THE Porgera Riverine landowners are appealing to the Prime Minister Hon James Marape and the government for a separate compensation agreement for the affected Riverine communities.
These was made known during a press conference organized by the landowners in Port Moresby.
The affected Riverine landowners of Enga, Hela, Sandaun and Western call on the government to consider their concerns and initiate the negotiation process for a compensation agreement to be reached between the riverine landowners, developer, and the state regarding the mining waste disposal.
They raised issues affecting the communities in terms of discharge of billions of cubic meters of waste rocks, sediments, and tailings that are released directly into their river system.
These communities who rely on the river system for their subsistence farming, alluvial gold mining, and fishing livelihoods, can no longer make gardens due to the landslides and erosions caused by flooding resulting from the dumping of mining waste.
Chairman of Riverine Working Committee (PRC) Peter Papo, said alluvial gold mining, which was once active in the Lower Porgera area, has also been affected as mining waste has either been washed away or covered the alluvial gravel, making it impossible to mine.
“Furthermore, the downstream people are unable to fish, and many have died from untreated chemical poisons, with others affected by deformities, diseases, and death,” Mr Papo said.
He said despite the communities’ pleas for the government to intervene over the last 30 years, their concerns have been ignored.
“However, the Marape/Rosso government refused to renew the Special Mining Lease in 2019, citing environmental damage as one of the main reasons, which brought great relief to the communities,” he said.
“Nevertheless, the riverine people are still not being consulted in the negotiations as a major stakeholder in the new Porgera mine development negotiations. They have not given consent to the state and developer for the use of their waterway and are still waiting to reach an agreement with the state and developer for riverine waste disposal.”
They argue that the damage caused by the mine waste has had a devastating impact on the environment and their lives, depriving them of their human right, economic prosperity, and the enjoyment of the pristine environment.
They are now considering completely banning foreign material from entering the river system. The communities are not giving consent for riverine waste disposal without a compensation agreement for past and future damages. They think they have waited long enough and believe it is time for the government to enter into a separate compensation agreement with them before the development forum commences.
