AFP
Indonesia has revoked a gold mining exploration permit granted to an Australian miner following deadly protests against the project.
In 2010, West Nusa Tenggara province granted exploration rights to Australian Arc Exploration (ARX) and local miner Sumber Mineral Nusantara – a project that covers some 250 square kilometres of Sumbawa Island, which is near Bali.
In December, police fired on anti-mining protesters in Bima city and two people were killed.
The decision to revoke ARX’s permit came after thousands of people against the mining operation demonstrated last week at Bima.
Government buildings were set on fire during the protests.
“We decided to revoke permanently the permit for the sake of security stability here,” Bima district head Ferry Zulkarnain told local television station MetroTV.
“We’re ready to face any possible legal lawsuit by mining companies against the revocation,” he told state news agency Antara.
Critics worry the project would have a negative environmental impact.
ARX had halted its early-stage exploration activities following the violence.
Related story: Indonesian mine protestors shot while lying downÂ
Lawyer Tiffaney Twivey charged with contempt
Lawyer Tiffaney Twivey has just been charged with contempt today apparently along with the entire O’Neill/Namah National Executive Council because she gave advice on the amendments to the Prime Minister and NEC Act.
“They say it was-sub judice,” she said last night.”This is complete rubbish – the amendments covered completely different issues than the court case. “It is an act of desperation – and not to hide what you think.”
Twivey added: “My firm – in documents signed by me – filed contempt documents last Tuesday, January 24, charging Arthur Somare and Peter Ipatas for contempt for offering a bribe of K200,000 to Police Commissioner’s lawyer Alice Kimbu in return for her signing interim consent orders which would allow Fred Yakasa to be Police Commissioner until the substantive case is heard.
“She refused and informed the State.
“I filed the documents on behalf of the State and Parliament”
” David Dotaona (Yakasa’s lawyer) and Yakasa were arrested by the police over this and charged with ‘attempting to pervert the course of justice’. “My clients have charged Somare and Ipatas with civil contempt.
“I am in Australia, returning tomorrow (today).”
And???
Bill,
Thought this news worthy given that we would all be concerned for Tiffany’s welfare.
BTW
PORT MORESBY (AFP) – Twenty-eight people were rescued but hundreds remained unaccounted for Thursday after a ferry sank off Papua New Guinea, with neighbouring Australia warning of a “very high loss of life”.
Operator Star Ships said it lost contact with the MV Rabaul Queen at about 6am on Thursday (2000 GMT Wednesday) while it was travelling between Kimbe and Lae in the east of the Pacific nation, blaming “bad weather” for the disaster.
“At the moment rescuers from Australia are at the site. No fatalities have been reported yet,” Star Ships spokesman John Whitney told AFP, adding that there were up to 350 people on board.
The PNG National Maritime Safety Authority (NMSA) said it was first alerted by a distress signal early Thursday and confirmed that “the vessel has sunk and passengers are in the waters awaiting rescue”.
Some 28 survivors had been plucked to safety by early afternoon but there were still hundreds unaccounted for, according to the NMSA’s Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC).
“Four foreign-registered vessels are presently at the scene assisting with the rescue efforts, along with the dispatch of two helicopters from Lae,” the MRCC said.
“At present there are no confirmed statistics or details involving the passenger numbers, however reports have revealed in excess of 300 passengers were aboard the vessel,” it added.
“Merchant vessels in the area that have been diverted to assist in the rescue efforts.”
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard described it as a “major tragedy” that had likely claimed a large number of lives.
“Given the likely very high loss of life here, I think when this news comes to the attention of Australians around the country they will be thinking about the people of PNG,” Gillard told reporters.
Australia arranged for nearby ships to assist in the rescue and dispatched aircraft to overfly the area, with Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd saying Canberra stood ready “to offer all necessary assistance”.
“These aircraft will assist with dropping rescue equipment, including life rafts. Local rescue efforts are also currently under way,” Rudd said.
PNG MRCC said it was working closely with Australian officials to coordinate the rescue effort.
Australia’s foreign office said it had been advised by Star Ships that “they do not believe that there were any foreigners on board” but its local diplomatic post was working to confirm that.
“The government of Papua New Guinea is managing the response to this incident,” a foreign office spokeswoman said.
Martin Mosi, director of the PNG National Disaster Centre, said he was awaiting word on casualties and it was “very difficult to say” what the cause may have been.
“Is it weather, is it overloading or is it something to do with the vessel itself? We do not know but that will certainly come to light very soon,” he added.
Star Ships, among PNG’s largest passenger ship operators, runs regular services to the nation’s outlying islands including to New Britain’s Kimbe, a popular dive site that attracts tourists from across the world.