25 November 2010

Campaigners are taking their ‘no marine dumping’ message to the streets of Australia in the first of a series of planned protests against the environmental performance of foreign mining companies operating in Papua New Guinea.

“Our message is simple”, says spokesperson Iona Reto, “foreign companies operating in Papua New Guinea need to clean up their act and stop their double standards. If they can’t do it at home they shouldn’t do it in PNG.”

Brisbane based Highlands Pacific, the target of today’s protest, is involved in plans to dump millions of tons of toxic waste from the Ramu nickel mine in PNG into the sea.

Marine dumping would not be allowed in Australia and has been rejected by leading mine companies like Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

“We Papua New Guineans are sick and fed up with having to deal with the appalling environmental problems caused by foreign mining companies,” says Reto

Perth based Marengo Mining is another Australian company planning to use marine dumping in PNG. While Newcrest Mining from Melbourne is currently facing legal action over the poisoning of the Watut river caused by its Hidden Valley mine.

The protesters in Brisbane have delivered 500 protest letters to Highlands Pacific calling on the company to reverse its marine dumping plans and to respect the rights of indigenous landowners.

For further information and comment contact Effrey Dademo on (675) 7347 7806