Reuben Mete and the Plight of Watut River people.

By Watut Mahn

For Every large scale development in Papua New Guinea, number of tribal peoples birth right or their social security is permanently lost. It pays of in corporations profit by which most of them are foreign own while the Local peoples lives become worst.

Hidden Valley Gold Mine or Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV) as it is commonly referred to is a 50:50 percent jointly owned by Australia's Newcrest Mining and South African Harmony Gold.

Located in Bulolo, Morobe Province, Mine construction work begun in mid 2005 causing environmental catastrophe and destruction to the Watut River, which is a life source of hundreds of local indigenous communities that lives along the river.

Reuben Mete, a local land owner from Middle Watut has had something to do with it. His father was a community leader and a Lutheran church layman and his work meant most family needs are the opportunity cost for his volunteer work giving young Reuben a better grasp of volunteering.

Reuben and his big brother and two small sister were nurtured in a family where education was valued but was denied due to the accessibility by virtue of the unequal distribution of Government Services to the rural communities. His father urged him to consider a career that can benefited the communities and not to be selfish and greedy.

Being a lone students from Middle Watut to enter Papua New Guinea University of Technology means a lot for the him and so are his community obligation.

Born and raise in the remote Kapin Village in Middle Watut and receive education in Two Mile settlement in Lae has a painful experienced in it, something this young man who easily shed tears when remembering it. Given the painful six hours walk to and from to reach the main Bulolo National Highway to catch PMV to Lae to attend school and access Education from Primary, Secondary and Tertiary is very difficult, but needs personal commitment.

He started his Primary School in 1994 at Haicoast Community School, He than went to Lae Provincial High School in 2000 than to Bugandi Secondary School in 2004.

In 2009, Reuben quit his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture studies at Papua New Guinea University of Technology out of frustration in which his local people rights were being deprived and ignored by the Government and the foreign Mining Companies and with the help of community leaders, he set up the Union of Watut River Communities Association Incorporated, an organization to be the mouthpiece of people living along Watut River with a vision "to make Watut River Communities free of irresponsible development and government activities".

To provide that, Reuben spends much of his time patrolling the Middle and Lower Watut village by village along the river by foot to consult and observe the burden of the communities and selling his idea to organize the communities to have a strong voice against the Hidden Valley Mine and the Papua New Guinea Government Mining and Environment Regulators such as Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the Mineral Resources Authority (MRA) to look into the plight of the local people by which mining has brought to them affecting them socio- economically.

A joined meeting was organized in June 29, 2009 to get all community leaders of Watut River Communities to attend and a petition was drafted. The petition was then presented to the than Minister for Environment and Conservation Hon. Benny Allan, MP on September 11, 2009.

"I began looking for ways to overcome this burden my people are facing, and figured that I need to organize my people somehow, empowered them with factual information, having more discussions trough forums and meetings, and use the peoples power to foster recognition for change." Reuben said.

His achievement includes making the issue a national issue in Papua New Guines by making headlines in media (Print, Audio and Visual) as well as running campaigns using internet, blogs and social media.

Out of their initial petition, the National Executive Council has engaged an Australian base company - Snowy Mountain Engineering Corporation; in 2010 to carry an independent assessment into the watut river system. Out of which, the following were being noted:
* The report confirmed that there were elevated levels of arsenic, cobalt, lead, manganese, iron, mercury and free cyanide in excess of permit requirements released into the river system.
* The Environmental Management Plan (EMP) has not been updated since November 2009. The EMP does not meet the ISO 14001 requirements and has not been approved in accordance with Permit No. WD-L3 (50)
* Waste management is not done in accordance with the Waste Management Plan,
* Hydro- Meteorology Monitoring data reported,
* Poorly implementation of Monitoring, Quality Assurance and Training Procedures,
* High Level sediments discharges,

NB: Major non compliances that Department of Environment and Conservation just accepted.

"The last resort we have is to take the matter to court. The Government and the Mining owners knew that very well but they also knew that we don't have the money to find a good lawyer to represent us", Reuben said.

"The mining effects are now started to shown clear now. The Death of fish along Watut and Markham River, sediments build up, skin diseases, deformed children being born, dieback, river bed rises destroying food gardens and economical and cultural crops. Most of this are new things happening in the communities very recently after the mine." Reuben said.

He also said that they still have faith and hope to see trough that the matter must be address amicably with proper compensation given to the communities whose rights are being deprived as a result of mining in Hidden Valley.

Today, the Union of Watut River Communities are using mobile phones as well as social media and the internet to provided a new platform for its campaign. The Watut River site - www.watutriver.org, and Watut River Cries Facebook page will provides information on communities concerns and social and political matters relating to environmental issues and human rights.

The organization does not have any financial support or assistance but believes will carry its campaigns trough its sacrificial by the dedicated and committed Committees Members.



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For Donations:
Union of Watut River Communities Association
Account No. 1005699408
Bank South Pacific.

Watut River Forum Resolutions - the 21 day Ultumatum

The 21 day ultimatum to the Papua New Guinea National Government and the Morobe Provincial Government to act before the communities resolve as to their next cause of action which will come after May 11, 2011.

The demands include:

1. That the Morobe Governor meets all its outstanding commitments made to the concerned communities since 2009 which have never been fulfilled;

2. That Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC), Mining Department and Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) come down to the communities and address their outstanding problems and explained to them fully their commitments in establishing a state team and their engagement of SMEC into the Watut River issue.

3. That the National Court action taken by the Union of Watut River Communities be continued and shall include the Huon Gulf mining impacted communities;

4. That Morobe Mining Joint Venture should not visit the impacted communities outside of the Hidden Valley MOA area;

5. Authorities, including Bulolo District JDBPPC and Government of PNG to look into the outstanding 471 garden compensation payments and respond ASAP.

We urge the National and provincial authorities to address these demands no later than 11 May, 2011.

Failure will result in further action by landowners.

Authorized by:

Reuben Mete

Union of Watut River Communities Association Inc.

Watut River Forum set to be stage in Lae.

By: Watut Reporter

A public forum is expected to be stage in the heart of Morobe Province - Lae City; to deal with issues related to the pollution of the Watut River System. The date set for the Forum is Friday the 15th April 2011 at the Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium. This was made known by the organization responsible for the Watut River fight the Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC) today.  

Mr Reuben Mete, the President of the UoWRC in confirming this says that his organization is very keen to see  that all the communities along the Watut River within the two Electorate boundaries namely the Huon and Bulolo shall come, stand united to find amicable solutions to deal with the foreign mining companies operating the Hidden Valley Joint Venture - the Australia's Newcrest and the Harmony Gold of South Africa. 

Communities in Labu, Markham Bridge and Wampar with villages in the Lower Watut, Middle Watut, Latukatop and Upper Watut are expected to turn out in numbers. Invitations have been sent to Bulolo MP, Huon Gulf MP and Morobe Governor Luther Wenge with other relevant Government Agencies to present to be answerable to their outstanding commitments. Hidden Valley Joint Venture will also be invited to present at the Forum. Preparations for the staging of the event are a all well in advance.

Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC) Executives in Madang to Learn.

Left to Right: Chris Wena, George Paul, Peter Mathew, Henry Givisa, Reuben Mete and Maria Miti infront of the NBC Madang - Maus blo Garamut.

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. 

Video to Remind Newcrest Mining of Australia and Harmony Gold of South Africa.

Watut River Campaign Videos.

See what the foreign mining companies has done to thousands of communities along the Watut River. Are this things normal in their host countries?

If NO, than why are they allowing this to happen in Watut?

Basil to visit Middle Watut villages.

Bulolo MP Sam Basil will be taking a time out early next week to visit the communities in the Middle Watut, of Mumeng Local Level Government. Mr Basil is believe to walk the ten (10) Middle Watut villages to see for himself the struggles the riverine community have live and survive with minimal basic government services such as road, schools, clinics and also sees what the Impacts of Hidden Valley Mine has to the communities. 

President of the Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC) Mr Reuben Mete has welcome the Honorable Member's decisions and said this would be an historical visit has none of the sitting MPs of Bulolo Electorate have walked and spend time with the Middle Watut Villages in the past. Mr Basil will also present sawing machine to villages along his way.

MRA TO visit Watut River Communities regarding HVJV Compo.

The Environmental Division of the Mineral Resource Authority (MRA) will be visiting the Watut River Communities to address issues related to the Hidden Valley Joint Venture garden Compensation payment. 

The 50:50 joint venture company of Newcrest Mining of Australia and Harmony Gold of South African have been paying the villages some compensation for the garden due to Sediments wash down from its mining operation at the Hidden Valley which was situated in the headwaters of Watut River system, affecting its aquatic life, its ecosystem and the communities whose daily lives depends on it. Apart from toxic waist and sedimentation wash off, sediments are now being settle in communities along the Watut River which are situated well pass the Hidden Valley Mining Compliance Permit or mixing zone covered under the Hidden Valley Mining Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). These has now causeing the river beds to raise up affecting communities gardens, recreational sites, secret sites and causing vegetatin to dry dieback.

HVJV, the registered name or the trade mark name Morobe Mining Joint Venture - MMJV; the company set up to manage the Hidden Valley Mine by the Newcrest and Harmony Gold has been paying the communities compensation since the end of last year to February 18 this year (2011). As HVJV process of payment, Statutory Declaration and Sworn Statements were also given to the individual claimants to sign or post a fingerprint in agree that what has been paid is of final satisfaction and of full value and a paid as one-off. The payments varies with minimum being K4.00 with maximum being K26 000.00. Although majority of the communities agrees for the payment, 80% of them receive payment range between K60.00 - K300. Majority of the Middle and Lower Watut fall under this cheating trend by the HVJV and have already sign the statement. In addition to that, certain community leaders assisting the HVJV Community Liaison officers have been given allowances and special consideration in their payment. 

 The way valuation have been carried out and payment done are of serious violation to the human rights of the communities as only individuals having close relationship with  the HVJV liaison officers have been paid huge sums of money despite them having little or no garden at all as witness when the assessment was being carried out. 

With this mismanagement practices of the HVJV Officers, the local campaign group - Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC); has been running awareness to communities urging them not to sign their rights away to these foreign money hungry company. With that, UoWRC has written to MRA and Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) to looked into that matter and redress it. A total 471 claimants has to this date not signing the State Dec and have not yet receive any Compensation from the Mining Companies.

A team of MRA Officers haded by Mr John Mosoro will be headed to Watut River Communities next week to see that these matter is resolve as soon as possible to allow mining development in Hidden Valley to go ahead without any disturbance. The office of MRA in Wau has been task to facilitate the visit and UoWRC are gearing to face the Mining Regulators. 

HVJV garden compensation payment skipped UoWRC members.

More than 400 individual claims of Watut river communities along Watut river have been left out as villages decided not to sign the Statutory Declaration and making Sworn Statements that were being bulldozed by Hidden Valley Joint Venture (HVJV) Community liaison officers. This has cause them to miss out in the current Newcrest and Harmony HVJV garden compensation payment. The community have demanded an explanation of these two documents eversince however, HVJV offices have refused to explained this to them hence they strongly believe the documents might taken away their birth rights and jeopardies their future lawsuit. 

Tiffany Nonggorr, a Lawyer engaged by the Bulolo District JDBPC to assist the Watut River Communities in their bid to sue Newcrest and Harmony for the Environmental Damage and Watut River Rehabilitation have last week informing the communities that the Newcrest and Harmony Lawyers have mention the statutory declaration and the sworn statement in as their defense file. This contradicts earlier comments made by the HVJV General Manage Mr David Wissink that the State Decs has nothing to do with the future legal claims and communities should sign them without having doubt.

The Union of Watut River Communities (UoWRC) have already written a latter to the Minister for Mining Hon John Pundari MP, Environment and Conservation Minister Hon Benny Allan and Managing Director for Mineral Resource Authority Mr Kepas Walli  urging them to look into how HVJV has been doing in terms of Compensation and Environment and Mining Regulations Plan. The also demanded that  these respictive Regulatory bodies should intervene instruct HVJV to rearrange the payments for those that have been missing out.

Bulolo MP Hon Sam Basil has also send an email to the Community Affairs Manager of HVJV Mr Stanley Komunt to revisit those outstanding payments and address them. He also suggest that in case were HVJV refuse to made payments in relation to the signing of the State Decs, than the HVJV should send copies of the valuation calculated as per the Valua General Rate so his District should pay these claims.