Jakarta – A peaceful protest attended by 3000 people from North Sulawesi against the Australian-owned Archipelago Resources Toka Tindung gold mine project ended in brutal attacks on the protesters by an unknown group. The group, suspected to have a close relationship with the company’s Indonesian subsidiary PT Meares Soputan Mining (MSM), threw rocks at the protesters on their way home on Thursday night (13/7).

Despite a royalty promise of 80 percent to be divided between the regencies of North Sulawesi province, the ‘host to be regency’, North Minahasa, continues to reject the gold mine planned by Australian Archipelago Resources Pty at Toka Tindung. This is confirmed by the head of the regency’s parliament (DPRD MINUT), Sus Pangemanan, as cited in the newspaper KOMENTAR, October 10, 2006 edition. One of the major political parties, PDIP Minut, also rejects the mine, says its leader, Deky Wagey ST, because of the “potential to destroy the viable sectors of fishery, agriculture and tourism in the area” (KOMENTAR, Oct 10, 2006 edition).

PT MEARES SOPUTAN MINING (TOKA TINDUNG PROJECT) PLANS TO DESTROY RINONDORAN BAY AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES’ LIVELIHOODS – WITH YOUR MONEY?Recommendation: AVOID!

The Australian mining company Archipelago Resources is developing the Toka Tindung gold mine in North Sulawesi (Indonesia), which will make use of the sub-sea tailings disposal method. Investing in this mine development involves the following major risks:

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP). An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 with its epicenter in western Laos was reported Wednesday afternoon by the U.S. Geological Survey, and its tremors were felt as far away as the Thai capital of Bangkok, several hundred kilometers to the south.

 

Pagi sekali di hari Senin (12/3) saya di-sms oleh teman dari Sulawesi Utara. Isinya, perusahaan tambang PT Meares Soputan Mining berusaha menghalau beberapa wartawan televisi meliput kejadian banjir di Desa Rinondoran, Kabupaten Minahasa Utara. Ditulisnya pula, sekuriti perusahaan dan warga pro perusahaan mengancam wartawan jika terus meliput kejadian banjir tersebut.

The Indonesian Mining Association (IMA) reaffirmed its rejection of the intended change from the Contract of Work (CoW) scheme to the license/permit scheme as stipulated in the drafted Mineral & Mining Law. The reason behind this rejection is that with the CoW system, investors have better access to project financing due to the equal rights of both the investor and the government. The statement was stated during The Australian Mining & Petroleum Exhibition 2007 in Jakarta by the end of January 2007.

The North Sulawesi Provincial Government has opposed the operation of PT Meares Soputan Mining (MSM) who operates Toka Tindung gold mine in North Minahasa regency fearing that the company’s mining activities would damage the environment.

For the last 6 days, Jakarta has turned out into extra large pond where people swim all over it finding relief. Unexpectedly, it turns to be the biggest jakarta flood disaster over time, exceeding the previously most devastating 2002 flood. People thought it would just like the last year flood, water wouldn’t go higher than 1 meter. Sadly, the authorities apparently think the same way; barely, no preparedness or mitigation for such a disaster. No wonder if the flood leaves (actually will still have) enormous material and immaterial loss; infrastructures collapsed, houses broken down, and 29 died so far.

Saturday morning is the day that maybe all the asiasource II participants have waited for the last one week. It was the outing day, we went out for fun. There were 3 destinations; Citarik river rafting, Mangga 2 Plaza, and the Tangkuban Perahu volcano. Most chose the Tangkuban Perahu volcano, only 11 went for rafting.

Tambang, Kolonialisme, dan Penghancuran Alam*

Bougainville, adalah sebuah pulau di lautan Pasifik yang memiliki kekayaan sumber daya alam melimpah seperti pada umumnya Negara-negara di wilayah beriklim tropis. Selain kaya akan sumber daya alam hayati, Bougainville memiliki kekayaan bahan tambang luar biasa sehingga menarik minat perusahaan Australia Conzinc Rio Tinto CRA), anak perusahaan Rio Tinto Group yang berbasis di Inggris, mengeksploitasi tembaga sejak 1972. Kisah penjajahan dan penjarahan kekayaan alam Bougainville berakar dari masa kolonialisme bangsa-bangsa Eropa abad 17.