A leading landowner from Basumuk, the site of the Chinese Ramu nickel mine, has given a chilling account on camera of events late last year when his son was seriously injured in an accident during the mine construction.
Pinned to the ground by a tractor, the injured man had to be dragged clear because no lifting equipment or jacks were available. Bleeding profusely and with ruptured muscles and tendons in his upper legs and groin, the Chinese in charge at the mine site refused to call a helicopter to evacuate the man. Instead they locked him in a container for several hours and then sent him on a three hour boat ride to hospital where his genitals had to be amputated.
Sam Mellombo, a Land Group Chairman, also describes how later in the day Chinese mine workers, angered by the landowners fury at the way his son was neglected, attempted to charge the landowners with kung fu kicks and raised bush knifes but were beaten back and themselves suffered several fatalities.
7 Comments
March 5, 2010 at 11:58 am
Those slant eyes have NIL ethics .
YES I meant to call them slant eyes which they are so don’t call me a racist. Their actions at the first place is bloody inhuman and racist. If you call me a dog, I’ll turn around a call you a dog too.
Rausim ol!!!!!!!!
March 5, 2010 at 1:27 pm
I cannot agree with you more. Please use your networks to rally the people of Madang to stand up and oppose the continuation of this mine. If it can be done in Bouganville, it can be done here. My beautiful Madang cannot go to the dogs like this. For far too long, we have sat back and allowed such devils to come and destroy our lives. If the government cannot help us, we must help ourseleves.
March 5, 2010 at 12:50 pm
I am from Amele District in the Madang Province, I’ve known Sama Mellembo during my time as a graduate mining engineer with Highlands Pacific Limited. Sama was the Safety officer then. I’m currently working as a Planning Engineer for BHPBilliton’s largest Iron Ore mine in Newman, Western Australia. This Chinese poorly run mine has got to stop now, please pass this call to the Madang Governor, the mine operations must be stopped, a proper inquiry put in place to investigate all safety/procedure neglects within the company, proper check systems be put in place before commencing operations. If a qualified mining engineer be required for the inquiry, I am making myself available. Please contact me as I am willing to stand up for my beautiful Madang.
Contact email: Lloyd.Kila@bhpbilliton.com
Mob. +61 447577636
March 5, 2010 at 1:23 pm
…..if safety, mine waste disposal and pipeline infrustructure issues and not resloved to internatinally and legally acceptable minining standards then the mine must stop. Please pass this to the Governor. As for the injured worker and the father, do not let it stop there. Please commence legal proceedings against the Mining Company and the State. Clearly the State must be blamed through MRA and the Department of Environment & Conservation for allowing the Mine to proceed resulting in all these issues surfacing. In fact, legal proceedings can be instituted to injunct the mine from proceeding further as it would appear that government laws and statutory requirements in respect of the mine have been beached.
March 5, 2010 at 4:50 pm
all I can say is, if you the workers and the locals of that company are too scared to openly stand and speak out of what sort of human rights issues you are facing, no help is coming your way! Do something, don’t be scared this is your country, your resources, your life. Stand up for what you believe in and don’t be pushed around by a minority group!!!
March 5, 2010 at 6:18 pm
Ramu Nico’s standard is very poor and their treatment towards local workers is very detrimental. They are said to practice ‘work apartheid’. 60 to 70 % of their employees are Chinese even the cleaners – what’s in it for locals?? Chinese practice all over the world shows damadging to local economy and life time environmental and cultural degradation. Once they pollute Basamuk it might be too late. Lets join forces and kick them out! Chinese are broad day light resource rapist!
March 6, 2010 at 8:01 pm
There should be publicity in the Local Newspapers and on TV.This kind of actions by the chinese minining company should be published and the Department of mines requested to investigate with independent observers also present.
These kind of actions by the chinese have gone too far. What ae the reponsible Ministers doing?