By Joshua Arlo*

Women and children from the Rempi area of Madang fear eviction as the government presses ahead with plans for Papua New Guinea's first Special Economic Zone.

Together with their men, the women met to air their grievances about the government sanctioned US$300 million Pacific Marine Industrial Zone which promises to bring in 10 new fish canneries and about 30,000 jobs. 

The Japanese International Cooperation Agency has joined the Asian Development Bank in denying it is involved in supporting the government's controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Zone (PMIZ) in Madang.

JICA’s public relations division has told ACT NOW! "JICA PNG Office has never been a party to this project both at the initial designing stage as well as construction”. 

“If some one is using JICA then, someone is doing it for his own benefit without the consent of the JICA PNG Office.” 

Local leaders of the Kananam and Dapu people have spoken out in opposition to the governments controversial Pacific Marine Industrial Zone, and declared they will not allow the project to be built on their land.

(Photo: Adolf Skarmai (second from right), Vitus Kai (right) and other leaders)

"We hear we may be moved elsewhere but this cannot be! This is our land, our birth right," said Augustine Lalo.

By PMIZ Watcher

The Environmental Impact Assessment for the government's Pacific Marine Industrial Zone in Madang paints a terrible picture of the likely social and environmental impacts of the project.

The 39-page EIS was prepared by the Department of Commerce and Industry in June 2010 and submitted to the Department of Environment and Conservation.