ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS PROTEST MINISTER'S ROLE IN MINING|環團控張景森 護航亞泥.架空原基法

On Jun 19, environmental groups and legislators protested in front of the Executive Yuan, accusing Minister without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen of allowing Asia Cement Corporation to apply for a mining extension without indigenous people's consent. Premier Lin Chuan promised that the Executive Yuan will give a full explanation on the matter within a week. The Ministry of Economic Affairs said that the extension's approval was based on joint discussions. ==NS== Holding banners, environmental groups, along with New Power Party legislator Kawlo Iyun, protested against the Executive Yuan's swift approval of Asia Cement Corporation's mining extension in March. Environmental groups accused a meeting led by Minister without Portfolio Chang Ching-sen of disregarding indigenous peoples' rights and advice. The meeting, which was held last November, failed to obtain consent from the indigenous people living in the mining area. == KAWLO IYUN New Power Party legislator== Chang Ching-sen held a meeting at the Executive Yuan. The meeting restricted our rights under the Indigenous Peoples' Basic Law, Article 21. According to Article 21 of the Indigenous Peoples' Basic Law, the government should consult indigenous people and obtain their consent before carrying out developments in their territories. However, the meeting record showed that Chang misrepresented this part of the law. He said that only adding new mining locations and rights required indigenous peoples' consent, that is, an extension to a mining permit is exempt from the regulations. Environmental groups criticized Chang for smoothing the way for Asia Cement Corp. == HSIEH MENG-YU Sec-Gen. Wild at Heart Legal Defense Assn.== The government is so obsequious to conglomerates that it bows and falls to its knees at once. The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized that the meeting was not led by certain officials and the approval was based on joint discussions. The MOEA also emphasized that the cement corporation applied for the mining extension according to law. However, the ministry said that it will ask Asia Cement Corporation to undertake an environmental impact assessment after the Mining Law is amended. == YANG WEI-FUU Vice Minister, Ministry of Economic Affairs== The investigation showed that there was nothing wrong with the executive procedure. However, from now on, cases which have not received environmental impact assessments are required to undertake a make-up assessment. Since Asia Cement Corporation has not received the assessment, it will be asked to do so. Last week, Premier Lin Chuan asked the MOEA to review the executive procedure for extension, although the ministry said the corporation did not violate any regulations. In response to the public's criticism of cement businesses destroying the environment, the MOEA announced that the proportion of cement sold abroad, which is currently over 20 percent, will decrease to below 15 percent. TRANSLATED BY ARIEL HSIEH 上午環團和立委前往行政院抗議，指控政務委員張景森為了護航亞泥，架空「原住民基本法」，使得亞泥在花蓮的新城礦場申請展延時，不需要取得原住民族部落同意就能開發。行政院表示，院長林全已經承諾會在1週內說明亞泥展延案，傍晚經濟部強調，當時行政院的會議，是共同協商的結果。 環團和時力立委高潞以用，在行政院大門拉布條，再次抗議行政院處理亞泥展延案、完全罔顧部落族人權益，環團指控去年11月，張景森等政委主導的研商會議，完全不採納原民會建議，也就是礦權展延必須取得族人同意，因此亞泥才能在今年三月、火速通過展延。 ==時代力量立委 高潞以用== （張景森)在行政院召開了一個會議 然後這個會議呢 去限縮我們原基法21條的權利 環團翻出當時的會議記錄批評政委張景森，扭曲原基法第21條，在該會議做出結論，只有新增的礦權和礦業用地，才須徵得原住民同意，展延則不用，指控明顯是在護航亞泥、替財團解套。 ==台灣蠻野心足生態協會秘書長 謝孟羽== 政府只要遇到財團 他的腰就軟 他的雙膝都跪下來 傍晚經濟部也舉行記者會說明，強調當時行政院的會議，並非由特定官員主導，而是共同協商的結果，並且再次強調亞泥的礦權展延都依法申請，但會要求亞泥在礦業法修法後進行環評。 ==經濟部次長 楊偉甫== 我想調查的結果是我們的程序 並沒有違反法律規定 但是我們現在 已經有一個真正的指示 現在所有未曾辦過環評的案子 都要進行補辦環評的程序 亞泥他還沒有經過環評 所以他當然也要經過 補辦環評的程序 上週行政院長林全要求經濟部，重新檢視亞泥展限案的行政程序，經濟部仍表示，亞泥沒有違反相關規定，但對於深受外界詬病的業者挖水泥破壞環境，卻大量外銷，經濟部宣布外銷的比例，要從原本的超過20%，將來要降到15%以下。 記者黃怡菁 陳立峰 賴冠丞 台北報導