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News about Sulawesi and Bunaken

(Updated: 02-04-2013)

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Temporary victory for Bangka !!!


The High Administrative Court Makassar in its verdict no 165/B.TUN/2012/PT.TUN.MKS dated 01 March 2013 revoked the previous Administrative Court Manado decision no 04/G.TUN/2012/PTUN.Mdo dated 30 August 2012 that rejected the sueing party’s request to cancel the exploration permit granted by the North Minahasa Regency Chief to the chinese company PT Mikgro Metal Perdana for iron ore mining on Bangka island.
This decision is a victory not only for the Bangka islanders who sued the Regency Chief, and the tourism resorts joint up in the North Sulawesi Water Sports Association (NSWA) who co-sued, it is a victory also for the environment and for the conservation of the marine treasures of Bangka island. Last but not least,  it is a victory of justice and law.
The Makassar High Court Judges based their verdict on three Constitutional Laws, i.e. UU no. 5/1986 and changes as outlaid in UU no. 51/2009 as well as UU no. 51/2009 relating to minerals and coal. Secondly the decision is grounded on the Constitutional Law UU no. 27/2007 relating to coastal and small island management and related laws.
In detail:

  • The verdict accepts the appealing party’s sue in all points.
  • The verdict revokes the North Minahasa Regent’s Extension of Exploration Permit no 162/2010 dated 20 July 2010 and the extension permit no 152/2012 dated 20 July 2012 granted to chinese owned PT Mikgro Metal Perdana for iron ore mining on Bangka island.
  • The verdict obliges the Regency Chief to cancel the two permits no 162/2010 and 152/2012
  • The verdict condemns the sued party to pay all court costs.

It is now expected that Regency Chief Sompie Singal and the chinese company PT Mikgro Metal Perdana appeal to the National Administrative Court in Jakarta. Anticipating this we’ll struggle on !!!!
In the meanwhile two cases are still ongoing, i.e. the case WALHI initiated at PTUN Manado Administrative Court as a corporate sue against the Regency Chief and the criminal case PT Mikgro Metal Perdana filed at the Regency Court against Bangka individuals in order to intimidate, erode resistance and spread fear. This latter case is advocated by AMMALTA, the Coastal Peoples Alliance against Mining that also advocated the case that is just won.
Thank you to all of you who accompany our struggle, who donated towards saving Bangka island. We will never give in.

Thanks to Hanna (Gangga Resort) and Katrin (Pulisan Resort) for this information!

 

 

Bad News about a friend on Bunaken.

See http://bunaken-klaus.blogspot.de/

At the moment I don' know details about the accident. I will let you know as soon as possible.

 


 

A new video from Bunaken (unbelievable):

 

Environmental Threat !!

A foreign gold mine company has only 2 boat hours away from Bunaken started with preparations for the construction of a gold mine. The accruing poisonous delays should be disposed into the sea. Not only the concerned population around the area of Rinondoran/Batubutih see its health and its basic living conditions as Fischermen endangered through these measures, but also the Dive Centers there consider their existence and thus also thousands of jobs at stake. Particularly however, all of them are fearing a damage to the sub-water world with his unique fauna. The NSWA (North Sulawesi Watersports Association) has therefore pointed in a press to the risks of a disposal of the waste into the sea, and alternative into the soil and has asked the Indonesian government insistently to deny the approval to the Australian operator of the gold mine, as long as the harmlessness of the planned disposal method  is not proved by an independent scientific study.

There is at least a partial success to announce meanwhile: The disposal into the sea is first overruled. However the company wants to dispose of the waste on land now. If you liked to follow up the latest development, then inform yourself with Freundeskreis Lembeh-Pulisan-Bangka

 

Special Word of Praise !!

Sarah Noak contemplated measures to protect the The sub-water world of the BUNAKEN NATIONAL PARK by a unique idea: Not by bans and regulations. No, her motto was:

Only what one sees with eyes of his own, one can love.
And one protects only what one loves.

Unfortunately, she is no longer on the spot by now to continue the project, initiated by her. I do not know which reasons have made her to stop it for a start.

She set herself the task to archieve an improved protection for the reefs by joy in dealing with nature. And she wanted to contribute to the understanding of the local inhabitants that the sea is not only a "fishing reservoir" and that the environmental protection ashore is also important to the maritime habitat. Moreover she was right putting emphasis on education instead of laws and control and started with teaching the native youth.

To be able to carry out her private activities more effectively, she had founded an organization. You can look up more about its aims on its website http://www.thinkblue-ev.de.  But it seems to me that it has not been updated since the end of 2005 any more.

- Burned out? Hopefully only a breathing time ...

 

If you want to pass a small comment on this web site or if you like to write about own experiences, then take a little time for my Guest Book. You may help other travellers by this.

   
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