State urged to hold off project agreement on Frieda

The National aka The Loggers Times | November 30, 2016

A LAWYER and a former MP have urged the Government to hold off the project agreement on the Frieda copper and gold project until after the general election next year.

Former Maprik MP in East Sepik Sir Pita Lus and lawyer Alois Jerewai said it should be left to the leaders elected in 2017.

“The mandate of the Government and the East and the West Sepik provincial governments have only less than one year to expire.

“Therefore the decision in relation to the terms and conditions of the Frieda mine project must be left to the leaders after the 2017 general elections,” Jerewai said.

“It concerns us that the Government under the stewardship of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is rushing to have the Frieda mine brought into operation to sustain the seriously falling economy of Papua New Guinea at any cost.”

He said the biggest cost would be the ecological impact on the Sepik River basin and the tributaries which support and sustain almost half a million of people.

“In the event that the mine is rushed into operation without proper scrutiny by our current leaders, the Sepik people will be the ones who will suffer the most,” Jerewai said.

Sir Pita called on the Government, the Mineral Resource Authority and the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority to provide the proposed or the actual mine waste management and disposal plan to the provincial governments for assessment by their own scientists and engineers.

Exxon-Mobil police accused of reprisal attack in Hela province

Hela Province Tribesmen Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

Radio New Zealand is reporting [see below] that a police mobile squad employed by Exxon Mobil as security for its LNG project, has carried out a reprisal attack on innocent villagers in Papua New Guinea’s Hela Province.

A local Red Cross field worker says the police burnt almost 200 houses and destroyed property and livestock in retaliation for an earlier attack on a VIP convey that resulted in one death.

“Then the next morning, LNG security police, hired by (the LNG project developer) ExxonMobil – because one of the policemen that was injured was LNG security police – so they came up and they went for a raid, burning all properties,” he said.

“They went extreme, and even innocent people’s properties (were burnt), not the warriors’ place only.”

A local police commander has admitted, but downplayed the incident. According to Michael Welly, Hela Provincial Police Commander,

“Obviously they went and everybody hid them, so obviously one or two houses were put up in flames, yeah.”

Police mobile squads areare notorious for their violence and human rights abuses PNG, in many cases these are connected with major resource extraction industries.

Situation tense in PNG’s Hela after convoy attack

Radio New Zealand | 29 November 2016

The Komo region in Papua New Guinea’s Hela Province remains tense after a deadly ambush on a convoy carrying MPs last week, according to the provincial police commander.

The attack was related to a tribal conflict and represents a near miss for the Komo Magarima MP, Francis Potape, who is also the Hela Governor, and the Higher Education Minister Francis Marus.

Last Tuesday, their convoy came upon a blockade in the remote region and the MPs’ vehicle was eventually forced to turn around.

However, a man in another of the convoy’s vehicles was identified as an enemy by the tribesmen manning the blockade and was forced out of the vehicle and shot at point blank range.

Another man from Tari died in a subsequent shootout, said Michael Welly, the Hela provincial police commander.

Mr Welly said that the next day police went to Ligame, where the suspects are from, but were unable to capture the men.

“When police went in, they all ran away into the bush. As you can imagine, it’s very difficult running after someone in the bush,” he said. “They’re still at large, but we know who the main suspects are and hope to have them apprehended some time later. But for now the situation is still tense.”

Claim of police reprisal

Meanwhile, the police mobile unit has been accused of launching a reprisal in their pursuit of the perpetrators after the deadly attack.

A local Red Cross field worker, Isaac Pulupe, said the tribal warriors who conducted the ambush were from Ligame.

“Then the next morning, LNG security police, hired by (the LNG project developer) ExxonMobil – because one of the policemen that was injured was LNG security police – so they came up and they went for a raid, burning all properties,” he said.

“They went extreme, and even innocent people’s properties (were burnt), not the warriors’ place only.”

Isaac Pulupe said almost 200 houses in Ligame were burnt or destroyed along with much of the village’s property and livestock.

However, Mr Welly played down this suggestion, explaining that the police mobile squad was asked to go to Ligame to search for the suspects.

“Obviously they went and everybody hid them, so obviously one or two houses were put up in flames, yeah.”

PNG Cabinet yet to receive coal power plant bid

Rosalyn Albaniel | Post Courier | November 29, 2016

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says cabinet has not received any proposal on the coal-fired power plants that Australian-based company, Mayur Resources, is proposing to establish to remedy the country’s power deficiencies.

Mr O’Neill was responding to questions on the proposal by Australian company Mayur Resources to build three coal-fired power stations in the country. Furthering its implications is the climate change initiatives PNG has signed up to.

Mayur Resources is proposing to build three of what it says are multi-fuel facilities with clean coal technology and not standard coal-fired power plants.

The first has been earmarked for Lae city and which will supply 50 megawatts of electricity at a cost between K300 million and K400 million using coal that would be mined and shipped from Gulf Province.

The other two power stations will be built in Madang and Port Moresby.

Mr O’Neill said it was early days still to jump to any conclusion as to whether this was going to be an issue that would be bad for the country.

However, Mr O’Neill said advice would be sought from appropriate experts including from Conservation and Environment Protection Authority before any conclusive decision was reached on this project.

“It is quite obvious that coal generated energy is much cheaper than even hydro, gas and everything else and that is why countries like Australia and all the other big countries like Japan and India are using coal today as we speak.

“We must have an open mind but yes we are signatories to the climate change outcomes including COP21 and we will have to comply with them.

“We have already accepted that through Parliament and we have no choice but to work within that framework,” Mr O’Neill said.

Bougainville Community Leaders and Landowners condemn illegal Chinese Gold Dredging

Reports from the area say that a fair-size gold dredge has been installed on the tailings to suck up tailings material from which gold is extracted for export by the company.

Bougainville News | 24 November 2016

Landowners at the Panguna Mine Tailings areas in Central Bougainville have called on the Autonomous Bougainville Government to immediately close down the “illegal” Gold Dredging operation by a Chinese company operating on their land without proper authorization by the appropriate authorities of the government.

The call by the landowners is drawing support from the Southern and Northern Regions of Bougainville.

Community leaders , Clarence Pokona, and Chris Siriosi from Central and Northern Regions of Bougainville respectively have expressed concern that requests by landowners and the wider Bougainville community to ABG leadership for an explanation on how the investment was approved without proper technical evaluation from relevant agencies who had the expertise, continues to be ignored by the ABG leadership.

Additionally, the company has established an office on site and a compound for it’s foreign workers. These premises and gold dredging facility are said to be heavily guarded by security.

“This company is operating without proper authorization in contravention of the appropriate investment and mining laws, said Mr Siriosi.

“It appears as if they were deliberately allowed into the tailings area of the Panguna Mine under the guise of producing bricks to undertake an alluvial gold mining operation… This is totally unacceptable

Mr Pokona said that according to Landowners from the area, Joe Sipu and Dominic Sipu, the company involved in the dredging operation was 95 percent foreign-owned with 5 percent share-holding apportioned to certain landowners and ABG.

“The company Jaba Joint Development Limited was allowed into the area by the ABG Commerce Minister, Fidelis Semoso [Semoso has a history of corrupt behaviour] under the pretext of making bricks. However the bricks they produced were of inferior quality and were found to be unsuitable for use in buildings and structures because the sand from the tailings was contaminated with material waste from the mine upstream”, Mr Pokona said.

“We were unaware that they had been processing gold until recently when the dredge was brought in.”

Mine workers in Fiji not covered by Health and Safety laws

Mine workers in Fiji are not covered by Occupational Health and Safety Laws

Union: Miners not covered

Felix Chaudhary | The Fiji Times | November 26, 2016

THE mining sector is not covered under the country’s Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation, an issue that the Fiji Trades Union Congress is very concerned about.

FTUC national secretary Felix Anthony said miners had been promised they would have their own OHS laws since 2007, and yet, nothing had been done.

Employment, Productivity and Industrial Relations Minister Jone Usamate confirmed the mining industry was not covered under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1996.

Mr Usamate said the Act applied to all workplaces in Fiji except workplaces or operations connected with the Mining Act, Quarries Act, Explosives Act and Petroleum (Exploration and Exploitation) Act.

“The mining industry is not covered under the health and safety at Work Act as this law deals with health and safety in general whereas in mining, there are industry specific characteristics or risks that are specific to it,” he said.

“The competencies required for mine inspectorates are industry specific whilst OHS inspectors have general health and safety competencies and the mining industry operates under stringent risk management systems that are unique to the mining industry.

“I will look into this issue ensuring at all times that the best interests of Fiji as a whole are our priority.”

Mr Anthony said mine employees worked in a dangerous industry.

“The risk of injury and even death is extremely high and there are no OHS laws to govern their workplace,” he said.

“We are very concerned about the working condition of workers in the mining industry and call on the Government to look into the matter with urgency.”

Fiji mine villagers to invest $1m

The horizon on the mountain top seen behind Inosi Masivava the head of yavusa maururu of Nadua Village will be the third bauxite mining site in Bua. Picture: SERAFINA SILAITOGA

Serafina Silaitoga | The Fiji Times | November 23, 2016

A LARGE sum of the premium payment of $1.8 million for the third bauxite mine in Bua will be invested.

Members of the yavusa Maururu of Nadua Village and landowning unit of the new bauxite mine at Wainunu have agreed to invest most of the funds for their future generations.

Yavusa head Inosi Masivava said they were working with the iTaukei Land Trust Board about these issues.

“We will invest $1m and we have discussed options for investment, but it has to happen because our decisions today will have an impact on our future generations,” he said.

“All 22 members of our yavusa have agreed to this because we know that investing money increases our savings.”

Apart from the investment fund, the yavusa has also set aside $600,000 for improved housing project.

Mr Masivava said a few members had already built, extended and refurbished their houses in the village.

“We could not do this in the past because our income was limited and we could only pay the bills, buy food and take care of other expenses,” he said.

“But now we are seeing a big difference and fast change to our daily living with parents being able to build new toilets and bathrooms.

“It’s encouraging and great to see the positive changes happening within our yavusa, especially with our members.”

Mr Masivava said bauxite mining would not begin anytime soon.

“It will happen on our piece of land, but we have been advised that it will happen later.”

Julius Chan speaks out against experimental seabed mining

Undersea mining not beneficial, says ex-PM and New Ireland Governor, Julius Chan

The National aka The Loggers Times | November 28, 2016

NEW Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan has spoken out against undersea mining in his province by Nautilus Minerals.
He said New Ireland had also not benefited fully from the Lihir mine.
Sir Julius said last Friday that he had a lot of reservations given the possible environmental impact of undersea mining in his province.
“When you drill down, one-mile deep, I don’t know,” he said.
“The sea, in my province, is the garden of my people.
“That’s why we don’t have too much food security problems.
“I have great reservations and I want to tell you that I’m not a friend of Nautilus. They make all kinds of promises.
“They even promised me they would build bridges four years ago but they did not even design a bridge for me to have a look at.
“I’ve trod very cautiously on this one.”
Sir Julius said the Lihir Island had also not benefitted fully from the mine.
“After 20 years, Lihir has not even got a proper ring road,” he said.
“The water is polluted, sometimes the fish die.
“They say all the nice and promising things in their negotiations, but when they start to operate, they put up barricades.”

Zifasing community dispute MMJV claims of consent to Wafi-Golpu pipeline

The Zifasing people in Morobe Province are accusing Harmony Gold and Newcrest Mining of lying over claims (see media story below) they have consented to the laying of a pipeline and access road for the Wafi-Golpu mine across their land. 

Kenn Mondiai

Another TWISTING of the TRUTH by the use of the Media !!!

The MAJORITY of the Zifasing Clans & Community never attended the MRA Warden’s Hearing on the 23/11/2016 (13:00pm) at Zifasing Ward 19 Wampar LLG regarding SML for Wafi Glopu to give their approval, they never agreed to the access road or the pipeline passing through their land. 

The gazetted location was “Zifasing Community Hall”, but there is no such place at Zifasing. The common and known traditional meeting place at Zifasing is the Community Meeting Place in the centre of village under the mango trees.

Instead the Warden’s Hearing was held outside and away at a Hall build by politicians far from the village centre (traditional meeting place) with a few people without ALL CLAN LEADERS & WARD 19 COUNCILLOR.

The Mining Advisory Council (MAC) should know the TRUTH !!!

Community agrees to pipeline proposal
Pisai Gumar | The National aka The Loggers Times | 25 November 2016
THE Zifasing community in Huon Gulf, Morobe agreed this week to let Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV)* build an access pipeline through their land.
The pipeline from the interior Wafi-Golpu project site is anticipated to cross over the Watut and Markham rivers and run through clan land in Wampar before reaching the Lae main wharf.
Based on an MMJV mining engineering plan and the Mining Act section 108, Special Mining Lease (SML) 10 caters for mining easement 91 (ME 91) pipeline and mining easement 93 (ME 93) northern access road.
Zifasing village land mobilisation chairman Nathan Aquila told Chief Mining Warden Andrew Gunua and MMJV community affairs manager David Masani said that the entire community agreed to this pipeline proposal.
Aquila also asked whether it would be possible for MMJV to build a pump station on customary land instead of the Markham Farm, which was a State lease. Masani told Aquila that the decision to build a pump station was based on the mining engineering plan but the nature and magnitude of the operation at Wafi-Golpu would determine if there would be need be expand onto customary land in future.
Gunua and Kevin Gamenu from the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) are conducting the warden hearings with landowners at Yanta and Hengabu from Mumeng, Bulolo, Babuaf and others anticipated to be impacted by the mine pipeline and access road.
Masani told the villagers that the 32 km road would start from the interior project site and cross the major Watut and Markham rivers as well as the three small creeks.
Meanwhile, Saab-Babuaf clans from Mare and Chiatz villages interjected and raised concern over the course of the pipeline from Wafi across Watut.
They said the pipeline would encroach on their land so they would like to know the full extent of the environmental impacts.

* Harmony Gold and Newcrest Mining are the owners of Morobe Mining Joint Venture

The Struggle Between Ecuador’s Indigenous Shuar and the Mega-Mining Project That’s Displacing Them

Marlon Vargas (second right), President of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (Confenaie): “Our brothers who are there right now have told us that they will fight until the last consequences.” Photo: Bryan Miranda

Bryan Miranda | Remezcla | 23 November 2016

In 2008, Ecuador became the first country in the world to recognize the rights of nature in its constitution, giving its natural communities and ecosystems the right to exist and persist. It was a progressive and unprecedented legal move. But since then, the Ecuadorian government under Rafael Correa has green lit numerous massive development projects helmed by Chinese companies, including a controversial copper mining project in the Amazonian territory of the Indigenous Shuar people.

For years, the Shuar have been fighting to halt the project, called El Mirador, noting that it would “irreversibly damage the region’s fragile ecosystem and violate the legal rights of indigenous peoples to live, develop and control their land and territory,” according to China Dialogue. And on Monday, the conflict escalated after a group of Shuar reportedly clashed with police and military troops following attempts to recover ancestral territory from Chinese mining operations, as reported by Indigenous leaders and state officials.

Clashes came as Shuar nationals from the Nankints community in the Amazonian province of Morona Santiago coordinated an incursion into a mining camp of the Chinese company Ecsa Ecuacorriente at dawn on Monday.

The Interior Ministry said in a statement that Indigenous Shuar participated in an “unexpected armed attack” against the Ecsa camp, which they say is the “legal landowner.”

Seven police officers were allegedly injured during the Shuar’s take-over, Interior Minister Diego Fuentes said on his official Twitter account Tuesday morning.

Fuentes reported, at 12 PM EST on Tuesday, that control over the territory was restored. Indigenous political leaders in close contact with Shuars on the ground, however, say clashes still continue.

“The warriors of Nankints continue fighting and the military represses with brutality,” Severino Sharupi, leader of territories and natural resources of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of Ecuador (Conaie), reported on Twitter.

Shuar leaders said in a press release on Monday that the coordinated take-over comes as a result of military and police raids that forcibly evicted 32 Shuars from their land to make room for open-cast pit mining operations.

“This is why the Shuar Nation takes decisions to expel the company and to rescue what by right and legitimate position belongs to us,” the press release stated.

They further urged the military to abstain from violence and called on other Shuars and Indigenous communities from the Amazon to join them in solidarity as part of a larger fight against military presence and state-backed extractivism in the rainforest.

“Our brothers who are there right now have told us that they will fight until the last consequences,” Marlon Vargas, President of the Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon (Confenaie) said at a press conference Tuesday morning.

“If anything were to happen there, any disgrace, to our brothers; the only responsible one will be the government of (president) Rafael Correa. We will stand up to fight and we will not desist, whatever the costs. That’s the decision we’ve made in the Amazon,” Vargas added.

A woman who was evicted from her home in San Marcos on September 30, 2015, searches the location where her house was for belongings. The location for the Mirador Mine pit is just beyond the nearest ridge in the distance. Photo by Beth Wald

Under the San Carlos Panantza copper project, the Ecuadorian government conceded 41 thousand hectares of land to the Chinese mining company ECSA for a period of 25 years. The project, which is currently in the exploration phase, is estimated to deliver around $1200 million USD in annual profits.

Shuar communities, however, say they were neither informed nor consulted prior to the forced evictions, which they claim violate their constitutional rights.

Tensions between Indigenous groups in the Amazon and the national government have heightened after the same mining project pushed dozens of families from their land in the Amazonian province of Zamora Chinchipe in 2015.

Meanwhile in 2014, José Isidro Tendetza Antún, a leader of the Shuar people in Zamora Chinchipe and prominent activist against Chinese mining operations, was found dead under unknown circumstances.

Onus on Chinese to build a safe dam if large Sepik mine proceeds

Vanimo Harbour, West Sepik, Papua New Guinea. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

Minister’s advisor has ‘fingers crossed’ the Chinese do the right thing and we don’t end up with another Ok Tedi. VERY REASSURING!

Radio New Zealand | 25 November 2016

The onus is on a Chinese developer to build a safe tailings dam if it proceeds with developing Papua New Guinea’s Frieda River mine.

A feasibility study was recently completed for the copper and gold mine in West Sepik province for which Chinese-owned company PanAust has lodged a special mining lease application.

The study unearthed an even larger copper deposit than previously estimated.

However, local communities are worried about potential mine tailings polluting the major Sepik River system.

Katherine Karaya, the first secretary to the Mining Minister Byron Chan, said the government acknowledges the need to have sound environmental expertise incorporated before the mine is developed.

“Well let’s hope that the Chinese do a good thing, the right thing, to build a dam,” she said.

“Let’s keep our fingers crossed. They say they can do it, they’ve done it before in China, so let’s wait and see. Only time will tell whether they can prove they can do it, or if not there’s going to be another lawsuit like the Ok Tedi thing.”

Ms Karaya said the Environment Minister would have to be satisfied with the miner’s plans before a mining license is granted.

A pre-requisite for a license, according to the Mineral Resources Authority, is an environmental permit approved by PNG’s Conservation and Environment Protection Authority.

The MRA has also said PanAust would build a damn that would be part of PNG’s largest land tailings storage facility to ensure tailings are not dumped in the Sepik River and its tributaries.

The facility could double up as a hydro power damn for generating electricity.