Hi I have been watching HER for quite a while and it looks like...

Hi I have been watching HER for quite a while and it looks like HER will have a long time to go before the permit is granted by forestry minister mr Kaban.

Mr kaban requesting a presidential decree to me is just like asking for a local court's decision where the case has been decided in the supreme court. this project has got the green light from DPR ( people's representative 0 in the parliament, which is an institution higher than the president himself. ( In Indo's political system, president is responsible for this DPR).

I just dont think that kaban will grant the permit even the presidential decree is issued. he will ask for another aproval and then another study from independent body, etc. etc.

it is also said that the decree will contain the ruling on the size of protected forest a company can mine.

im abit surprised to know that management has spent so much money on infrastucture,ordering processing equipmnet etc considering that there still lays a lot of uncertainties onthe fate of the project.

HER management will need a top level lobbying , i mean TOP level...

here is the latest news on HER:
http://www.antara.co.id/en/arc/2007/10/23/police-told-to-investigate-australian-companys-mining-license/


:10/23/07 00:44

Police told to investigate Australian company`s mining license

Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - North Sumatra police has been told to conduct an investigation of the license of Australia`s mining company PT Dairi Prima Mineral (DPM) which has been engaged in mining operations in the protected forest in Dairi regency, North Sumatra province.

"In a field inspection we found out that PT DPM had not only been engaged in explorations, but explorations as well, while actually they have yet to secure an operational license form the central government," North Sumatra Regional Coordinator of the Political and Legal Affairs Monitoring Center Gandi Parapat said in Medan Monday.

He said that mining operations in a protected forest must have an approval of the Ministry of Forestry, especially that the locations of the black tin and zinc mining operations covering 27,000 hectares in Sopokomil village, Dairi regency, North Sumatra, is a protected forest.

"The police must immediately conduct a thorough investigation of those involved and seize all the proof of the mining operations they can get, before they pose a real threat to the life of people and damage the environment," he said.

Forestry Minister MS Kaban when recently attended a get-together organized by the Crescent and Star Party in Langkat, North Sumatra, said that the explorations which had been carried out by PT DPM for the last 10 years was still awaiting a Presidential Decree on the opening of an underground mine in protected forests as follow up of Law no 41 of 1999 on forestry.

But the Presidential Decree was still no guarantee for the foreign company for black tin exploitations. The ministry of forestry will also consider other regulations like environmental impact analysis and the effects on the local population before issuing a permit," he said.(*)


DYOR
Just to share my thought with HC member.