Concerned Ok Tedi landowners urge Australian MPs to curb BHP
MPI Media Release
12 April 2000
PNG landowners have today called on Australian politicians to stop Australia's continued overseas embarrassment by forcing BHP to end its disastrous environmental damage from the Ok Tedi mine.
In recent months Australia's corporate image has suffered worldwide headlines due to Esmeralda incident which poisoned four rivers in Europe and the Dome Resources cyanide accident in PNG.
"But the Ok Tedi disaster has been going for 16 years and every day BHP dumps another 80,000 tonnes of waste in the Ok Tedi River," says clan leader Rex Dagi.
"The Ok Tedi and Fly River system is one of the largest in the world.
"We cannot understand how an Australian company can do this and how your government allows them to act this way."
Rex Dagi, Gabia Gagarimabu, Robin Moken, Barnabas Uako and Samson Jubi are meeting today with Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton, Greens Senator Bob Brown, and Democrats environment spokesman Senator Andrew Bartlett.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his staff are "too busy" to meet the group which includes Gabia Gagarimabu, who represents South Fly in the PNG National Parliament.
During their Australian visit they have also met with local environmental groups to gain support for their campaign.
Yesterday they began legal action against BHP in the Supreme Court of Victoria, seeking unspecified damages and an order for reasonable tailings mitigation.
"BHP would not be allowed to ruin a river system and affect tens of thousands of people in Australia," says clan leader Rex Dagi.
"We want Australians to tell BHP they cannot do this to people in another country.
It is 16 years since the collapse of the initial tailings dam and four years since BHP agreed to a settlement which included compensation, dredging of the river, and future containment of the tailings.
"Your politicians would not let a foreign company behave like this in Australia," says Mr Dagi.
"Australians would not leave their homes and move into refugee camps so a foreign miner could destroy their forests and rivers - so why should we have to?"
Simon Divecha from the Minerals Policy Institute - the group which alerted Australia to the Esmeralda spill - accompanied the landowners to their meetings with Federal MPS.
"After 16 years of Ok Tedi pollution and numerous mining disasters like the Esmeralda cyanide spill in Europe, it is time for action," Mr Divecha said.
"The federal government must regulate Australian companies overseas as all business will suffer from the mining companies' excesses."
For more information:
Simon Divecha, Mineral Policy Institute 02 9387 5540
Rex Dagi
Gabia Gagarimabu
PNG landowners have today called on Australian politicians to stop Australia's continued overseas embarrassment by forcing BHP to end its disastrous environmental damage from the Ok Tedi mine.
In recent months Australia's corporate image has suffered worldwide headlines due to Esmeralda incident which poisoned four rivers in Europe and the Dome Resources cyanide accident in PNG.
"But the Ok Tedi disaster has been going for 16 years and every day BHP dumps another 80,000 tonnes of waste in the Ok Tedi River," says clan leader Rex Dagi.
"The Ok Tedi and Fly River system is one of the largest in the world.
"We cannot understand how an Australian company can do this and how your government allows them to act this way."
Rex Dagi, Gabia Gagarimabu, Robin Moken, Barnabas Uako and Samson Jubi are meeting today with Opposition Foreign Affairs spokesman Laurie Brereton, Greens Senator Bob Brown, and Democrats environment spokesman Senator Andrew Bartlett.
Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and his staff are "too busy" to meet the group which includes Gabia Gagarimabu, who represents South Fly in the PNG National Parliament.
During their Australian visit they have also met with local environmental groups to gain support for their campaign.
Yesterday they began legal action against BHP in the Supreme Court of Victoria, seeking unspecified damages and an order for reasonable tailings mitigation.
"BHP would not be allowed to ruin a river system and affect tens of thousands of people in Australia," says clan leader Rex Dagi.
"We want Australians to tell BHP they cannot do this to people in another country.
It is 16 years since the collapse of the initial tailings dam and four years since BHP agreed to a settlement which included compensation, dredging of the river, and future containment of the tailings.
"Your politicians would not let a foreign company behave like this in Australia," says Mr Dagi.
"Australians would not leave their homes and move into refugee camps so a foreign miner could destroy their forests and rivers - so why should we have to?"
Simon Divecha from the Minerals Policy Institute - the group which alerted Australia to the Esmeralda spill - accompanied the landowners to their meetings with Federal MPS.
"After 16 years of Ok Tedi pollution and numerous mining disasters like the Esmeralda cyanide spill in Europe, it is time for action," Mr Divecha said.
"The federal government must regulate Australian companies overseas as all business will suffer from the mining companies' excesses."
For more information:
Simon Divecha, Mineral Policy Institute 02 9387 5540
Rex Dagi
Gabia Gagarimabu
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
