The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

by Neels Blom, Agriculture and Land Affairs Editor, Business Day (South Africa)
July 27 2006

IN THE first successful case brought before the Land Claims Court for the restoration of land rights to tenant labourers, the Ga Mawela community yesterday won a ruling that would return ownership of their land to them.

The claim was lodged in October 1998 and validated in a ruling in the Land Claims Court in 2004.

The Ga Mawela community lost ownership of their land in 1871, when the government of the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek awarded the land in the Steelpoort area of what is now Limpopo, to one of its officials. The Bakone Ba Mankge, the Pedi clan who had made up the original Ga Mawela community since 1830, then became labour tenants whose rights to remain resident were conditional on their provision of free labour to the new white farm owner. (more…)

Creamer Media’s Engineering News Online
July 27 2006

The Randburg Land Claims Court had ordered Anglo Platinum to return ancestral land in the Limpopo province to the Ga Mawela community, spokespersons for the Ga Mawela said in a media release on Wednesday. The court order brought to a close a five-year dispute between the Ga Mawela and Anglo Platinum and its subsidiary Rustenburg Platinum Mines (RPM), the release said. Anglo Platinum could not be reached for comment on Wednesday and Mining Weekly Online left several messages for the company’s spokesperson. The Ga Mawela spokespersons said in the release that the court had ordered the Department of Land Affairs to purchase the land from RPM, if possible by agreement, but otherwise by expropriation, and pass it on to the community. (more…)

By: Gareth Tredway, Mineweb - http://www.mineweb.net/mining_finance/870235.htm
04-AUG-06

JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) — Anglo American, one of the world’s largest resource companies, may consider more buybacks next year, as a large amount of cash is expected to roll in over the next six months.

“One would have to look at further buybacks if there are no suitable acquisitions or projects,” chief executive Tony Trahar, told listeners on a conference call Friday.

According to Trahar, even with a $6 billion organic growth pipeline, the company still has more than enough cash to distribute to shareholders. “We do not sit on cash that we are not utilizing, we would rather give it to shareholders,” said Trahar. (more…)

Sierra Legal MEDIA RELEASE
July 31, 2006

Landmark decision forces Platinex to halt mining operations in KI traditional territory TORONTO - Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug, a remote northern Ontario Aboriginal community, won the first stage of a controversial legal battle that could have major repercussions for mining and resource extraction operations throughout the province. In May, KI had launched a lawsuit to counter a $10 billion lawsuit filed against them by an Ontario mineral exploration company, Platinex Inc (TSXV:PTX), that wants to exploit platinum deposits located within KI’s traditional territory. The landmark decision from Justice G. P. Smith of the Ontario Superior Court represents one of the most important victories empowering Aboriginal communities in Ontario’s judicial history. (more…)

By Ben O. Tesiorna, Sun Star Davao- http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/dav/2006/08/02/news/mining.firm.asks.gov.t.to.drive.away.rebel.group.in.area.html
Wednesday, August 02, 2006

A MINING corporation operating in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental sought the help of the government to get the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) out of their mining area so they can resume operations.

Heritage Resources Development Corporation (HRDC) chairman Alexander Benedicto said the government, both local and national, as well as the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Philippine Army are not taking any action against the MILF presence at their mining site in Sitio Mahayahay, Barangay Maputi since July 21. (more…)

By Ayen Infante, Tribune - http://www.tribune.net.ph/business/20060802bus5.html
2nd August 2006

Mining firm Citinickel Mines and Development Corp. (Citinickel) is asking the government to stop a large-scale illegal mining activity in Southern Palawan allegedly being operated by Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC).

Citinickel has sought the intervention of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and DENR’s panel of arbitrators in Region IV-B to halt the illegal mining operations. (more…)

By Elaine Ruzul S. Ramos, Manila Standard - http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=business03_aug02_2006
2nd August 2006

Citinickel Mines and Development Corp. has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to stop a company from further exploiting its mine sites in Southern Palawan due to alleged serious violations of the country’s mining laws.

In complaints submitted to Environment Secretary Angelo Reyes and the department’s Panel of Arbitrators in Region IV-B, Citinickel alleged that mining operator Platinum Group Metals Corp., which is owned by a certain Rafael Atayde, was engaged in illegal large-scale mining in the municipalities of Narra and Española in Southern Palawan. (more…)

CPA Press Release
AUGUST 1 2006

*Tabuk, Kalinga - More than 150 members of the Kalinga Medical Society (KMS) and Kalinga Apayao Religious Society Association (KARSA) led a motorcade starting at 7:00 this morning in Bulanao, Tabuk. Before the motorcade, a program was held at the Bulanao junction, the site where Dr. Constancio “Chandu” Claver and his family was ambushed yesterday, July 31.

Dr. Chandu Claver and his wife, Alice, had just come from St. Tony’s College at around 6:45 AM on July 31 to send off their older daughters to school, when, upon taking a U-turn at the Bulanao Junction, two (2) Delica vans appeared from the sides of the highway and fired away at the Land Cruiser which Chandu was driving. Dr. Claver sustained multiple gunshot wounds while his wife Alice sustained four (4) gunshot wounds in the head, neck, and shoulders. They were both rushed to the Kalinga Provincial Hospital in Bulanao. Dr. Claver and Sandy survived the shooting while Alice was declared dead at around 12:30 PM. (more…)

By: Dorothy Kosich, Mineweb - http://www.mineweb.net/base_metals/822855.htm
Posted: 31-JUL-06

RENO - As a strike loomed at Chile’s Escondida mine and a cave-in slashed production at Codelco’s massive Chuquicamata mine, and miners rioted at the Chambishi Mine in Zambia, copper prices for already tight copper supplies are climbing.

Reuters quoted union Secretary Pedro Marin that the union has been notified that Escondida has asked for government mediation. A government representative will join BHP Billiton at the negotiating table Monday in an effort to avert a strike by 2,000 employees at Escondida scheduled to begin August 7. Marin told Reuters “this man (the government representative) will have a huge responsibility in his hands. (more…)

August 1 2006
Cordillera Peoples Alliance (CPA)

Only two months after the political assassination of CPA Regional Elders Desk Coordinator and Bayan Muna-Kalinga Vice Chair Rafael Markus Bangit on June 8 in Isabela province, the Gloria Macapagal Arroyo regime has again pulled the trigger on another political activist, Dr. Constancio “Chandu” Claver, Jr on July 31 at around 6:30 AM. Knowing no mercy, the killers, believed to be military operatives, also targeted Dr. Claver’s 42 -year old wife, Alice, and their 7-year old daughter, Cassandra by ambushing their van with high powered rifles in Bulanao, Tabuk. While Dr. Claver and Cassandra survived the shooting, Alice was not able to survive after struggling for life for five hours from multiple gunshot wounds. Dr. Claver, 49 years old, has incurred two gunshot wounds in the left arm and chest. Their daughter Cassandra was deeply traumatized by the incident and is now into complete silence. A bystander, Janice Ewag, a 23 years old student and part of Tanudan tribe, also incurred two gunshot wounds in the hips. (more…)