2) NDUGA PLANS MASS IMMUNISATION PROGRAM IN EIGHT HEALTH CENTERS
3) PAPUA TO HAVE THREE NEW AIRPORTS
4) Freeport’s Grasberg mine still working as export permit expires
5) Freeport’s export permit suspended
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http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2016/01/29/documentary-transforms-sydney-charity-gig-into-global-event/
1) Documentary Transforms Sydney Benefit Gig Into Global Event
Jan 29th 2016 | 7:59pm | Daniel Cribb
A documentary from Sydney musician-turned-filmmaker Anthony ‘Ash’ Brennan has seen a local charity gig for West Papuan blow up into a global event.
The benefit show, dubbed Punks For West Papua, was initiated by NSW act Diggers With Attitude to highlight the ongoing genocide in West Papua, and quickly spread to other Australian states, seeing 50 bands in seven cities June of last year.
Brennan filmed the shows and decided to use the footage for a documentary, and after interviewing musicians involved, two-time Nobel peace prize nominee Benny Wenda, journalist Hugh Lunn and more, caught the attention of the United Liberation Movement For West Papua.
“Since the film’s come out, punk bands from all around the world have contacted the campaign and have contacted us to start their own shows,” Brennan told theMusic.com.au.
“Jody [Bartolo] from Diggers With Attitude is in negotiations with the campaign to have a global Punks For West Papua for June of this year, so we’re very excited."
Funds from the sale of the documentary are being donated to the United Liberation Movement For West Papua, but Brennan said it’s more about raising awareness for the cause.
“With more people aware of it, hopefully we can see some change. As a nation, we can then pressure the government. It will become an issue at an election.”
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2) NDUGA PLANS MASS IMMUNISATION PROGRAM IN EIGHT HEALTH CENTERS
Jan 23, 2016
Wamena, Jubi – Eight community health centers in Nduga Regency are planning a mass immunization program that will be held at Mbua, Mbumuyalma and Dal sub-districts.
The head of the Health Problem Monitoring at the Nduga Health Office, Amad Lokbere, said on Friday (22/1/2016) in Wamena, Jayawijaya Regency that the program has been partially implemented in January and would be run until March 2016 that continue with the launching of National Immunization Week on a large scale.
“National Immunization Week would be held in March 2016 in Nduga Regency, and the event would be organized by Papua and Nduga health offices,” he said.
Meanwhile both provincial and regional health offices are still providing health service and treatment to recover the exceptional case of pertussis in Mbua sub-district.
“Nduga Regional Health Office has formed a team and we already went to the field in order to follow up this exceptional case in Nduga, we also have provided treatment there,” he said.
Earlier, the Papua Health Office Chief, Aloysius Giyai, said he has deployed a team to assist the recovery of pertussis patients in Mbua sub-district. The team has been departed on Wednesday (20/1/2016).
Team Coordinator Yamamoto Sasarari said the team consist of doctors, supervisor on immunization, nurses and analysts from Papua Health Office and Mbua sub-district Health Center Chief held a free health service and immunization program in Mbua sub-district.
“It is the fourth time the team provide health service in Mbua sub-district. During the service conducted for two days on Thursday to Friday (21-22/01), the number of residents came for treatment are approximately 200, that are consisting of 70 toddlers and 107 adults,” he said. (*/rom)
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3) PAPUA TO HAVE THREE NEW AIRPORTS
Jan 23,
Jayapura, Jubi – The Ministry of transport (MoT) plans to build three airports in Yahukimo, Jayawijaya, and Nabire, Papua.
“The development of these airports is due to the needs of pioneering flights and the MoT only accommodates it,” said the head of the Papua Provincial Transport Department, Yusuf Yambeyabdi, in Jayapura on Friday (22/01/2016).
Yambeyabdi said the provincial government through the department of transportation only supported what is planned in each regency, including the development of the airport.
He added one of the airports will be located in Wanggar in Nabire, to be financed by the central government’s budget and expected to be completed in 2018.
“We did support for the completion of Wanggar airport development, because it is one of the airports that are built by the central government,” said Yambeyabdi.
Earlier, President Joko Widodo, Wednesday (30/12/2015) asked the ministry of transportation and local governments to work together to improve services at the airport.
“Synergy is the key word in improving service to the people of Papua,” said Jokowi.
On that occasion, Jokowi did not just ask for improvement in terms of service at the airport but also the airline must pay attention on the condition of the aircraft.
“There should be no compromise on the safety of passengers and flight safety, especially going to fly in the middle of the mountainous area,” he said. (Alexander Loen)
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4) Freeport’s Grasberg mine still working as export permit expires
Permit unlikely to be renewed on Friday.
Eko Listiyorini and Yoga Rusmana (Bloomberg) | 29 January 2016 09:33
Freeport-McMoRan said one of the world’s biggest copper and gold mines continues to operate normally after its export license expired without an extension being granted by the Indonesian government.
Mining and milling operations remain normal at the Grasberg deposit in Papua province, Riza Pratama, a spokesman for Freeport Indonesia, the company’s local unit, said by text message on Friday. Grasberg’s copper capacity is second only to Escondida in Chile, according to the International Copper Study Group. It has the single largest gold reserves in the world, according to the company’s website.
Indonesia is renegotiating mining contracts with foreign companies, arguing that too much of the nation’s mineral wealth is disappearing overseas. The government has banned the export of metal ores to encourage the construction of domestic processing.
Grasberg’s export permit, granted every six months, is necessary for Freeport to ship concentrates from the mine. It expired on Thursday and is unlikely to be renewed on Friday because the company hasn’t met the government’s requirements, Bambang Gatot Ariyono, director general of minerals and coal at the Energy & Mineral Resources Ministry, told reporters. Talks are ongoing and the company is confident it will renew the permit, Freeport said earlier.
Smelter Deposit
Indonesia has asked for a $530 million deposit on a new smelter in return for renewing the permit to ship 1 million metric tons over the next six months. Freeport chief executive officer Richard Adkerson this week said that request was inconsistent with the company’s previous understanding with the government.
The Phoenix-based producer is struggling to contend with a historic collapse in metals prices. Moody’s Investors Service lowered its credit rating four levels to junk on Wednesday, while Adkerson has said he would consider selling any operation, in full or in part, to weather the slump.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said told reporters on Wednesday that the government’s priority was to ensure operations continue so that the local economy is unaffected. He said the deposit would be proof of Freeport’s commitment to the smelter.
Indonesia Contract
Freeport, which mined $1.7 billion of copper and $1.4 billion of gold in 2015 from Grasberg, also wants to extend its contract to operate in Indonesia. That expires in 2021, and the company has agreed to sell shares as part of the negotiation. An Indonesian official said this month that Freeport had offered the government an 11% stake in its local unit for $1.7 billion. Freeport has confirmed an offer was made though it didn’t give details.
Handing over $530 million would undermine the CEO’s efforts to shore up the company’s balance sheet amid the worst commodities rout in a generation, which has led to five straight quarters of losses and a 75% share price plunge in the past year. For Indonesia, a halt at the giant Grasberg mine would costs jobs and tax revenue.
Indonesia will contribute 29% of Freeport’s copper sales this year, up from 18% in 2015, as the company plans to double sales from Grasberg to 1.48 billion pounds in 2016 from 744 million pounds last year, the company said in a presentation this week.
Operations at Grasberg, in the mountains of Papua, have been plagued by labor strife in recent years. Workers seeking higher wages took strike action in 2011 and the mine was closed for months following a tunnel collapse in 2013 that killed 28 people. Exports were disrupted in 2014 after a dispute with the Indonesian government over export duties.
©2016 Bloomberg News
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5) Freeport’s export permit suspended
Raras Cahyafitri, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Business | Fri, January 29 2016, 5:29 PM -
Copper mining giant PT Freeport Indonesia will see its exports halted starting Friday after failing to realize its commitment to smelter development.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's mineral and coal director general, Bambang Gatot Ariyono, said his office had yet to issue a recommendation for the extension of Freeport’s export license as the company had yet to meet the government’s prerequisites for smelter development to process its products locally, as required by the 2009 Mining Law.
"We haven't issued the recommendation. They said that they would be cooperative [meeting the government’s prerequisites]. However, they have yet to give details," Bambang said. The recommendation is necessary for the company to apply for an export permit with the Trade Ministry.
Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of the US-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc., had a six-month permit to export its semifinished copper concentrate that expired on Thursday. The permit is needed as the export of unprocessed minerals was banned at the start of 2014.
The government has asked Freeport to show progress on its planned smelter in Gresik, East Java, before it gives another recommendation for exports.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry proposed two conditions that would allow the firm to extend the permit for another six months: pay 5 percent in export tax and deposit US$530 million as a guarantee that the company will continue to make progress on the smelter.
"The company declines to pay US$530 million as a guarantee and has yet to propose options to replace the requirement," Bambang said.
Under a contract of work (CoW) signed in 1991 between the company and the government, Freeport Indonesia has the rights to export its product.
"If the company turns again to the contract of work, all points under the renegotiation will be canceled," Bambang added, referring to the government’s attempt to adjust several matters in the previous contract to align with the 2009 Mining Law.
He also played down concerns that the miner would challenge the country in international arbitration.
The current export permit is the third Freeport has held since 2014. Previously, similar back-and-forth negotiations with the government also took place. The firm eventually found ways to obtain the permits.
“These points [5 percent duty and $530 million guarantee] are inconsistent with the agreement that we worked with the government in the beginning, in mid-2014, and our discussion with the government would continue,” Freeport McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson said earlier.
“We have full confidence that the government will come up with a favorable decision and issue the export license to ensure continuity of our mining operations, and in doing so will serve the interest of Indonesia’s mining industry in general," he added.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said stated earlier, "I’ve received report that the company is asking for further consideration as it is currently affected by low commodity prices and poor finance. So, if it cannot meet the requirements, let’s find a solution regarding things that can be the warranty for its commitment to progress the smelter project." -
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry's mineral and coal director general, Bambang Gatot Ariyono, said his office had yet to issue a recommendation for the extension of Freeport’s export license as the company had yet to meet the government’s prerequisites for smelter development to process its products locally, as required by the 2009 Mining Law.
"We haven't issued the recommendation. They said that they would be cooperative [meeting the government’s prerequisites]. However, they have yet to give details," Bambang said. The recommendation is necessary for the company to apply for an export permit with the Trade Ministry.
Freeport Indonesia, a subsidiary of the US-based Freeport-McMoRan Inc., had a six-month permit to export its semifinished copper concentrate that expired on Thursday. The permit is needed as the export of unprocessed minerals was banned at the start of 2014.
The government has asked Freeport to show progress on its planned smelter in Gresik, East Java, before it gives another recommendation for exports.
The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry proposed two conditions that would allow the firm to extend the permit for another six months: pay 5 percent in export tax and deposit US$530 million as a guarantee that the company will continue to make progress on the smelter.
"The company declines to pay US$530 million as a guarantee and has yet to propose options to replace the requirement," Bambang said.
Under a contract of work (CoW) signed in 1991 between the company and the government, Freeport Indonesia has the rights to export its product.
"If the company turns again to the contract of work, all points under the renegotiation will be canceled," Bambang added, referring to the government’s attempt to adjust several matters in the previous contract to align with the 2009 Mining Law.
He also played down concerns that the miner would challenge the country in international arbitration.
The current export permit is the third Freeport has held since 2014. Previously, similar back-and-forth negotiations with the government also took place. The firm eventually found ways to obtain the permits.
“These points [5 percent duty and $530 million guarantee] are inconsistent with the agreement that we worked with the government in the beginning, in mid-2014, and our discussion with the government would continue,” Freeport McMoRan CEO Richard Adkerson said earlier.
“We have full confidence that the government will come up with a favorable decision and issue the export license to ensure continuity of our mining operations, and in doing so will serve the interest of Indonesia’s mining industry in general," he added.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Sudirman Said stated earlier, "I’ve received report that the company is asking for further consideration as it is currently affected by low commodity prices and poor finance. So, if it cannot meet the requirements, let’s find a solution regarding things that can be the warranty for its commitment to progress the smelter project." -
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