Source: Little Green Palai

In just a few days in a faraway land in Sydney, Australia, from December 1-3, Papua New Guinea’s mining department will be hosting its investment conference.

However, in two rural villages in Bogia and Karkar Island in Madang province they are not pleased that rural lands are being talked about without local people’s involvement.

Source: The Age

Jayapura, West Papua:Ten years after he was jailed for raising the outlawed "Morning Star" flag, West Papuan independence leader Filep Karma has called on Indonesian President Joko Widodo to voluntarily grant independence to West Papua so that Indonesia is not embarrassed in international forums.

One group lives with the impacts of mining forever, the other takes the money, avoids responsibility and moves on

Source: PNG Mine Watch

Picture: Sadly a deformed infant and mother in the Middle Fly area of Western province. BHP Billiton owned and operated the Ok Tedi mine which directly discharged toxic mine waste into the Fly River system

Source: Radio New Zealand

Landowners in the South Fly region of Papua New Guinea's Western province are unsatisfied with the compensation given for environmental devastation caused by the Ok Tedi mine.

"… be mindful of the growing disillusionment by the majority of our people and our Land owners in particular about the way we have dealt with the exploitation of our non renewable resources which continues to treat our people as mere spectators in this sector… "

Picture: PNG Mine Watch

Source: PNG Blogs

Are these Investments really helping the bulk of Papua New Guinea let alone the Melanesian people ? How much tangible rural development can be seen ? Is the infrastructure really reaching our rural population, roads, bridges, schools, health centres? People struggle to bring their coffee beans, their kaukau bags and their vegetables to sell in towns and yet our MSG members argue for better connectivity with a MSG Travel Card. Who is this investment for ? Which Economy is growing?

Source: Post Courier

Traditional landowners in the Fly River area of Papua New Guinea's Western Province are reportedly upset that compensation payments from the Ok Tedi mine have been reduced by around half this year.

The landowners are paid money as compensation for the environmental destruction caused by the mine.

District administrators get more disciplinary clout with new laws

This decision gives light to ACT NOW's first pillar for a gutpela sinduan blong olgeta: Localization of Decision-Making

By Buin Ogoi

From a Special Correspondent