Thanks for clearing that up Gwaihir. I’d like to add that I do not believe RAP to be the risk many believe it to be, with the odd down-ramper trying to play it up (which is why I was suspicions of you, I hope you took no offence?).
My reasoning is based on pure logic and economics, please allow me to explain;
We aren’t talking about arable farmlands or historical tribal lands;
- Land; The below pictures (attached link) from Euroz of the Epanko site confirms my point. The land is semi-arid to arid with small plots hardly worth farming, or even living for. Most of the flora (I’m also an avid gardener, permaculturalist to be specific) is hardy grasses and scrub type bushes which only grow in irregular rainfall, poor soils and offer minimal, if any nutrition value for grazing animals. This confirms my opinion of the questionable farmland. It is not suitable to regular crop rotations or anything other than subsistence farming. The picture of the road is further evidence of this, a bulldozer has carved into the mountain and you can see the rocky and sandy nature of the soil-structure. It appears to have minimal organic material and almost zero water retention capabilities. All in all the locals are more likely to be subsistence farmers, living from year to year, with the odd drought making their life almost unbearable. You can build wealth from deep and rich soils, but not from the land we’re talking about. Unless you’re a graphite company!
- Historical ties; My final point, which is a flow on from the above, is the locals. The government doesn’t recognise anyone’s tribal claims to this area for a very good reason, there are none. The locals who reside in and around the Epanko area aren’t thousand year old tribes, but migrants, looking for a better life or land of their own.
I believe a combination of two will mean the 4 families (yes, we’re only talking about 4 families!) will happily uproot their life in search of a better life, and land, elsewhere. Which was what originally brought them to Epanko.
http://www.kibaranresources.com.au/irm/PDF/1926/EurozResearchNote
