Local communities signal intent to prevent ocean dumping Ramu mine

The  letter, published as a paid annoucement in the PNG's Post Courier newspaper and signed by hundreds of individuals and family groups from over 40 villages inform PNG's politicians who are supporting the mine that they have hand delivered a letter to the Chinese embassy and the Chinese Metallurgical Construction Group informing them of their opposition to the mine and their intent to take all legitimate measures to prevent the project from proceeding.

The landowners who are customary owners of lands and resources along the Rai Coast and Ramu River believe that the development of the Ramu nickel mine violates their rights under the PNG constitution, and have stated in the letter that they withhold their consent from the project.  The advertisment states "be aware that without our consent this project can not and will not proceed."

It states that those who signed agreements have no legitimate power to represent or provide consent, and that they have not been consulted or given consent to the project and will  "absolutely not allow waste to be dumped into our ocean or rivers."

Concerns amongst communities living downstream of the mine and along the coast where a pipeline is proposed to carry waste dumped into the ocean first occurred in 1999 when Highlands Pacific was seeking financing for the mine, and have resurfaced with news that the  Chinese govenrment auspiced company has agreed to take majority ownership of the project.  

The Mineral Policy Institute supports the rights of the indigenous communities involved to give their free and prior informed consent to any development impacting their traditional lands and resources.

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Transcription of the letter as printed in the Post Courier on the 20th OCtoober 2005, addressed to Ambassador Li Zhenjun, Embassy People's Republic of China and Mr Yang Changheng, President, China Metallurgical Construction Corporation

11 October 2005
Dear Sirs:

We write to you as landowners who are the rightful customary owners of lands and resources along the Rai Coast  and  Ramu River.

We wish to formally notify you of our opposition to the Ramu Nickel project and to give you notice that we will be taking all legitimate measures to prevent the project from proceeding.

The development of the Ramu Nickel mine violates rights which are protected under our PNG laws and in our constitution. We do not consent to the development of the project and to MCC’s plans. Please accept this as notice of our intention, and be aware that without our consent this project can not and will not proceed.

The National Government does not have the power to sign any agreement on our behalf. The signatures of landowner association representatives do not represent us or our various clans.  Those who signed do no have any legitimate power to represent us or provide our consent.

We have not been consulted, we have not given our consent and we will not give our consent for this project to proceed. We will not let it access our lands, or its pipelines to cross our lands. We will not allow limestone to be removed from our land and we will ABSOLUTELY NOT allow waste to be dumped into our ocean or rivers.

We support the conclusions of the National Fisheries Authority of PNG, which confirmed that the project is ‘economically, environmentally and socially unsustainable project and can not be allowed to proceed.’

We have God given rights to safeguard our lands, livelihoods and future, and these rights are legally protected.   We will not wait to be victims of this mining project, like the communities along the Ok Tedi and Fly Rivers whose environments have been destroyed.

Let us be very clear - we will not allow you to risk our children’s future for your profits and if you choose to proceed with plans for Ramu Nickel we will be forced to take action to prevent your illegal and destructive mining project.. 

Yours Sincerely
 (list of names)

For more information, please contact:

Techa Beaumont


Workphone: +61 2 9557 9019
Mobile: +61 409 318 406

Created: 01 Jan 1970 | Last updated: 29 Oct 2005

This page: http://www.mpi.org.au/ regions/pacific/png/lettertoChinese/

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