Does ‘social licensing’ in mining sector really matter for Papua New Guinea now? What do the mining sector really have for the indigenous people?
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More than 6034 consent forms signed to petition against the Chinese-led Frieda Mine in East Sepik. The consent forms themed as“BAN CHINESE FRIEDA MINE CAMPAIGN” were signed with the help of lawyers who volunteer out to provide all the legal supports needed and students that provide technical supports in handling GPSs and Camera for detailed data production.
The “Ban Frieda Mine” Awareness through collaborative partnership of UPNG Avist Students Association and the project. The project was implemented in Ambunti/Drekikier District. All villages that located along Sepik River and its lakes had turn of the Program. A progressive total of 6034 villagers from 16 years older and above signed their consent to be used petition against Chinese Frieda Mine. |
ONE of the world’s largest underdeveloped copper-gold deposits in the world – The Frieda Mine – on the Frieda River, a tributary of the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea is opposed by local indigenous landowners; the Sepiks and the right thinking Papua New Guineans for possible river system contamination.
The deposit is thought to contain 13 million tonnes of copper and 20 million ounces of gold.
The newly planned gold and copper mine in East Sepik is strongly opposed by communities dwelling right along the length of Papua New Guinea’s longest river system – the Sepik River – that caters for millions of habitants and ecosystem that supports the people, an environmental activists says.
A spokesman for the community environment group known as Project Sepik, Emmanuel Peni, said there was widespread opposition to the mine’s development plan.
“From Iniok village, which is where the barges and ships stop at the Frieda River, right down to the mouth of the Sepik, and all other thinking Papua New Guineans, and Sepik people from all over Sepik are against the mine,” he said.
People are concerned about the possible contamination of the river system and the destruction of the environment along the Frieda and the Sepik River system,” Mr. Peni said.
The East Sepik Provincial Government and the National Government had not yet responded to the concerns and grievances raised by the people.
“Land” in the Papua New Guinea context means the land, rivers, seas and one’s natural environment.
In Madang Province of Papua New Guinea, the landowners of Basamuk, Begesin, Ramu and Kurumbukari villages are affected by the Ramu Nickel Mine in various ways. The Chinese State owned nickel mine has been polluting the beautiful coastal seas of Ramu and people have been displaced of their food gardens and fishing waters.
In a recent documentary known as Uprooted, the people have clearly shown their pain about the river system contamination and environmental destruction caused and fear of losing their land to large scale developments.
The Deep Sea Tailings Placement (DSTP) method of mine waste management and disposal which the Chinese owned Ramu Nickel Mine had proposed and was approved by the Government of Papua New Guinea is causing a lot of environmental destruction and river System contamination.
“I belong to the Government and the Government belongs to me. How can it abandon me? It must do all that it can to ensure that I am able to feed for myself.” A local indigenous landowner said from Madang in an interview with the uprooted documentary.
“It has the ability to do so. But if it chooses not to, then I know the government has no concern for me. We have reached our limits. We have done all we can. They’ve rejected everything we’ve said,” said Martin Dampat, a Mindere landowner in Ramu district.
“We feel we can’t do anything anymore. Some have given up trying,” he added.
“There is a great ‘heaviness’ in all our hearts. I don’t think anyone can remove it from within us. We will go. But our grandchildren bear hardships even greater that what we’re experiencing. They don’t have the land to grow their food. They won’t have an ocean to catch their fish,” another disgruntled landowner said.
“Where will they eat from? Nowhere. Great hardship awaits them. We won’ be able to avoid the troubles that will come. It’s the same sea. Life will be difficult for them too,” John Oma from Ganglau Landowner Company Ltd in Ramu said.
“It’s a fearful feeling when you think about the health effects on people and the inhabitants of the seas. If we are to take action now to tell China: - find an alternative method- I think that’s the right approach. Find an alternative method instead of dumping waste into the sea. We live by the sea,” Sama Mellombo from the Pommern Land Group in Ramu said.
“We get our fish from the sea. If all sorts of pollutants are pumped into the sea, how safe are we?” he added.
“The Government has endorsed the actual deep sea tailings deposit and an environmental plan. I think it is our assurance that the laying down of the pipe will not affect the lives of our people. And the ultimate deposit, from our own Department of Environment and Conservation, Mineral Resources Authority and the Company (Ramu Nickel) are to deal with it as the whole project has been signed and sealed by the National Government and relevant agencies,” Sir Arnold Amet, former Madang Governor said.
“We hear that the Minister has come. We hear that the member has come. We hear that the mine boss has come. But we’re confused. For the people here in Mindere and Ganglau, we feel like we’re about to die because we don’t have a “Father”. Our “Father” – the government isn’t here,” another confused landowner said from Ramu.
“We fear for our children’s future. It’s going to be a long time. When waste dumped here, unborn children could be affected. The Government and the company must pay attention. They cannot ignore us. What kind of a future will our children have? They have to pay attention,” Bong Dampat, a mother and a Mindere villager said.
“When a mining development contract allowed the Chinese to own and operate the mine, there was no concept of safety or environmental standards. It was a “cowboy” operation. You did whatever you wanted and it didn’t matter if you were injured. It seems they came with a set of rules that didn’t comply with the rules of our country.
When construction started, they had toilets where women would simply wash human feces down a PVC pipe into the sea.
When situations like that existed, no responsible government department showed respect for the people and tried to make sure that our laws were complied with. So where is the Government?” Sama Mellombo from the Pommern Land Group in Ramu said.
“Although mining isn’t happening near the Ramu River, there are tributaries from the mine area that lead to the Ramu,” Michael Kasuk, Ramu landowner said.
“We strongly believe that the Ramu will be damaged. That’s why we’re fighting for the government and the company to recognize this potential problem,” he said.
“This is not a fight against development. No. That isn’t why we’re campaigning. We are fighting to protect and save our environment, our forests, our land, our river systems and our seas. Because our existence is connected to the land, forests, river systems and the sea,” Mr. Kasuk added.
Perhaps Papua New Guineans seriously need a ‘social license’ to develop their own resources without Government’s continuous empty promises and extensive negligence of safety and environmental compliance.
