Gold exploration suspended in 12 provinces
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Amid protests, Industry Ministry sets up joint panel to analyse impacts from mining
THE INDUSTRY Ministry has suspended the new round of gold exploration in 12 provinces and set up a new joint committee to inspect the impact from mining activity.
About 300 protesters from the provinces chosen for the new round of gold exploration handed over a petition signed by 27,522 people opposed to the ministry’s gold-mine policy, and asked for clarity on the policy yesterday.
Industry Ministry permanent secretary Athit Wutkaro met with the protesters and informed them that the ministry was setting up a joint committee made up of locals, academics, representatives from the gold-mine company and the ministry to resolve their problems.
Athit said the committee would have the duty to investigate the impacts from gold-mining operations on people’s health, contamination by heavy metal in the food supply and the operation of Akara Resources. The prime minister will check on progress made by the committee within a month.
“As the committee will spend one month to study this issue, no new mining contracts will be considered during this period,” he said.
Responding to a question on the time frame, he stated that the committee would try to complete the inspection within a month, but if it found anything suspicious, a re-examination would be done on that issue.
Chat Hongtiamchant, director of the Primary Industries and Mines Department, also confirmed that no permission would be granted unless the gold-mine policy were approved by the Cabinet.
“The department will carefully consider the environmental impact, the benefits to the state and |the urgency of granting the |new gold-mining permission within one month to report to the Industry Ministry,” Chat said.
However, the protesters were sceptical of the Industry Ministry’s assurance, and demanded evidence that the ministry was serious about keeping its promise. Athit asked the protesters to wait for one month for the results of the gold-mine inspection.
Arom Khamjing, representative of the anti-mine group from Phitsanulok’s Noen Maprang district, said the ministry was trying to buy time by setting up a new committee. He said there was already a committee set up by the military’s ruling National Council for Peace and Order, although there had been no progress.
“We gathered here to ask for clarity on the gold-mine policy, as we are worried that the people in the 12 provinces chosen for the gold-exploration plan may suffer in the same way as the people around Chatree Mine,” Arom said.
She stated that next month the anti-gold mine group would launch a big rally to seek information on the committee’s progress.
Court delays verdict
Meanwhile, Khon Kaen Administrative Court yesterday postponed judgement on the suspension of gas burning in Apico’s petroleum-exploration site, Dongmun pit, in Kranuan district, as the evidence was still unclear. The verdict will be read on Monday.
About 50 locals who were allegedly affected by methane leaks caused by the gas burning gathered in front of the Administrative Court to listen to the verdict.
Nattaporn Arthan, a representative of the environmental group Namun Dunsad, said the group felt a little disappointed by the court decision.
“We marched to the court with empty banners to show that our voices have been silenced by the authorities and we cannot speak out freely in these political circumstances,” Nattaporn said.
“The villagers of Ban Na Mun will campaign further to protect our right to live in a healthy environment and we will check up on our health for more solid evidence to stop the gas-burning activity near our village,” she added.
