By: Watut Reporter
Common experiences in Morobe and Madang have drawn together members of the Morobeen bases Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC) affected by large-scale mining operation in the Hidden Valley Mine and today they visited the studios of Radio Madang to air their grievances about the Hidden Valley and Ramu mines.
The Union has been campaigning against environmental damage by Australia’s Newcrest Mining and South Africa’s Harmony Gold, owners and operators of the Hidden Valley gold mine in the Bulolo District of Morobe Province. Reuben Mete, the President of the UoWRC is calling for government recognition of the pollution problems in the Watut river and for a proper scientific assessment and compensation package be done to benefits future generations of communities living along the Watut River.
The team also were given information on how Papua New Guinea government has been ignoring the rural communities in bringing in foreign developers who does not respect the rights of the rural communities hence, leads to problems such as in Panguna, Ok Tedi, Misima, Ramu Nickel and now Watut River. The purpose of our visit is about exposure and learning.
The team is expected to arriving in Lae to run the Watut River Forum to be stage this Month at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium.
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