed abuses including targeting civilians. Bomb-blasts in various parts of the country killed hundreds of people.
In response the government arbitrarily detained and tortured suspects. Following the November Mumbai attacks in which more than 170 people were killed, the government tightened security legislation and set up a federal agency to investigate terrorist attacks.
Judicial processes failed to ensure justice for many victims of communal violence. The courts sentenced at least 70 people to death. No executions took place.
INDONESIA
The situations in Papua and Maluku continued to deteriorate, including continued attacks on freedom of expression. The number of prisoners of conscience rose sharply to 117. Attacks against minority religious groups and their leaders increased across the archipelago.
Torture, excessive use of force and unlawful killings by police and security forces continued. No progress was made in bringing the perpetrators of past gross human rights violations in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD), Papua and Timor-Leste to justice. Indonesia resumed executions in June, executing 10 people in total. Maternal deaths remained the highest recorded in South East Asia.
JAPAN
The number of executions increased. Prisoners continued to face prolonged periods of solitary confinement and inadequate access to medical care.
Under the daiyo kangoku pre-trial detention system, police interrogated suspects without lawyers and often in the absence of electronic recording.
Despite international pressure, the Japanese government failed to accept full responsibility or provide adequate reparations to the survivors of Japan’s World War II military sexual slavery system.
KOREA
Millions of people faced the worst food shortages since the late 1990s. Thousands continued to cross the border into China, mainly for food and economic reasons. Those arrested and forcibly repatriated were subjected to forced labour, torture and other ill-treatment in prison camps.
Other widespread violations of human rights persisted, including politically motivated and arbitrary use of detention and executions, and severe restrictions on freedoms of expression and movement. Independent human rights monitors continued to be denied access to the country.
LAOS
Religious persecution increased in rural areas, where evangelical Christians came under attack. Pressures on land and natural resources continued to increase, with a rise in land and property disputes. Over 1,700 Hmong people were returned to Laos from Thailand; some were forcibly returned. No independent monitoring was allowed to assess their well-being.
MALAYSIA
The government tightened control of dissent and curtailed the right to freedom of expression and religion. Bloggers were arrested under the Sedition Act, and the Printing Press and Publications Act (PPPA) was used to control newspaper content. Ten people were arbitrarily arrested and detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA).
Security forces continued to use excessive force while the establishment of an independent police complaints misconduct commission was postponed.
Immigration personnel and volunteers conducted mass arrests of migrant workers. At least 22 people were sentenced to death. The number executed was unknown.
MYANMAR
In February, the government announced that a referendum would be held later in the year on a draft constitution, followed by elections in 2010.
In May – only a week before the scheduled day for the referendum – Cyclone Nargis devastated parts of southern Myanmar, affecting approximately 2.4 million people.
More than 84,500 people died and more than 19,000 were injured, while nearly 54,000 remained unaccounted for. In its aftermath the government delayed or placed conditions on aid delivery, and refused international donors permission to provide humanitarian assistance.
Following a visit by the UN Secretary-General in late May, access improved, but the government continued to obstruct aid and forcibly evict survivors from shelters.
Also in May the government extended the house arrest of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the main opposition party. By the end of the year there were more than 2,100 other political prisoners.
Many were given sentences relating to the 2007 mass demonstrations after unfair trials. In eastern Myanmar, a military offensive targeting ethnic Karen civilians, amounting to crimes against humanity, continued into its fourth year.
The government’s development of oil, natural gas and hydropower projects in partnership with private and state-owned firms led to a range of human rights abuses.
NEPAL
Nepal continued to consolidate its peace process following the end of the 10-year conflict between the government and the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) in 2006.
Commitments made in the November 2006 Comprehensive Peace Accord to uphold civil, political and economic rights, including ending discrimination, remained unfulfilled.
The process of delivering truth, justice and reparations for violations committed during the conflict did not progress and a climate of impunity persisted.
Lack of police capacity led to public insecurity as armed groups continued to operate in the Southern Terai region and the number of armed youth groups affiliated to the main political parties increased.
The Armed Police Force used excessive force on a number of occasions, including while policing the many rights based demonstrations that took place across the country.
PAKISTAN
A civilian government was elected in February. The new government released prisoners detained during the November 2007 state of emergency but failed to fulfil many of its promises to ensure human rights protection.
Torture, deaths in custody, attacks on minorities, enforced disappearances, "honour" killings and domestic violence persisted. After the new government announced that it would commute death sentences to life imprisonment, it executed at least 16 people; at least 36 were executed throughout the year.
Violence in the tribal areas bordering Afghanistan spilled over into other areas of Pakistan, as members of the Pakistani Taliban took hostages, targeted and killed civilians, and committed acts of violence against women and girls.
PHILIPPINES
Renewed armed conflict displaced more than 610,000 and killed over 100 civilians in Southern Philippines. Peace talks between the government and various armed groups stalled. The majority of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances remained unsolved.
A culture of impunity continued to encourage vigilante killings. Indigenous Peoples (IPs) continued to struggle for land rights as the government failed to comply with its obligation to obtain IPs’ free, prior and informed consent to development plans in their traditional territories.
Cruel, inhuman and degrading conditions of detention persisted, and under-18s experienced abuse in juvenile detention centres.
SINGAPORE
An easing of restrictions on freedom of assembly was overshadowed by heavy penalties and restrictive measures imposed on opposition activists, journalists and human rights defenders.
Suspected Islamic militants remained detained without charge or trial under the Internal Security Act (ISA), amid concerns that some were at risk of torture and other ill-treatment during questioning.
Foreign domestic workers continued to be excluded from legislation protecting the rights of foreign workers. Singapore rejected the UN General Assembly resolution calling for a moratorium on executions. At least five prisoners faced imminent execution, although the number of actual executions was unknown.
SRI LANKA
Hundreds of thousands of civilians were displaced as a result of fighting in the north and east. By November, tens of thousands of families were trapped in the Wanni region without adequate food, shelter, sanitation and medical care as the government barred UN and other humanitarian staff. Government allied armed groups committed
unlawful killings and enforced disappearances.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) deliberately targeted civilians in the south in a string of attacks throughout the year. The government failed to address impunity for past human rights violations, and continued to carry out enforced disappearances.
The government arrested and detained increasing numbers of Tamils without charge. Human rights defenders and journalists across the country reported increased attacks including death threats.
TAIWAN
At least eight people were sentenced to death but no executions took place. Restrictive laws continued to be used to limit freedom of expression and assembly. The recently revised Domestic Violence Prevention Act was not effectively implemented.
THAILAND
Insurgency continued in the south, where martial law and an emergency decree remained in force, and the official death toll since January 2004 reached 3,500. Security forces were responsible for human rights violations, including torture and arbitary arrest and detention. Armed insurgents also committed serious abuses, including deliberate attacks on civilians.
In Bangkok, freedom of expression and assembly were curtailed by two emergency decrees issued after violent demonstrations, and restrictions on the media increased.
The Act on Internal Security came into force with broad and vague application. The government forcibly returned several groups of Burmese and Lao Hmong asylum-seekers.
VIETNAM
A crackdown on dissidents continued with severe restrictions on freedom of expression, association and assembly. Political activists were arrested and detained; others remained in prison after being sentenced under national security legislation.
Religious groups were discriminated against, including attacks against Catholics peacefully protesting over a land dispute with the state.
More than 200 ethnic minority Montagnards fled to neighbouring Cambodia seeking asylum from persecution. The National Assembly rejected Government proposals to limit the scope of the death penalty.
http://www.gulfnews.com/world/General/10317736.html
World Bank to invest $1 Billion in India
By siliconindia news bureau
Wednesday,27 May 2009, 04:33 hrs
New Delhi: The World Bank's lending arm, International Finance Corporation (IFC) has allocated $1 billion (Rs.5000 crore approx.) for India for the coming fiscal ending June 2010. "I think we would remain at the one billion dollar figure more or less for the next one or two years," Vipul Bhagat, South Asia Manager-Infrastructure Advisory, IFC said.
It is the infrastructure projects, which will benefit the most as about 50 percent of the total IFC investment in the country will be in this sector. "Infrastructure is a focus area for IFC especially because the Indian government has told IFC to do more in that sector," he added on the sidelines of a book release function organized by the CII and IFC.
The lending body also plans to invest in agriculture and rural development among others. IFC maintains that the economic slowdown has not impacted its investment plans and it faces no liquidity problem.
http://www.siliconindia.com/shownews/World_Bank_to_invest_1_Billion_in_India-nid-57258.html/1/1
Food crisis, not over yet!
Kamna Arora
Food riots in a number of countries had hit the headlines last year. Images of people vying for a slice of bread did cut a wide swath in various newspapers. From Mexico to Burkina Faso, Senegal to Cameroon, and Mauritania to India and Pakistan, leaders became quite wary of the riots occurring in the wake of rocketing food prices in their countries. But the issue failed to invoke the required response as governments shifted their focus to bailing out big banks and finalising stimulus packages. And in the situation that prevails now, food crisis hardly gets any mention.
Does that mean food crisis is over?
According to the United Nations (UN) Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier de Schutter, one billion people sleep without food across the world, and every six seconds a child dies of malnutrition. "The global food crisis is far from being abated. On the contrary, price volatility and climate-related events will inevitably exacerbate the situation in 2009, with the poor hit hardest," de Schutter states.
The number of the hungry increased by 115 million people over 2007-08, bringing the total who need food assistance worldwide to 963 million at the end of last year, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO).
In the 2008 Global Hunger Index of developing and transitional countries, India was ranked 66th out of 88 nations. This ranking was worse than nearly 25 Sub-Saharan African countries and all of South Asia, except Bangladesh.
A cut in food prices has fuelled the view that the food crisis is over. However, it is significant to note that the prevailing international food prices are still above their average levels.
Ronald U Mendoza, economist, UNICEF’s Division of Policy and Practice, notes that the international prices for key food grains have fallen as dramatically as they rose. However, they continue to be higher when compared to their historical averages, Mendoza observes.
Clearing the air, UN World Food Program (WFP) director Allan Jury says, "Just because food prices have come down doesn't mean the crisis is over.”
According to Jury, a lot of attention is now being given to “broader economic and financial crises”, but honestly “the vulnerability of hungry people is just as great this year (2009)”.
Old concept with new complexities
Food crisis is not a new concept. However, the crisis being witnessed in the present century has many more reasons to it that the previous ones – climate, water, land use, soil, energy, oil, waste, population, labour, nutrition, and urbanisation. These factors must not only be taken into account but also studied well enough to find a solution to the food crisis.
The two major factors said to be responsible for the worsening of food crisis last year were surging oil prices and the use of land for growing bio-fuels in place of edible crops. However, two experts from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine blamed obesity as the third reason for the food crisis.
http://www.zeenews.com/zeeexclusive/2009-05-27/530722news.html
Urban poor most affected by Climate Change
ROBERT BYAKIIKA
For a long time, environmentalists have been accused by development enthusiasts of being anti-development. It is hard to escape the tension between developers and environmental preservation advocates.
Most cities in Africa, Kampala inclusive, are experiencing more heat waves. This has been attributed to the diurnal cycles of absorption and re-radiation of solar energy as well as heat generated from buildings. The increased frequency of heat-stress events in cities has affected the health and leisure among the urban population.
According to Ms Anna Tibaijuka, the UN Habitat executive director, urban areas are key to tackling global warming as they account directly for 50 to 60 per cent of human greenhouse gas emissions. She said in African slums, one in three slum dwellers is considered an environmental refugee.
The conventional challenges of urban environmental management have resulted in immense environmental effects such as degradation of green spaces and increased green house gas (GHG) emissions. This is evident from the poor management of waste; emitting methane gas if it is organic or carbon dioxide if it is burnt. Road transport emits more than 70 per cent of GHGs and buildings 30 per cent of GHGs.
With such impacts of Climate Change on urban areas, the urban poor are at most risk since they live in the most hazardous environments such as flood plains.
For developing countries, adaptation to climate change is already happening. In Kampala City, for instance, households raise beds by adding bricks on the floor to keep their beddings from getting wet incase it floods. Yet in developed cities, people are being protected against risks associated with Climate Change through public investment in infrastructure.
During a meeting on Climate Change meeting in Oslo in Norway recently, Florence Namayanja, deputy Kampala mayor, said investment in drainage infrastructure in the city will be crucial and will require huge amount of money. However, the key to adaptation is having a competent, capable and accountable urban government that understands Climate Change adaptation measures.
And for adaptation to yield results, all urban government departments have to be involved. In the case of Kampala, the city authority has to strengthen its environmental management department and co-ordinate well with the Climate Change unit, National Environment Management Authority and civil society organisations. After all, Climate Change is no longer an issue relegated to just one minister, one ministry or a few institutions. It is now a holistic concern.
We have policies such as the Forestry Policy (2001) that calls for urban forestry. Why don’t we start implementing such strategies to combat Climate Change?
http://www.monitor.co.ug/artman/publish/opinions/Urban_poor_most_affected_by_Climate_Change_85475.shtml
Three wildlife reserves from India added to UNESCO's list
New York (PTI): Three wildlife reserves from India are among the 22 new sites from 17 countries added by United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to its Worldwide Network of Biosphere Reserves.
The reserves at Simplipal in Orissa, Norkek in Meghalaya and Panchmarhi in Madhya Pradesh are added to the list on Wednesday bringing the total number of sites to 553.
UNESCO, whose International Coordinating Council of the Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB-ICC) is meeting on the Island of Jeju in South Korea, now has its Biosphere Reserves in 107 countries.
Similipal, 320 kilometre from Bhuvneshwar, which used to be the hunting ground of the Maharajah of Mayurbhanj is now a home to three animal species--Tiger, Asian Elephant and gaur. Nokrek is a famous biological hot spot, harbouring elephants,tigers, leopards and gibbons. Panchmarhi, which has tiger and other wildlife resorts, is considered a botanists paradise.
Biosphere reserves are areas designated to serve as places to test different approaches to integrated management of terrestrial, freshwater, coastal and marine resources and biodiversity. As a result, they are sites for experimenting with and learning about sustainable development.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200905271481.htm
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