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Papua New Guinea

Campaign Victory – Papua New Guinea: Legislature Revokes Amendments to Environmental Law

Date: 01/20/2012

On January 19, Minister for Environment in the O’Neil-Namah Government, Hon Thompson Haroquave, carried through on his promise to the people of Papua New Guinea and ensured that Parliament repealed amendments to the Environment Act that had been made in favor of the Chinese mining company, MCC. The amendments had prohibited landowners from suing for damages to their property or their livelihoods, if these were negatively affected by MCC’s dumping of mine waste into the Bismarck Sea. The repeal of the amendments reinstates landowners’ right to sue for such damages. Tiffany Twivvey, lawyer for the Rai Coast landowners who unsuccessfully tried to block the ocean dumping via the courts, celebrated the news by posting a message to Mr.

Campaign Update – Papua New Guinea: Supreme Court Permits Ocean Dumping of Mine Waste

Date: 12/23/2011

In a vote of 2 to 1, Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court ruled that the Chinese owners of the Ramu nickel mine may dump toxic waste from their mine and refinery directly into the Bismarck Sea at Basamuk. The plaintiffs in the case were Rai Coast landowners Louis Medaing and 1083 others, representing thousands of Indigenous families whose livelihoods depend on the health of the marine ecosystem.

Campaign Victory – Papua New Guinea: Government Reverses Amendment to Environmental Act

Date: 10/18/2011

Papua New Guinea’s government announced that it will restore the right of landowners to challenge in court any project they feel could be detrimental to the environment. According to reports in The National The National Executive Council agreed to repeal the Environmental Amendment Act, passed by the legislature in May 2010, which denied landowners this right.

Campaign Update – Papua New Guinea: New Video on Defending the Ramu River

Date: 10/10/2011

Last week, Indigenous landowners rested their appeal to Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court, asking for a permanent injunction to prevent a Chinese nickel mine from dumping toxic mine waste into the Bismarck Sea.

Standing Up to Violence

Yosepha

West Papua is the western half of New Guinea, the second-largest island in the world. The island is divided into two parts, West Papua, which has incorporated as a province, and Papua New Guinea. In May 1963, West Papua was occupied by Indonesia. Since that time. Indonesia has denied Indigenous Papuans a genuine opportunity for self-determination.

Campaign Update - Papua New Guinea: Judge Refuses Landowners’ Appeal; Company Can Dump Waste into the Sea

Date: 08/23/2011

Papua New Guinea’s Supreme Court has rejected an appeal by Indigenous landowners who asked for a temporary injunction to prevent a Chinese company from dumping its mine and refinery waste into the Bismarck Sea.

Campaign Update – Papua New Guinea: Court Permits Ocean Dumping of Toxic Mine Waste; Indigenous Plaintiffs Appeal the Decision

Date: 08/09/2011

Over 1,000 Indigenous landowners are appealing a decision by Madang’s National Court that permits a Chinese mining company to dump toxic waste from a nickel mine and refinery into the Bismarck Sea.

Papua New Guinea Campaign Update: Indigenous Villagers Express Losses and Fears in Video

Date: 04/13/2011

In a very effective short film documentary, Indigenous villagers speak about everything they have lost and may yet lose as the Ramu nickel mine project affects their lands and their lives. A court is currently hearing the case of coastal clans who are trying to prevent the Chinese mining company from dumping toxic waste from the Ramu mine and refinery into the Bismarck Sea.

The Reckoning

Papuan women have been suffering terrible violence both outside and inside their homes for the past 40 years, and for most of that time, they’ve suffered in silence. But now a group of women has launched their own truth commission to give support to the victims and to pressure the government to change its behavior.

Papua (the western half of the island of New Guinea) has long been in a state of upheaval. When Indonesia declared independence from the Netherlands in 1945 and achieved international recognition in 1949, Papua remained under Dutch rule.

Campaign Update – Papua New Guinea: Scientists Advise Against Ocean Dumping of Mine Waste

Date: 03/29/2011

Five scientists have published an article in ScienceAlert , supporting Indigenous plaintiffs who are seeking a court injunction to prevent a Chinese mining company from dumping toxic mine waste into the Bismarck Sea.

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