Indian miner files $560 mln claim against Indonesia

Indian Metals And Ferro Alloys

18/11/2015 06:12

JAKARTA, Nov 18 (Reuters) - Indian Metals and Ferro Alloys 
Ltd  IMFA.NS  has filed a nearly $600 million claim against 
Indonesia in international court, alleging that overlapping 
mining permits have disrupted its operations, a government 
official said. 
    The Permanent Court of Arbitration will hold a hearing on 
the case in Singapore on Dec. 6, said Heriyanto, director for 
legal affairs at Indonesia's mining ministry. 
    "We are being sued for 7.7 trillion rupiah ($560 million) 
because they are unable to carry out production," Heriyanto told 
reporters. 
    "They are holding mining business permits but they cannot 
produce because they overlap with seven other permits in East 
Barito, Tabalong and South Barito." 
    IMFA officials were not immediately available for comment.   
  
    Land disputes and overlapping permits for plantation and 
mining operations are a common problem in Indonesia as various 
government agencies use different maps and data. 
    President Joko Widodo's administration is trying to resolve 
the problems caused by overlapping permits by finalising an 
official map that shows the nation's geographical features in 
greater detail. 
    Previous administrations have made similar attempts at a 
so-called one-map policy but with little success.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1353BR 
         
($1 = 13,770 rupiah) 
 
 (Reporting by Wilda Asmarini; Writing by Randy Fabi; Editing by 
Tom Hogue) 
 ((Randolph.Fabi@thomsonreuters.com; +62 21 2992 7601; Reuters 
Messaging: randolph.fabi.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: INDONESIA IMFA/