Jemimah Sukbat | Loop PNG | December 8, 2017
The Solwara Alliance has filed a case against the government at the Waigani National Court to stop the operation of seabed mining in West Coast New Ireland in PNG.
Filed on Thursday afternoon, the Alliance wants the Government to make public all necessary and relevant documents under seabed mining agreement, who is involved in approving the project and on what grounds and why the government is still pursuing the project.
Jonathan Mesulam, a West Coast New Irelander and a member of the Solwara Alliance, says the people in the village are strongly against seabed mining because their livelihood will be affected by the project. They want the Government to ban the project.
“No one knows the environmental impacts of this project. There is also no independent environmental studies so why is the government pushing for this project?
“There will be negative impacts in the local and national economy, especially the fisheries sector,” says Mesulam, who is currently in Port Moresby to file the case.
“Solwara 1 is not a good investment, it will only last for three years.”
They want the developer, Nautilus Minerals Limited, to pack up and leave by next year.
When asked if the villagers were consulted before the agreement was signed, Mesulam said the developer never consulted the locals.
“This MOA was signed by a few people who only think about themselves.”
From the footages taken from the villages along West Coast New Ireland, the people say they own both the land and sea and the mining will greatly affect their lifestyle, especially in shark-calling.
Mesulam said New Ireland does not need a seabed mine. They already have fish, cocoa, coconut and other resources where they can depend on for economic benefits.
The Solwara Alliance has filed a case against the government at the Waigani National Court to stop the operation of seabed mining in West Coast New Ireland in PNG.
Filed on Thursday afternoon, the Alliance wants the Government to make public all necessary and relevant documents under seabed mining agreement, who is involved in approving the project and on what grounds and why the government is still pursuing the project.Jonathan Mesulam, a West Coast New Irelander and a member of the Solwara Alliance, says the people in the village are strongly against seabed mining because their livelihood will be affected by the project. They want the Government to ban the project.
“No one knows the environmental impacts of this project. There is also no independent environmental studies so why is the government pushing for this project?
“There will be negative impacts in the local and national economy, especially the fisheries sector,” says Mesulam, who is currently in Port Moresby to file the case.
“Solwara 1 is not a good investment, it will only last for three years.”
They want the developer, Nautilus Minerals Limited, to pack up and leave by next year.
When asked if the villagers were consulted before the agreement was signed, Mesulam said the developer never consulted the locals.
“This MOA was signed by a few people who only think about themselves.”
From the footages taken from the villages along West Coast New Ireland, the people say they own both the land and sea and the mining will greatly affect their lifestyle, especially in shark-calling.
Mesulam said New Ireland does not need a seabed mine. They already have fish, cocoa, coconut and other resources where they can depend on for economic benefits.