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Gold/Mining/Energy : DIAMONDWORKS DMW.v -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Kevin Hamlin who wrote (212)	1/7/1999 11:58:00 PM
From: Gord Bolton	Respond to of 413

Southernera has withdrawn from the alluvial operations.

To: Kevin Hamlin who wrote (212)	1/8/1999 12:13:00 AM
From: trypod	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 413

Kevin: Here is the full release.Offers a better perspective than one sentance.(only for those too lazy to click on the previous link). Friday, January 8, 1999 Ashton staff killed by rebels in Angolan ambush By LEONIE WOOD in Melbourne Diamond miner Ashton Mining has found itself in the centre of the escalating crisis in Angola after four employees at its new $79 million diamond mining project in the north of the country were ambushed and killed by a small band who were believed to be UNITA rebels. The four men included the British civil engineer, Mr Patrick Bergin, who managed the diamond mine, a Brazilian citizen, Mr Mario Trepechio, and two Angolan guards who were employed by a security firm at the mine. No Australians are employed at the mine, although Ashton employs two Australians in its diamond marketing operations in the Angolan capital of Luanda. The attack on Wednesday came less than two weeks after a transport plane chartered by the United Nations and carrying 14 passengers - including Melbourne lawyer, Mr Patrick Luckman - was shot down over UNITA-held territory. A second UN plane with nine passengers on board was shot down on Saturday. Reports from Angola say UNITA rebels shifted their offensive to the northern provinces around the town of Malanje, which is just west of the mine's vast concession area. Seventeen people in Malanje, 380 kilometres east of Luanda, died as the town came under artillery fire on Wednesday. The latest attack has caused Ashton and its partners in the diamond project to consider pulling out of Angola until the situation stabilises. In Melbourne, Ashton's chief operating officer, Mr Doug Bailey, said the partners would conduct a new, extensive security review just two months after completing a similar review. Ashton owns one-third of the Sociedade de Desenvolvimento Mineiro de Angola SARL (SDM) diamond project, and contributed all the capital. Its partners are a privately owned Brazilian engineering and mine contractor, Odebrecht, and the Angolan Government. The mine's 200 employees are guarded by a 500-strong security force. "We know that the group that caused the trouble is hightailing it to the north of the country with the army in hot pursuit," Mr Bailey said. "Our security will be moving out in the morning along the roads to see if they are safe. If the security in our area deteriorates to the point where we are subject to attacks, then we will leave." Mr Bailey said attacks had been on "soft targets". The partners did not believe the risk warranted shutting down the mine at this stage. "We've had lots of incidents where we have found mines laid on roads, mines have gone up under transport vehicles on roads leading to the concession. Last year we experienced a few incidents which we reported." This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited. Later:Rick