Photos:
- Members of the civil
society groups, NGOs, University Lecturers and students attending the
first general meeting to form PNG Group Against Seabed Experimental Mining
at CELCOR’s conference room.
Yariyari Lawyer, Damien Ase (front left) Hon. Gary Juffa (next to
him) and other key speakers sitting in the front raw.
- Professor Chalapan
Kaluwin speaking to the group and making a point to stop seabed
mining.
- Executive Director for
Partners with Melanesia Kenn Mondiai speaking to the group. PwM will support Papua New Guineans to
protect our natural resources and identity.
- PNGGASEM Secretary, and
Political Science Lecturer at UPNG urging all members of the group to
unite and work together to stop seabed mining
- Executive Director for
CELCOR Peter Bosip speaking to members of the group and pointing out some
of the reasons why we need to stop seabed mining
- Oro Governor, Gary
Juffa giving his support to the group to stop seabed mining in PNG
- Madang Indigenous
People’s Forum President, Alfred Kaket sharing his experiences of
campaigning to stop deep sea tailings placement from MCC’s Ramu Nickle
Mine and the seabed mine campaign.
By WENCESLAUS MAGUN
The campaign to
stop experimental seabed mining in Solwara 1, by Nautilus Minerals Limited, a
Canadian developer has been boosted by the establishment of a group, ‘Papua New
Guinea Group against Seabed Experimental Mining (PNGGaSEM)’.
This civil
society group was established on Sunday 1 December, 2013 at the Ela Beach Hotel
during its second general meeting. PNGGaSEM comprise of a coalition of resource
owners, Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights (CELCOR), Partners
with Melanesia (PwM), Mas Kagin Tapani (MAKATA), Four Maisin (4M), Madang Indigenous
Peoples Forum (MIPF), Madang Deputy Governor Rama Marisan, Oro Governor Gary
Juffa , the PNG Council of Churches, private Lawyers Moses Murray and Thomas
Elisah and some university Lecturers and students from both the University of
PNG and University of Technology in Lae.
PNGGaSEM membership
continues to increase as the campaign grows.
The group will be
formally registered to pursue the matter further even in court to ultimately
stop seabed mining in PNG.
Chairman of the
group Lawyer Moses Murray, pointed out that PNGGaSEM had an important role to
play for Papua New Guinea.
“Seafloor mining
has not taken place anywhere else in the world.
The costs of any possible environmental damage caused as a result of
seafloor mining can be catastrophic and immeasurable,” he warned.
He stressed
further that in such a case, the State and Nautilus Minerals Ltd may not be in
any position to contain the damage which can harm the marine environment, and
the lives of people who live off it. He
warned that those who may be affected by such damage include not just the
people of New Ireland and East New Britain but everyone who consumes anything
in the Bismarck Solomon seas.
“Mining on the
land is much easier to track and monitor destructions made. Unlike the ocean,
current flows in completely different directions,” he cautioned.
He added that the
mining laws must also cover the ocean and its surroundings, above and below.
He said PNGGaSEM
has no funds to fight this hard battle but he called on the young members to
set the pace and get the fundraising going as soon as possible.
The group is in
close consultation with scientists and a lawyer abroad for support and guidance
in its endeavour to achieve its goal.
Deputy Governor
for Madang, Rama Marisan said on behalf of the Madang Provincial Government and
the 400, 000 people of Madang Province, he extended full support on behalf of
the Governor and the Madang Provincial Government to say “NO” to Deep Sea
Mining in PNG.
He said a lot of
mining activities can be seen on land and their aftermaths can be visually
seen. He gave examples of Panguna,
Lihir, Ok Tedi, Ramu Nickel mines just to name a few which are causing great
concern to PNG’s fresh water, forests and sea and their biodiversity.
Lawyer Elisah a private
Lawyer based in Madang in addition said, there are no laws to police, and
monitor the sea bed mining.
“From the
Governors’ Conference level held in Madang, the support is greatly needed for this
group to fight this on the floor of Parliament,” he stressed.
He raised concerns that anything within the
three mile zone belongs to the customary owners, but anything outside the three
mile zone is up to the State to do anything.
“Since this is
the case, it needed all the political will to fight this in Parliament,” he
reiterated. He urged the PNGGaSEM to lobby hard for resolutions to be passed
through government at the National Executive Council level to stop seabed
mining.
Thomas Imal
Lawyer with CELCOR said,
“The PNG
Government has put the cart before the horse by issuing Nautilus Minerals
Solwara 1 mining licence without adequate and independent scientific studies,
or comprehensive national policy, laws and regulations for Deep Sea Mining
(DSM).”
“To date the PNG
Government has ignored the concerns of communities and other stakeholders. This has been the cause of a strong backlash
from PNG’s society culminating in the threat of a legal challenge.”
“Whilst DSM may
be a viable option for other Pacific States it is not the same for Papua New
Guinea. We need to apply the
Precautionary Principle. The
uncertainties far out weight the benefits and it is not beneficial for the
country at this time.”
Meanwhile,
reports obtained from Nautilus Minerals Ltd stated that it had conducted a
workshop to discuss the social and environmental impacts of subsea mineral
extraction on 12-13 March 2007.
According to this
report, the workshop was to identify and discuss issues related to the
environmental and social aspects of Solwara 1 project.
The PNG
Government has issued license to Nautilus Minerals Ltd, to mine for high grade copper, gold, zinc and other
minerals in high concentrations in seafloor massive sulphide deposits over 59km2
selections of Bismarck Sea. The Solwara 1 project site, is located at
1,600m water depth and is about 30km from the New Ireland and 50km from East
New Britain provinces.
The government has
granted a 20-year mine lease for the project to Nautilus Minerals Ltd as well
as take a 30% stake in the venture.
For more information please contact:
Chairman Moses Murray
on: elishbru@daltron.com.pg
