Ramu NiCo faces contempt

By TODAGIA KELOLA

DEVELOPER of the Ramu Nickel project, Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd has been slapped with a contempt of court.
Principal plaintiff in the legal proceedings challenging the marine waste dumping plans by the Ramu NiCo Management, Louis Medaing has filed contempt proceedings against the mining company for allegedly assaulting, threatening and intimidating the members of the Tong and Ongeg clans that make up the plaintiffs to withdraw from or discontinue the proceedings against the company.
In a statement yesterday, Mr Medaing said he had instructed his lawyers who filed a contempt of court proceeding against the Mining company as of yesterday.
“I instituted the legal proceedings on 24 September 2010 being WS1192 of 2010 to seek a permanent injunction to restrain Ramu Nico Management Ltd from dumping 5 million tonnes of mine waste into Astrolabe Bay annually, on behalf of myself and at this stage 38 members of the Tong and Ongeg clans from the Rai Coast. A further 37 more clan members are seeking to join the proceedings this week. “Since the legal proceedings were filed in the National Court in Madang, my family and clan members have been put under intense pressure by the mine owners, Ramu NiCo Management Ltd to discontinue the court case.” Clan members of Tong and Ongeg who make up the plaintiffs and are not employees of Ramu NiCo Management Ltd have been threatened that unless they withdraw or discontinue the proceedings, all Tong and Ongeg clan members employed by Ramu NiCo Management Ltd will be sacked.
For those members who are employees of Ramu Nico Management Ltd they have been individually told to sign documents to withdraw them from the case, on threat of termination from employment.
Because of this intimidation, he said he has filed an application in the National Court for punishment for contempt of court against Ramu NiCo Management Ltd and its employees namely Jacky Wang and Tonny Nongi including a ward councillor Dongembu Dugai, for assaulting, threatening and intimidating the plaintiffs to withdraw or discontinue the proceedings.

Post Courier 12 October 2010

Full Trial DSTP Case

In this mornings ruling, Judge Cannings refused the application by Louis Medaing in joining the current proceedings between Eddie Tarsie and others against MCC and the State. Mr. Medaing is also a landowner from the Basamuk area where MCC's refinery plant is. Louis has now filed a separate case and submissions on this will be made by Louis's Lawyer this afternoon at 1.30pm.

The court as also ruled infavour of the plaintiffs (Eddie Tarsie, Farima Siga and Peter Sel) to withdraw from the current proceedings. The Judge mentioned that the manner in which these 3 plaintiffs withdrew at the start of this full trial in any persons mind is very suspicious.

While all these are going on, the important thing is the THE COURT INJUNCTION against DSTP by the Ramu Nickel Mine is STILL IN PLACE.

Court resumes this afternoon so stay tune for the next update.

Ramu nickel case set

By ROSALYN EVARA

MADANG provincial police commander Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jr has urged parties involved in Ramu nickel court case to remain calm and allow due process to take its course.
The plea by Supt Wagambie follows complaints on alleged threats and attacks by disgruntled landowners on the three plaintiffs and their associates. He confirmed that a complaint had been laid by anti-deep sea tailing placement campaigner George Ireng regarding an alleged attack on him and several others over the weekend.
Mr Ireng said he and his party were stopped at sea by a group of men who were armed and who had travelled out to sea and met them half way in three boats and ordered to turn around without the plaintiffs. He said Mr Ireng did and soon after reaching Madang had the matter reported to police.
Supt Wagambie said because there was no police boat for them to use, his men got on with Mr Ireng and his party on their hired dinghy and returned to Rai Coast where they did pick up the plaintiffs.
Meanwhile with the DSTP case set down this morning for trial at the Madang National Court, lawyer representing the plaintiffs Tiffany Nonggorr soon after arriving in the province said she had not been able to get in touch with her clients.

Post Courier 21 September 2010

Kainantu mine in pathway of Misima

Life after the mines is the utmost goal landowners, who depend entirely on land and environment, should consider.
The regret of Misima people and life after the mine should be a lesson and baseline for landowners who blindly trail mining giants and government for stomach refuelling. In fact, it is our Government and the Mineral Resources Authority’s fault. There is no policy and guidelines on mine closure and rehabilitation phase in the country.
The Government through MRA is only opening doors to outside investments in mining but have not placed stringent management and monitoring tools like mine closure policy.
Kainantu mine was shut surprisingly with no good explanation for landowners and the citizens of PNG to be in tune with.
While closed, Barrick (mine operator) advanced into other exploration lease areas near the closed mine.
MRA, Lands Department and Barrick (HPL) played delaying tactics in awarding landownership title to battling clans while allowing the mine to operate. There are no tangible changes like water supply, aid posts, schools and well maintained road networks in the landowners’ backyard after the mine is closed.
It’s a life threatening experience to consider.

Post Courier Newspaper 15th September 2010

Tomala: Don’t sell land

Source:

By ELLEN TIAMU

LAND in and around the Lae metropolitan area is becoming rare and traditional landowners have been urged to weigh the economical and social implications of their actions before they lease their land.
Morobe administrator Kemasang Tomala said more companies were opening businesses in Lae as well as more in other parts of the province where mining projects are.
He said these business ventures were sure to bring huge economic benefits to the province.
Tomala said local landowners should also be ready to tap into this upsurge in economic times but also weigh the benefits of keeping them.
Speaking at Buhalu village in the Nawaeb district on Monday, Tomala urged local landowners to look after their land and not sell them unnecessarily.
Much land around the city had been leased out to settlers from other provinces and had become breeding grounds for criminal and criminal activities because many who lived there were unemployed.
Tomala said some landowners, out for a fast buck, lease out blocks of land to anyone and in turn were unable to control the problems caused by the settlements.
He also urged the locals to retain some land for their children’s use in future.
Some major business projects coming up in Morobe are the K6 million Markham oil palm project and the establishment of two more fish processing canneries in Lae.
The discoveries of more gold in Wau and Bulolo would also extend the life of the mine by another 20 years while gold and copper found at Timini and Wafi has a life span of 30 years.

The National Newspaper 15 September2010

Lihir still the same

Lihir Island is one of those recognized islands in the world market. Millions are coming out of the island but the island itself hasn’t developed, especially the town, roads, bridges and the wharf. The Lihirians are still living in bush material houses. Handing and taking over of these three mining companies: LMC,LGL and Newcrest Mining Limited. Will there be any changes with this new mining company? Come on Lihirians, don’t be blind, companies come steal and go. So see where you stand and fight for the rights because it will benefit your future generations.

ORIGINAL DUSTY BOBBY – LIHIR ISLAND.

Post Courier 6 September 2010