FIELD NEWS: Ramu nickel mine

The current plan is to dump the mine’s waste into the pristine Bismark Ramu sea, one of the most important tuna fisheries in the region and civil unrest is brewing. Erosion is already polluting the pristine Ramu river, which is the life-blood for tens of thousands of people who rely on it for water and food. 

MPI travelled with the delegation of Kanak leaders from New Caledonia which included the President of the Customary Senate and a local leader who has led the campaign against the huge Goro Nickel mine. They shared their experiences gained from dealing with mining impacts in their country with the PNG locals. MPI and Kanaky delegation presentations at the conference were broadcast on the national radio station and received good coverage in PNG newspapers.

MPI has been working with the Kanak people for about 5 years, and we’ve managed to stop proposals to dump tailings into the seas. Earlier this year negotiations took place between Kanak leaders and the proponent mining company in relation to a range of concerns.

There is still a long way to go before we achieve this in Madang, but hearing the success stories from across the Pacific has given local people the confidence that they can ensure this development occurs according to their terms.

We’ve had a busy schedule to ensure that the local leaders and their communities can access the information they need, to protect their land, people, and traditional way of life by learning from the experience of fellow Melanesians who are few steps ahead in their own struggles. 

Together with a marine biologist from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), we  travelled six hours return on  a small dingy to Bagabag island to talk with communities whose seas are threatened by the first deep sea mining proposal in the world. A few days later we went to talk to the first forum of resource owners from across the entire Madang province in a small village called Gildipasi. 

Photo: Chief of Gildipasi village

Indigenous people in PNG have impressive legal rights but little education is provided to teach them of their entitlements. We explained how things work elsewhere in the world, that companies sign binding agreements with Indigenous people that guarantee a range of environmental, social, cultural and economic outcomes. The Kanaks talked about what they have achieved and described elements of their campaign including protests and legal action. They explained how MPI has provided the Kanak people with
support to attend mining company Annual General Meetings and communicate their plight to the international media.

People here are desperate to get their message out to the corporations, financiers and others who are affecting their lands and traditional way of life. They have been grateful for this opportunity to hear success stories from others faced with the same problems.

Local people from Gildipasi held a special cultural event to encourage their community to practice and teach culture to younger generations as part of a wider discussion on what to do about resource development threats that they face.

Meanwhile I was mauled by sandflies and haven’t stopped itching for days, but everyone else seems better acclimatized. I guess someone has to provide the comic relief for the locals!

Photo: Techa Beaumont and the Kanak delegation with local attendees at the Madang Resource Owners Forum in Gildipasi.

At the end of my journey I will be heading out to a small island off Weewak to assist some Chiefs opposed to exploration by an Australian mining company on their lands. Then finally to Porgera to do some final investigations for  MPI’s soon to be released report on the human rights abuses around the mine site in the highlands where security guards have been shooting at local artisanal miners.

All this in less than three weeks on the ground! But no time to rest, I have a full list of research and support requests and lots of follow up to do, so we can make sure that out of site isn’t out of mind for those Aussie mining companies operating in remote parts of PNG.

Techa Beaumont

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