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Foreign investment

Newmont under fire

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

It is no coincidence that JATAM's November meeting was held at the northern tip of Sulawesi.

Protests at PT TEL pulp plant

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Community anger is being directed at the newly completed plant in South Sumatra

The PT TEL paper pulp factory at Muara Enim, South Sumatra was completed in November 1999 and started production trials in December with a view to full production by January 2000.

Foreign investment and ecological justice

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Although it is only three months since President Wahid's government took office, it is becoming clear that foreign investment is the top priority.

Palm oil exports hit by contamination

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

A crisis in the oil palm industry is making a mockery of predictions that exports of the crop will help haul Indonesia out of its economic woes.

Export orders for Indonesian palm oil products fell sharply when the first shipment of palm oil, contaminated with diesel oil, was rejected by buyers in the Netherlands in October last year.

West Papua: Independence and exploitation

Down to Earth No. 44, February 2000

Companies which have profited from Indonesia's iron-fisted rule in West Papua, may be starting to feel jittery as calls for independence grow more insistent.

On December 1st last year celebrations took place in towns all over West Papua to mark the 38th anniversary of independence, declared when the territory was still under Dutch rule.

Mining briefs

Down to Earth No 44, February 2000

Kalimantan: bauxite and uranium

West Kalimantan is being lined up for more environmental damage and social disruption with a new bauxite mine in the feasibility study stage and a uranium deposit under detailed exploration work.

Advance of the biotech giants

Down to Earth No 43, November 1999

Farmers' groups and NGOs supporting them in south-east Asia are concerned that a second Green Revolution is gathering pace, fuelled by advances in genetic engineering. These developments involve close collaboration between international and national research institutions and the private sector – mainly giant biotech companies.