Bangka Island Sulawesi - if you havent dived it yet, go now

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Wingy

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Seems like the now four year old fight against unprofitable mining of Bangka isnt going away. Wonder if any of the ops at Bangka care to comment on this article

Last Chance to See? | Jakarta Expat

I love Bangka and Sauhong Pinacles should be on most travelling divers list IMO. If you havent been there.....dont overlook it, might not be there when you try and find it :(
 
Wow. I really hope it does not comes to that. Thanks for bringing this to my attention. Gonna bump it up on my list of places to dive.
 
Yikes. There's a recent update at the above linked article:

UPDATE: Police threatened to open fire on February 18, 2014, to disperse fishermen attempting to prevent a ship from transporting excavators and mining equipment to Bangka Island, witnesses said.

Personnel from the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) anti-riot police were aboard the LST ship, which was also escorted by a mainland militia group of thugs for hire called Brigade Manguni. Some of the militia had been sent to Bangka the previous day as part of the effort intimidate the islanders into accepting the illegal mining operation.

Local fishermen came out in their boats in an effort to stop the ship from bringing the mining equipment. Police raised their guns to scare them away and the ship eventually managed to land at Bangka.

The security officials are now in “negotiations/intimidation process with the villagers”, said one local source. Islanders fear there will be bloodshed because corrupt politicians in North Sulawesi are intent on profiting from the destruction of the island.

The Supreme Court’s ruling that Bangka Island cannot be mined remains valid, yet is being ignored by the police and North Sulawesi’s government.
“This is where we have been living for generations. These waters feed us and we will defend the island and its waters from any mining threat, as we want that our children will still have a future here,” said William Hadinaung, one of the elders of Kahuku village.

“We won’t be resettled, and we rather die now in the fight than we die slowly watching the mining company blowing up our home island,” he added.

More info here: http://news.mongabay.com/2014/0219-lbell-bangka-island-mine-protest.html
 
Thanks for the update - hope the NSWA gets onboard.....seems doubtful that much can be done as the Indo govt seems intent on letting the mining go ahead asap :(
 
Oh I miss this thread..:(

I just submitted a new thread on my diving report of Bangka Island (include some photos of pygmy seahorses etc.). It is beautiful there. Lots of potential. It is sad that the island will be mined..

Anyway, my report is here - Bangka Island: An Island under Threat | ~indahs on travel~ and perhaps I should delete the thread that I just submitted :(
 
No please dont delete your article...ive just started reading it - excellent work. It is incredibly beautiful there, I dont understand why so many people bypass it when they are in the area. The strip mining will absolutely screw the island, let alone the impact on the people. Forcing relocation of these people would be disgusting. I fished with them on a surface interval (wierdest surface interval ever..ok, now we have to go and help haul in fish) and they are very proud and staunch people who are in tune with the environment. Theres not many islands like Bangka with such biodiversity topside and under the sea (the underwater topography is a result of both earthquake upthrust - the stepped areas are ancient lava deposits) its really top class diving. Thanks for your article, its great. I think I need to book a trip to Bangka again real soon.
 
Thank you Wingy! Wow, fishing during the surface interval! It must be an interesting experience ever :)

Hopefully the mining plan will be discontinued, but I am afraid the regent will try really hard to proceed the mining, I have read that he has 35% share of the mining investment..
 

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