The Mining License (IUP produksi) the chinese company Mikgro Metal Perdana (MMP) had been granted by the Minister For Energy And Minerals (ESDM) in July 2014 HAS TO BE CANCELLED. With its verdict of July 14th 2015 the Institutional Law Court (PTUN) Jakarta Timur decided in favor of the suing party, 9 Bangka islanders (us!). Already sacked ESDM minister Jero Wacik had issued this license ignoring a previous verdict by the Indonesian Supreme Court (Verdict MA No. 291 K/TUN/2013, 24/09/2013) that had cancelled the exploration license granted to the company. This verdict had been by-passed by the North Sulawesi governor and North Minahasa Regent who are strong supporters of the Chinese company and suspected of having received considerable private benefits. The regent, Sompie Singal, who is expected to run for office again in upcoming elections, had repeatedly renewed the company's exploration license after each law decision on a higher level compelled him to annulate the license. That way the law was ignored. He also issued recommendation letters despite the mining law UU No. 4/2009 that states mining licences can only be issued on grounds of a previously defined mining area (WIUP) and a spatial regulation (RTRW). Both hadn't been formulated for North Minahasa Regency. In a rushed effort the North Sulawesi Governor, Sinyo Harry Sarundajang, had later tried to push both through the regional parliament, but had met much controversy as Bangka Island in previous drafts had been mapped out for Tourism, fishery, and agriculture. Bangka had also been included by the Ministry for Tourism into a national strategic area for marin tourism as it hosts unique marine life and pristine reefs. By law Bangka island due to its smallness of only 48 km2 is forbidden to be mined (UU 27/2007, 01/2011). However the island was declared “an exception” by a special government task force “to accelerate development of small islands and coastal areas” under Rokhman Dahuri, a former minister once convicted to jail due to corruption. The exception was part of for President SBY's ambitious “blue ocean economy”. Ignoring law and verdicts, on grounds of the North Sulawesi government's recommendation the Energy Minister then boldly issued the subsequent production permit which now, so decided the Jakarta court, has to be revoked. The big challenge the environmental groups behind the 9 Bangka plaintiffs face now is TO MAKE THE VERDICT HAPPEN. Make the Chinese repair the environmental damage they already caused and protect Bangka Island from future mining hazards. The battle will continue as the Chinese already announced that they will appeal to the verdict. They are reported to continue construction activities as if operating in a vacuum void of law. Please support our ongoing legal measures by funding our campaign via the crowdfunding platform betterplace.org (see link below)! Thank you! AMMALTA (Coastal People’s Alliance Against Tailings*) *https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tailings ————————————————————————— Actual information about Bangka and our Social Media Campaign on following Internet platforms: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SaveBangkaIsland Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/SaveBangka Hashtag: #SaveBangkaIsland Google+: https://plus.google.com/101213413255923489828 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SaveBangka/videos Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ekuwand/save-bangka-island Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangka_Island,_North_Sulawesi Online-Petition: https://www.change.org/SaveBangkaIsland ————————————————————————— #SaveBangkaIsland — the alliance to save Bangka is getting bigger: Kaka SLANK, AMMALTA — Aliansi Masyarakat Menolak Limbah Tambang (Coastal People’s Alliance Against Tailings), KMPA — Tunas Hijau Airmadidi, WALHI — Friends of the Earth Indonesia, LMND — Liga Mahasiswa Nasional untuk Demokrasi Sulut, change.org Indonesia, Greenpeace Indonesia, JATAM — Jaringan Advokasi Tambang, 350 Indonesia, YLBHI — Yayasan Lembaga Bantuan Hukum Indonesia, YSNM — Yayasan Suara Nurani Minaesa, KIARA — Koalisi Rakyat untuk Keadilan Perikanan, ICW — Indonesia Corruption Watch, Friends of Lembeh-Pulisan-Bangka e.V. and BCF — Bangka Conservation Fund