Australia: Green activists fight back on carbon tax repeal | Asian Correspondent

Australia: Green activists fight back on carbon tax repeal | Asian Correspondent
 Rowena Dela Rosa Yoon Jul 17, 2014

Australia’s Coalition Government is celebrating the repeal of carbon tax which was voted down in a Senate marathon today.  It is a landmark victory for Prime Minister Tony Abbott since he assumed office last year. From day one, he wanted to abolish clean energy legislations which the previous Labor Government had enacted.

The Clean Energy Legislation (Carbon Tax Repeal) Bill 2013 [No. 2] was voted down last week, July 10, after  crossbench senators under the Palmer United Party (PUP) joined the opposition block. But Abbott was relentless over the weekend. He worked with PUP leader Clive Palmer to sort out a last minute amendment. 

Prime Minister Tony Abbott celebrates victory over carbon tax dumping. (Photo: Supplied)

The repeal bill was defeated in both houses of the Parliament since Abbott introduced the proposed legislation.  Last week, the bill reached a double dissolution trigger, but Abbott was determined to quash the tax once and for all.

On Monday, the Senate resumed deliberations and in the final vote on Thursday, the senators from the PUP backflipped as expected.  They voted for the repeal, along with Motoring Enthusiast Senator Ricky Muir, Family First Senator Bob Day, Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and Democratic Labour Party Senator John Madigan. Labor and the Greens voted against.

The jubilant prime minister reiterated the tax is a big obstacle to businesses and a hand brake to the national economy. “We are honouring our commitments to you and building a strong and prosperous economy for a safe and secure Australia,” he enthused. He said it would save the average family $550 a year and the first benefits would be seen in coming power bills although oppositions and observers said the savings is unclear and without consensus.

Greens Leader Senator Christine Milne (Photo: AAP)

While Abbott is celebrating, Greens Leader Christine Milne condemned the government and crossbench senators for “the legacy of their political career”. Milne declared the vote  a “failure” that would see Australia a “global pariah” and” backwater” going against the flow while other countries marched towards pricing carbon and stronger action on climate change. Labor senator Lisa Singh said with one vote, Australia had moved backwards and it “will today be a laughing stock to the rest of the world”.

Conservationists, grassroots to fight back

Grassroots declare Thrusday as the black day for the planet. They said Australia is the first country in the world to repeal a carbon tax, with no clear carbon emissions plan being put in place.

GetUp! takes Twitter to vent anger and frustration.

GetUp is now galvanising a campaign that would be ”the largest open letter in Australia’s history”  condemning Australian government’s inaction on climate change.  The group has already gathered more than 73,600 signatures as of noon time on Thursday.

Rallies are already being scheduled on important dates when governments around the world meet to tackle climate change, including a United Nations meeting in New York this coming September, G20 summit in Brisbane in November, and Conference of Parties in Paris next year.

The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) joins conservationists across the nation to express dismay over the dumping of carbon tax. In an email to supporters, the ACF said,

Today our government failed us. The senate just voted to repeal our working price on carbon pollution. You, with Australia’s leading scientists, economists, health experts, firefighters and ambulance workers fought loud and clear to keep our climate safe. But the senate didn’t listen to us. Instead they chose to listen to big polluters and abolish our carbon price.

Now is the time to show Australia that while the government voted against climate action, we won’t give up. In Bono’s words “The power of the people is greater than the people in power”.

Greenpeace Australia Pacific also expressed disappointment on the government for making Australia the first country in the world to abolish a price on carbon. It told supporters that as the rest of the world moves to tackle climate change, “the Australian government is doing everything it can to remain wedded to fossil fuels.” It urged Australians, “to come together and take action to secure a cleaner, healthier safer future.”

Philippines rebels suffer major losses in attack | Asian Correspondent

Philippines rebels suffer major losses in attack | Asian Correspondent
 Edwin Espejo Jul 15, 2014

At least 13 New People’s Army rebels were killed in a failed attack against a former comrade early Tuesday morning in the Mindanao province of Agusan del Sur, the military said.

The rebels reportedly targeted Calpito ‘Datu Calpit’ Egua, who has turned into gold mining and is said to be maintaining his own militiamen.

Datu Calpit’s gold mining operations are based in Sta. Irene village in Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

Fierce encounters were also reported in at least two more locations in the province as the rebels engaged government troops sent to pursue the rebels.

One NPA rebel was killed in Hamogaway in Baygugan when they encountered government rebels as they retreated.   An M16 Armalite rifle with M-203 grenade launcher was recovered from the dead rebel.

The military source later said in a text message that the rebels left 12 dead bodies in Sta. Irene.

The same source said the rebels had already withdrawn from the area but fighting still rages in the mountains where the rebels who have broken into smaller units fled.

Also reportedly recovered from the encounter site were 3 M-16 rifles and 4 AK-47s.

Datu Calpit was slightly wounded after he and his men fought off the attacking rebels, according to the military spot report.

“Basta daghan patay, lakip na ang mga goons ni Datu Calpit,” said civilian source who requested anonymity for security reasons. (There were many dead, including goons of Datu Calpit)

Residents said they heard loud explosions and gunfire.

The national near the encounter site along the Agusan-Davao road are now open to vehicular traffic after it was closed early in the morning when the fighting spilled over to the national highway connecting the cities of Davao and Butuan.

There are no immediate statements from the rebel forces.

The attack came a week after NPA rebels also attacked Alegria town in Surigao del Norte.

The communist rebels overran the town’s police station but 2 NPAs were slain in the attack.

The NPAs however took 4 police officers as hostages.

Maria Malaya, spokesperson of the NPA’s North Eastern Mindanao Command said one rebel died during the siege and another was slain when the escape truck they were riding ran out of gas along the highway where policemen caught up with them.

The Maoist-inspired NPAs have been conducting a guerrilla war in the Philippine countryside for over 45 years.

It is Asia’s longest-running communist insurgency.

Malaysian authorities accused of human rights violations | Asian Correspondent

Malaysian authorities accused of human rights violations | Asian Correspondent
 Rowena Dela Rosa Yoon Jul 15, 2014

The local police in Gebang, Malaysia have been accused of suppressing basic human rights following the illegal arrests of civilians who are protesting against the Lynas Advanced Materials Plant (LAMP), an Australian-owned rare earths mining company.

Civilians call for the release of detained protesters. (Photo: Himpunan Hijau)

Over a dozen of protesters were arrested on June 22, including Australian environmental defender Natalie Lowry. She was released earlier and she is now back in Sydney safe and sound.

However, not all the protesters were freed in good faith. Last week, six were released on three conditions – bail amounting to RM 2,500 (€576) each, a ban from posting on social media, and monthly reporting at the local police station.

The six are members of the Himpunan Hijau (Green Assembly), a Malaysian environmental movement protesting against Lynas. They were detained on charges of illegal assembly and rioting following their participation in the protest calling for the company to cease work on the plant and leave Malaysia.

The group opposes the operations of Lynas plant, which the group claims produces tonnes of toxic waste.

A couple joins the rally against Lynas. (Photo: Himpunan Hijau)

Two protesters were hospitalised after the protest and  a human rights defender sustained serious injuries in the head, resulting in concussion, according to reports. All were charged were violating the country’s penal code.

The lawyer for the human rights defenders rejected the conditions, arguing that the injunction is an unconstitutional infringement of  the right to freedom of expression. The case hearing will resume on September 2.

Front Line Defenders is concerned that the charges and bail conditions are targeting the protesters  in order to obstruct and limit their human rights, specifically their campaign to protect the environment of the local community in Kuantan.

A photo taken during the detention of Natalie Lowry. (Photo: Himpunan Hijau)

Front Line Defenders has urged the authorities in Malaysia to immediately drop all charges against the 15 human rights activists.

Thai navy opens submarine center, but lacks subs | Asian Correspondent

Thai navy opens submarine center, but lacks subs | Asian Correspondent
 AP News Jul 07, 2014

BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand’s navy has inaugurated a state-of-the-art headquarters and training center for its submarine squadron, even though it lacks any vessels to command.

The squadron and its facilities, including a submarine simulator from Germany, was established Monday at an existing naval base in Sattahip, east of Bangkok on the Gulf of Thailand.

The navy, which has had no submarines in its fleet since 1951, has been seeking for several years to acquire some, but has faced budgetary restraints. It says the new facilities are needed to be prepared for the future.

Recent maritime territorial disputes have caused several Asian nations to consider acquiring or expanding submarine fleets.

Junta halts expansion plans at main Thai airport; BKK falls in travel ranking | Asian Correspondent

Junta halts expansion plans at main Thai airport; BKK falls in travel ranking | Asian Correspondent
 Casey Hynes Jul 05, 2014

Passengers at Thailand's Suvarnabhumi Airport. Pic: AP

Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) suspended plans earlier this week for an expansion of Bangkok’s popular Suvarnabhumi Airport. Mekhanin Petchplai, a managing director of Airports of Thailand, said an NCPO panel on public spending “advised the airport authorities to ‘reconsider’ the plan and make it more transparent,” according toKhaosod.

Lt Gen Anantaporn Kanchanarat, head of the committee, said “the estimated 60 billion baht project was too expensive, despite the upgrade being necessary,” according to the Bangkok Post.

Though more oversight and transparency on public spending on the expansion may be a good thing, the airport already operates beyond its capacity and an expansion would ease the burden. Fifty-one million passengers use the airport each year, though the airport was built to accommodate 45 million.

“We are willing to comply with every policy of NCPO. If they want us to adjust the plan, we are willing to do so,” Khaosod quoted Mekhanin as saying. He also said he will move the expansion along to be completed in 2015, allowing the airport to increase its capacity to 60 million passengers.

Channel News Asia reported that despite the suspension on the Suvarnabhumi expansion, Airports of Thailand (AOT) will go ahead with plans to increase the capacity at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport. Suvarnabhumi primarily handles international flights, while Don Mueang serves domestic and regional carriers such as Nok Air and Air Asia. Anyone who has ever spent a few hours in DMK has likely experienced heavy crowds and a decidedly less comfortable experience than at Suvarnabhumi (though the service is efficient). Improvements at the airport will allow DMK to better handle the “soaring number of air passengers” traveling through there. DMK “is expected to serve 18 million passengers this year and its improvement should then raise its capacity to more than 30 million passengers annually,” Mekhanin said, according to Channel News Asia.

An upgrade to DMK’s Terminal 2 is scheduled to be completed this October, the Bangkok Post reported, which should allow for a passenger increase from 18 million to 30 million.

Mekhanin did note that numbers are down for air passengers traveling through Thailand, likely due to the volatile political situation. Khaosod said Mekhanin “expected that growth in the number of visitors to Thai airport would only stand at 2-3% by the end of 2014, which is far lower than the 9% rise from last year, as well as the 6.5% growth enjoyed by other airports in the Asia-Pacific region this year.” The Bangkok Post noted that several Thai airports saw a dip in passenger numbers this year, due to an earthquake in Chiang Rai and bombings in the deep south.

That paper also quoted Mekhanin as saying 1.3 billion baht from the 2015 budget will be used to upgrade a number of popular airports and better equip staff to “cope with the increasing risks posed by terrorism, natural disasters and contagious diseases.” For instance, contingency plans for tsunamis and earthquakes will be worked out for Phuket and Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, respectively.

In other Thailand travel news, Bangkok fell from its spot as Travel + Leisure Magazine’s number one city to visit in the world. Bangkok didn’t even rank in the top 10 worldwide on the 2014 list, though it came in at number three on the list of top cities in Asia. Kyoto took over the number one spot on both lists, and Siem Reap came in fourth in the world. Three mainland Chinese cities and Hong Kong made the Asia list, as did Singapore, Hanoi, Tokyo, and of course Siem Reap and Kyoto.

Thai Junta Compares its Coup to Burma’s 1988 Crackdown

Thai Junta Compares its Coup to Burma’s 1988 Crackdown
AMY SAWITTA LEFEVRE / REUTERS| Friday, July 4, 2014

BANGKOK — Thailand’s military on Friday compared its seizure of power in May to restore stability after months of unrest to the brutal crackdown by Burma’s former junta in 1988 to snuff out a pro-democracy movement.

Tanasak Patimapragorn, supreme commander of Thailand’s armed forces (L), welcomes Burma’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing during a visit to Bangkok. (Photo: www.nationtv.tv)

Thailand’s military justified its intervention by the need to restore stability after months of unrest and demonstrations by pro and anti-government protesters.

Perhaps unwittingly, the deputy chief of the Thai junta likened its seizure of power to one of the darkest chapters in the rule of Burma’s junta, its crushing of pro-democracy protests in 1988 when at least 3,000 people were killed.

“Myanmar’s government agrees with what Thailand is doing in order to return stability to the nation. Myanmar had a similar experience to us in 1988, so they understand,” said Tanasak Patimapragorn, supreme commander of Thailand’s armed forces, following a visit to Bangkok by Burma’s army chief General Min Aung Hlaing.

Burma’s junta stepped aside in 2011 after nearly five decades of repressive rule and a nominally civilian government full of former military people has pushed through political reforms, freeing hundreds of political prisoners and unmuzzling the press.

In contrast, Thailand’s army seized power after months of street protests designed to oust elected Prime Minister Yingluck Shinwatra.

It has effectively banned criticism by the media and arrested pro-democracy protesters for such innocuous acts as reading books in public that are critical of totalitarian regimes, such as George Orwell’s “1984”.

Yingluck was found guilty of abuse of power and ordered to step down by a court on May 7 in what her supporters say was a move by the military-backed royalist establishment to eliminate her family’s political influence. The coup on May 22 cleared out what was left of her government.

The visit by Burma’s military commander, General Min Aung Hlaing, marks the second by a foreign official since the coup, after that of Malaysia’s defense minister.

Thai officials have visited other Asian countries such as China and Cambodia to seek support as a counterweight to the condemnation of Western countries. The United States and European Union have both downgraded diplomatic ties.

Thailand has been sharply divided since 2006 when Yingluck’s brother, then premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by the army. Critics, mostly drawn from the Bangkok-based conservative establishment, said he had abused power and harbored republican aspirations, accusations he denied.

Dissent Silenced

On Thursday the military said it had drafted an interim constitution but gave no details on its content. Winthai Suvaree, a spokesman for the ruling National Council for Peace and Order, told reporters the charter would be submitted for royal endorsement this month.

The junta has begun an overhaul of the electoral system and leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha has said elections could take place by late 2015.

The junta has all but silenced dissent by detaining hundreds of activists, academics, journalists and politicians, many at undisclosed locations, before releasing them on condition they do not criticize the regime.

The small anti-coup protests seen immediately after the coup have fizzled out in recent weeks.

A rally on Friday outside the U.S. embassy in Bangkok to show support for Washington’s decision to downgrade ties with Thailand attracted a dozen people, a Reuters reporter said.

Some were taken to police stations for questioning while others were simply asked by troops to produce identity papers.

Under martial law, public gatherings of more than five people are banned.

In the first conviction related to anti-coup activity, a Bangkok court sentenced a protester on Thursday to a one-month suspended jail term and a $190 fine for violating the law.