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My river, my life
Urgent Government action is needed to stop direct disposal of mine waste into PNG rivers. HARLYNE JOKU writes.

"Stop polluting our rivers" is the cry of the communities of the Auga and Angabanga Rivers in the Goilala and Mekeo districts of the Central province yet the government to date has remained silent on the issue.
The Auga that leads into the Angabanga River is the biggest river in the province and is the source of livelihood for the 40,000 plus people.
Today recent studies prove the rivers are polluted. People are becoming sick and dying as a result of having direct contact with the river.
The rivers have changed their course, colour and content. Recent scientific studies have confirmed that the Auga and Angabanga rivers are not only polluted physically - they are chemically polluted too.
As the words of a youth from Yumu village Tolukuma says;
"It would be really good if this river never flowed again. I'd rather have a dry riverbed than a dirty flowing river. It hurts all the time I see it. It is not the fault of the river but those that have made it this way. They should just keep the river for themselves."
Recent studies reveal that operations of the multi billion Tolukuma Gold Mine (TGM), currently operated by Emporer Mines from Australia, formerly, South African company Durban Rooderpoorte Deep and Domes Resources is responsible for the pollution.
TGM began operations in 1994 and is located in the Owen Stanley Ranges near Fane, in the Goilala District, 100 kilometres north of Port Moresby.
The mines are monitored by both the Mining and Environment and Conservation Departments but not independently. The assessments are commissioned by the mining operator and their reports are not made public.
141,900 tones of waste tailings resulting from the gold extraction process of the mine is discharged into the nearby Auga River. The Auga connects with the Angabanga River which flows to the sea about 110 kilometres downstream.
Samples of the tailings according to a study commissioned by McDonald & Oxfam last year showed very high levels of arsenic, copper, lead, mercury and zinc.
People now fear to wash, drink or fish in the rivers. There were reports last year of 30 people dying mysteriously in a short space of time. There were also reports of mysterious diseases amongst communities in the vicinity of the river.
The reports from the people of Goilala and Mekeo prompted the commissioning of separate studies into water quality of the river.
Last Tuesday, a new study revealed shocking discoveries of high levels of toxic heavy metals found in the blood samples collected from people in two villages of Gaigafua and Oriropetana.
The study was commissioned by the Governor of Central province Alphonse Moroi and carried out by a senior pathology registrar Dr Sylvester Kotapu from Sydney's Royal Prince Albert Hospital. It was the first study of its kind that was conducted on blood samples of people.
Dr Kotapu says just exposure to toxic heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, mercury and zinc is fatal. Exposure meaning washing, paddling on a canoe, fishing, washing vegetables, drinking etc.
The impact is detrimental and could wipe out a community in a matter of time, Dr Kotapu said.
Dr Kotapu collected 500 samples of blood of the two river communities and had them tested at the laboratory of the Sydney Royal Prince Albert Hospital which gave the results.
He said the levels were very high especially amongst the children who also showed signs of deformity.
Dr Kotapu has recommended that specific laws be legislated to ensure that mine operators build tailings dams before they operate.
He gave a strong message. "Papua New Guineans must understand that this chemical pollution will be with us for a very long time, mines are here to stay. The government must take measures to monitor the mines and that they comply by environment and health standards of the country. All studies conducted by scientists commission independently or by the mine must be translated in simple layman's language and made public," Dr Kotapu said.
Dr Kotapu's revelations stirred up emotional reactions from leaders, NGO's and the public.
The Governor of Central Province, Mr Moroi said he would vigorously pursue an MOA review of Tolukuma Mine Operations to ensure a tailings dam is built and the company pays for the losses of the river communities amongst other immediate measures.
Mr Moroi cited the case of Bougainville Copper Mine which was an environment issue which crippled PNG's economy and resulted in numerous loss of lives of civilians, landowners, soldiers and police. Mr Moroi said PNG suffered a huge loss from Bougainville and must learn from that experience to ensure that the people as well as the mine benefit.
Dr Allan Marat the MP for Rabaul and the Chairman of the Constitutional and Law Reform Commission described the revelations as a mining genocide.
He said the pollution of Auga and Angabanga is happening in other mining operations. He further described PNG leaders as "dumb and stupid" for allowing mines to operate without a tailings dam.
Dr Marat said PNG and the Papua Province of Indonesia, both on the island of New Guinea were the only places in the world that allowed mines to operate without a tailings dam.
He strongly called on the Mining Minister and the government to impose a moratorium on new mining operations until legislation is in place to ensure tailings dams are constructed to treat mine waste.
There are seven operating mines both large and medium scale and 7 upcoming mines. There are also over 120 exploration licenses and all the mines are foreign owned.
Matilda Koma from CERD, the Centre for Environmental Research and Development sums it up.
"Dumping of mine wastes into rivers virtually kills life, smothering the riverbeds and hence the food chain. The damage is permanent, Ok Mani, Ok Tedi, Porgera and Auga Rivers and sections of the Fly, Strickland and Angabanga Rivers which are really under stress at the moment.
"Dumping of mine waste into rivers poses major threat to food security and health and increases poverty. In PNG rural areas, not one single person can go hungry, poverty to us means not having access to clean water," Ms Koma said
Ms Koma said operators need to conduct responsible mining and that is to not dump mine waste into river systems.
Ms Koma said the compliance point along the Auga River at which Tolukuma mine is supposed to meet government regulations on water quality standards seven kilometers downstream from the mine, but does not.
She said independent monitoring indicates levels of several pollutants have exceeded the requirements including WHO standards.
"The people within the polluted section of the river have not received any form of compensation for deprivation of their rights to enjoy the water since 1994," she said.