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PaganWatch

Note: The following are in date order with the most recent items at the bottom.

• April 15, 2004
  Letter from UNMIA President Cinta Kaipat to MPLA Chairperson Ana Demapan-Castro
  This letter, presented to the MPLA board at the April 15th MPLA board meeting on Tinian, asks that no mining activities be considered without the full knowledge of the Northern Islands Mayor's Office and the displaced residents of Pagan.
   
• April 16, 2004 - Marianas Variety
  Pagan Community Says No To Mining Permit
  Cinta writes MPLA to demand that the concerns of the Pagan residents be heard and environmental impact be considered before granting permits to mine Pagan
   
• May 27, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  UNMIA President Cinta Kaipat letter to MPLA
  Cinta reiterates her request to be heard by MPLA who were meeting privately with Azmar supporters
   
• June 3, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  More distortions from Azmar -
  Full text of letter refuting false and misleading statements by Azmar head in the Saipan Tribune
   
• June 9, 2004
  Letter to the 14th Northern Marianas Commonwealth Legislature -
  Letter on behalf of PaganWatch accompanied H.B. 14-204 "The Pozzolan Extraction Act of 2004"
   
• June 11, 2004 - Chamorro.com:
  A Great Day for All of US
  Cinta's posting in the Northern Islands discussion forum after HB 204 "The Pozzolan Extraction Act of 2004" was passed by the CNMI House of Representatives
   
• June 16, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  "HB 204-Next stop: The Senate" -
  Open letter from Cinta on behalf of UNMIA and PaganWatch urging the Senate to ratify HB204
   
• June 22, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Petition asks to suspend Pagan mining -
  Note: After a day and 1/2, the petition had already received nearly 500 signatures
   
• June 22, 2004 - Marianas Variety - Letter to the Editor
  "Cinta's right!"
  Support for Cinta's fight to protect Pagan from the Speaker of the CNMI Youth Congress
   
• June 22, 2004 - Marianas Variety
  Ex-Pagan Residents ask Feds for Help
  Cinta "educates" Interior Department Deputy Secretary for Insular Affairs David Cohen on Pagan issue
   
• June 24, 2004 - Marianas Variety
  Senate to shelve pozzolan mining bill
  Senate President Joaquin G. Adriano ignores the petition by Northern Island residents and supporters and refuses to allow HB 14-204 on the Senate floor for dicussion and vote
   
• June 25, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Fight to protect Pagan from Azmar makes the front page - Photo of Cinta Kaipat with Azmar head Ken Moore at MPLA meeting
   
• July 3, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  MPLA hopes to award mining contract this year
  MPLA MPLA board member Nick Nekai comes out in opposition of task force
   
• July 6, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  "Buying the Azmar lie" -
  PaganWatch lists the reasons why Azmar's bid was turned down
   
• July 6, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  In-house task force endorsed to tackle mining
  Senate Minority Leader comes out in support of a community task force
   
• August 14, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Moments worthy of an Emmy
  MPLA meeting on Pagan mining suddenly adjourned just as Azmar permit appeared about to be rejected
   
• August 14, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Pozzolan Mining on Pagan 'Suspend negotiations, put out RFP'
  MPLA management studying the Azmar proposal makes a thumbs-down to Azmar recommendation to the MPLA Board of Directors
   
• August 14, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  House leadership urges caution on Pagan mining
  House Speaker Benigno Fitial reiterates his concerns as MPLA delays a decision
   
• August 19, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  'Clarification'
  Cinta corrects misconceptions about MPLA's decsion
   
• August 19, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Senate shelves Pagan mining suspension bill
  Senate President and major Azmar supporter Joaquin G. Adriano praises Azmar's proposed "7% for the CNMI" revenue split and "throws away" the House bill calling for a community task force
   
• August 20, 2004 - Marianas Variety
  House to MPLA: Why the rush?
  The House Leadership expresses it's dismay at MPLA extension to Azmar, asks why citizen's petition and unaminous House vote was ignored
   
• August 20, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  An open letter to Cinta
  Encouragement and support from the Traditional Seafaring Society
   
• September 13, 2004 - Marianas Variety
  'Azmar seeks ownership of Pagan artifacts'
  Company employment contract claims ownership of Pagan artifacts and binds employess to hide them
   
• September 16, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  PaganWatch, a violation of your rights and mine
  Azmar founder attempts to indimidate PaganWatch into silence
   
• September 17, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  Azmar's worst nightmare - documented facts
  PaganWatch responds to intimidation attempts and threats by Azmar
   
• October 19, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  The Azmar certificate
  Cinta responds to Azmar's demand that MPLA give them a permit based on a "deal" made by Governor Babauta
   
• November 15, 2004 - Pacific Daily News
  Mining permit considered - A Special Report
  Excellent coverage of the Pagan mining controversy by Guam news agency
   
• November 17, 2004 - Pacific Daily NewsMining permit to be negotiated
  Secret meeting between MPLA and Azmar yields new conditional mining permit
   
• November 19, 2004
  Letter to DOI from PaganWatch
  PaganWatch founders ask Department of Interior to intervene to protect indigenous rights as guaranteed by the Covenant Agreement and the CNMI Constitution
   
• November 23, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Cohen asked to intervene in pozzolan deal
  Cinta describes PaganWatch request
   
• November 30, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  PaganWatch seeks access to MPLA records
  PaganWatch takes legal measures under the "Open Government Act"
   
• December 3, 2004 - Saipan Tribune
  Azmar application junked
  MPLA denies Azmar permit after Azmar fails to meet the terms of the conditional mining permit
   
• December 5, 2004 - Pacific Islands Report
  CNMI Task force to study Pagan mining
  MPLA BOD votes to create task force headed by board member Nick Nekai
   
• December 7, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  A shining bright example
  Cinta responds to Governor Babuta labeling Northern Islands families as "squatters" and also speaks in defense of a member of CNMI's younger generations who was harshly criticized for speaking out in defense of the community's rights.
   
• December 9, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  Transferred Authority
  A well-respected university student stands up for Cinta, PaganWatch and the rights of indigenous people to participate in government and protect their lands
   
• December 10, 2004 - Pacific Daily News
  Board denies permit for mining on Pagan
  Guam news agency coverage includes comments from both camps
   
• December 15, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  PaganWatch looks back and ahead
  A realistic assessment of the group's accomplishments and objectives
   
• December 15, 2004 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  Economic development or resource exploitation
  CNMI community activist Ramon Cing Mafnas looks at the political response to the Pagan fight
   
• December 22, 2004 - Marianas Variety - Forum
  Engaged, informed citizens can make a difference
  Cinta and PaganWatch cited as examples of community empowerment
   
• February 15, 2005 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  No 'strip mining' on Pagan
  Azmar Spokesman Don Farrell launches a personal attack on Cinta Kaipat and accuses her of destroying her late father's dreams
   
• February 18, 2005 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  Pagan? The REAL Environmental Story
  Azmar employee attacks Cinta and PaganWatch and thanks Sen. Joaquin G. Adriano for his continuing attempts to convince MPLA to issue Azmar a permit.
   
• February 22, 2005 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to the Editor
  The truth about Cinta Kaipat
  Ramon Cing Mafnas on Cinta's history and motives in response to Don Farrell's letter
   
• March 4, 2005 - Marianas Variety - Forum
  The real killer of my father's dreams
  Cinta reponds to Azmar spokesman Don Farrell's personal attack and reveals another Azmar lobbyist's role in her father's murder
   
• August 3, 2005 - Saipan Tribune
  PaganWatch: JG Sablan's permit voided
  PaganWatch Attorney F. Matthew Smith cites Open Government Act documents that show permit was voided and demands MPLA publically clarify J G Sablan's permit status
   
• August 10, 2005 - Marianas Variety - Forum
  MPLA hires Azmar
  PaganWatch makes public MPLA's hiring of Azmar's "Finance and Governmental Relations" point man, Jesse Palacios
   
• August 16, 2005 - Saipan Tribune - Letter to Editor
  In response to Glen Palacios
  Cinta responds to Palacios brother's denial of conflict of interest and attack on PaganWatch