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.

Dumping system ‘harmful’

By JOSHUA ARLO

The approved permit given to the Ramu Nico (MCC) Management Limited for coral blasting to construct the deep sea tailing placement system (DSTPS) was made without proper assessment of the potential risks to the environment, a court was told on Friday.
This showed that the Government had failed to properly assess the impacts of whether this course of dumping of mine waste is harmful and will interfere with the eco-biological fish and fauna life in the waters at the mine site.
These were some of the arguments put by landowners and landowner groups around the project site who are fighting for a permanent injunction against MCC’s proposed mine dumping plan and its construction.
The landowners also argue that the permit does not authorise the environmental harm that will be caused by dumping the mine waste in the sea, and that so far there have been breaches in some of the conditions of the permit in which MCC has failed to follow to the letter as to no septic tanks constructed for its workers and no proper drainage systems on the project site to remove human waste which is being dumped straight into the sea, untreated.
Tiffany Nonggorr for the landowners argued that if MCC could not follow these simple conditions, how could it monitor the dumping of tonnes of mine waste into the sea. Mrs Nonggorr submitted that DEC also neglected to monitor these simple permit conditions, and the landowners failed to see how it could monitor the mine waste being dumped into the sea. She also argued that there were scientific research reports that showed such proposed tailing dumping would cause harm to the environment and the lifestyle of the local people.
She urged the court to look at the issue of harm being unlawful, not the fact whether the permit approving the dumping was lawful or unlawful. She said there was no evidence of further research on this issue before DEC approved the permit.
MCC argues the permit was approved and there was no serious issue for the matter to linger in court. MCC submitted that the DSTPS was the best option of mine waste dumping after looking at all other dumping systems. MCC told the court that Mrs Nonggorr had “glossed” over the facts, making them “quite laughable” and that there was evidence of further research which showed there will be no harmful risks imposed using this proposed system. MCC stated that acid used in the mining process that will be dumped is “deactivated” and “so it is nonsense that tailings discharged in the sea is harmful”.
While the Supreme Court considers whether or not to permanently extend the interim injunction, the issue raised by the landowners is yet to be heard in a substantive trial before the National Court.

Postcourier, 5 July 2010

A disaster for the Raicoast People

While a lot of attention is focused on MCC in Madang, the Marengco Mine is doing its business quietly. Apparently the Marengco Mine is going to dump its waste directly into the sea at Astrolabe Bay in Madang. Although there will be different discharge points between Marengco and MCC, all their waste will end up in the sea. MCC deals with Nickel and Cobalt, Marengco will be copper and gold. The next question to ask now is which wastes will be more toxic? The people of Madang are really in great risks if they do not stop these companies from dumping into the sea.

If both companies will be dumping into the sea, how will the government know who is responsible for what? The government is in a situation where it cannot even do a study of the Astrolabe Bay, all these times it has been depending on the studies done by the companies.

Change of leadership

This is the 71^st day since the court injunction preventing the Ramu Nickel Mine from dumping of waste into the sea at Astrolabe Bay as well as blasting of the reefs. The situation in Madang as we hear from sources on the ground is now tense. While the people of Madang are fully prepared and pumped up for a public protest on Wednesday re: the recent changes to the Environment Act, MCC as well as the government of Papua New Guinea are desperately running out of ideas in dealing with the situation. This is an indication of the power of people. If people can stand together they can be able to make a big difference. The government of PNG is now confused as hell. The government should know that the people are no longer blind. The tactics used to run this country in the 80s is no longer relevant and applicable. Seriously there needs to be change in leadership if this country is going to progress.

Mine will affect us

I agree with John Nonggorr’s call for the PM to step aside. Recent events show that the PM has lost the plot.
Although there are many examples from which to choose, the amendment to the Environment Act is the worst abuse of legislative power by the Government. According to Sir Michael, he went to China to bring in MCC. If the PM negotiated the deal, did he tell his Chinese friends, the MCC that unlike China, PNG has strict laws on environment? Did he tell them that they would have to comply with the laws like all other developers? Why amend the Environment Act because MCC is having a hard time? The Government says the mine will bring development. Yes, but what kind of development? A few roads and bridges in exchange for hell? How about the widespread pollution and environmental damage? The mine will not go on forever.
Our people will live on their land and fish the seas forever. When the mine closes and MCC leaves PNG, what will happen to the people who will be unable to garden on their land and fish in the seas? Will they all jump on a ship and sail to China to spend their days with MCC? What is amazing is the failure by the Government to appreciate that the landowners are not against the mine.
They simply don’t want tailings to be dumped into the sea. The PM should understand this and explain this to MCC.

Mangi Saina

Post Courier, June 17, 2010