Monday, December 30, 2013

Appealing for donation to support campaign against experimental seabed mining


Dear Friends of PNG Group against Seabed Experimental Mining,

My name is Mr. Wenceslaus Magun. I am the deputy chairman of the PNG Group against Seabed Experimental Mining.

In 2013, we established PNG Group against Seabed Experimental Mining.
Our group is planning to produce awareness materials using mugs, t'shirts, caps, birros, etc. But to do that we needed funds.

PNG Group against Seabed Mining is a not-for-profit group. We campaign to save protect, restore and sustainably use our marine ecological systems with the primary goal to stop experimental seabed mining in PNG.

Funds will also go towards research, campaign and litigation. Additional funds will go towards sending our delegation to attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church of PNG's Synod in Madang, fly in representatives of villagers or Civil Society Groups in all the coastal communities throughout PNG to attend our fourth general meeting in February 2013, launch PNGGaSEM and travel to Pacific Island countries to share information, and build an alliance.

We plan to start producing and disseminating:

100,000 mugs with our logo and promotional message on it.
100,000 caps with our logo and promotional message on it
100,000 t'shirts with our logo and promotional message on it
100,000 pens or birros with our logo and promotional message on it.
100,000 bags with our logo and promotional messages on it.
100,000 badges with our logo and promotional messages on it.
100,000 educational awareness posters
100,000 educational awareness DVDs,

Promotional Message: 1. Stop Ocean Crime. Say No to a) Seabed Mining, b) Mine Tailing Dumping c) Industrial Waste Dumping d) Riverine Tailing Dumping and e) Plastic Pollution

Our target audience will be coastal villagers and offshore island communities in the Bismarck Solomon Seas starting with New Ireland and East and West New Britain.

For details please contact me on magun.wences@gmail.com or call me on 71959665

Kind Regards,

wence

You CARE if you donate funds to PNG GaSEM to stop Seabed Experimental Mining

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Do we need to mine our seafloors?

Stop seabed mining in PNG 
Flash Back: Four new mines in 10 years. A story that was published on Monday, November 18, 2013, The National, page 53. It says ..."Four large mining operations are soon to come on stream in the next 10 years...Mt Kare (17 km west of Pogera gold mine, Yandera in Madang, Frieda project at the border of East and West Sepik, and Walfi Golpu project in Morobe." So why are we so desperate to go into seafloor experimental mining? Are we a desperate nation? Are we existing solely on money? Common PNG, enough of making unwise and stupid decisions. 2014 should be the year of implementation as the PM said and we need to ensure that hasty and selfish decisions in this country must not be entertained. Everything you heard from Nautilus Minerals Ltd and supported by Mineral Resources Authority and lined agencies is based on assumptions because there is no seabed mining in the world. Turn your other ears and listen to Prof. Richard Steiner, Dr. Helen Rosenbaum, Prof Chalapan Kaluwin, and many other top marine scientists. If they have not opposed seabed mining in PNG then we would not worry. But they have cautioned us not to rush the process but to ensure that all environmental impact studies, Nautilus's Environmental Management Plan (WHICH NO ONE HAS SEEN), and other independent studies and assessments must be carried out first to ensure that all is safe, healthy and friendly before we venture into the abyss to mine the seafloors. Little is known about that environment and there is much more to learn about it. PNGeans we are not so desperate to take this step. Not at all!! At Christmas the three wise men from the East came to visit Jesus. It is about time we start listening to our wise men and women in this age and time. Haste brings waste!! There's NO tangible benefit in Misima. Look at Bougainville! We have not stopped dumping wastes into Ok Tedi. So don't be carried away by false promises from mining companies. There's enough propaganda by mining companies in EMTV. Companies in PNG enjoy more tax incentives or exemptions compared to companies operating in other parts of the world due to our leaders making stupid, unwise and selfish decisions. Now is the time to put an end to this approach of doing things. You and I must make some bold decisions if we truly want to see some positive change in our beautiful country.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PNGGaSEM formed to stop seabed mining in PNG











 


Photos:
  1. 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.
  2. Professor Chalapan Kaluwin speaking to the group and making a point to stop seabed mining. 
  3. 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.
  4. PNGGASEM Secretary, and Political Science Lecturer at UPNG urging all members of the group to unite and work together to stop seabed mining
  5. 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
  6. Oro Governor, Gary Juffa giving his support to the group to stop seabed mining in PNG
  7. 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



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Nautilus shares slump as investors lose confidence

Nautilus shares slump as investors lose confidence

by ramunickel
Investor confidence in Nautilus Minerals, the company that wants to use the Pacific as a testing ground for experimental seabed mining, has slumped to near record lows.
Nautilus share price over the last three months:
3month
The shares in Nautilus have not only lost all of the price gains made after the favourable arbitration decision  in October, they have continued tumbling.
But the investment media, so quick to shout about price gains, is not writing about it!
Any experimental mining is at least 3-4 years away, and Nautilus still does not have the cash to fund the construction of its mining vessel. Add to that the mounting public opposition in Papua New Guinea, the government reluctance to throw tax-payers money at the project, the threat of court action and increasing belligerence and  community mobilization in other Pacific countries and the future does not look bright for Nautilus Minerals.
They say the markets do not lie and they paint a very ugly picture indeed when you look at the Nautilus share price over the past 10 years:
10years
Cost cutting measures mean cash operating costs in the first three quarters of 2013 were down to $12.7m from $20.8m  for the same period last year. How  But how much longer can the company continue that sort of outlay when the opposition to their plans for open cut strip mining on the sea floor just keeps mounting...
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