THE largest church in Morobe, Papua New Guinea has approached the PNG Opposition to lobby against the proposed deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) method of waste disposal by Wafi-Golpu Joint Venture.
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| bishop Rev Jack Urame [Photo by TheNational] |
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELCPNG) head bishop Rev Jack Urame said their only political supporter was former Morobe governor Ginson Saonu, who was also vocal against mine’s method of waste management.
“We were in close consultation with the previous government because the governor then shared the same views with the church in terms of DSTP,” Urame said.
“Now the new government (under Governor Luther Wenge) has new ideas and the province’s position has changed.”
Urame said the new administration was pushing for the mine to start operation as soon as possible and opponents of the DSTP method, which were the church and local communities, needed to unite to voice their opposition on waste disposal.
“The church may not have the political mandate but we can speak because of our position; our mandate is to raise a voice against potential destruction and any harm that may be brought upon communities through any form of development,” he said.
Urame said he had written a letter to Opposition Leader Joseph Lelang to bring their concerns regarding DSTP to the floor of Parliament.
Meanwhile, Wenge has challenged anyone against DSTP to provide their facts in court to stop the project.
But Urame said this year’s synod (which is ELCPNG’s highest decision-making body) said the church would not take legal action against the State, but would only continue to advocate for safer options of waste management.
“We are working closely with international bodies like Jubilee Australia and NGOs to educate communities to help them realise the negative impact and how this project will affect them so they can make their own decision,” he said.
The National / Pacific Mining Watch