Barrick, inspector get 14-day ultimatum

By JEFFREY ELAPA
THE Chief Mine Inspector and the developer of Porgera Gold Mine, Barrick, have been given 14 days to publicly announce if it is safe for landowners to live in the vicinity of the Special Mine Lease area.
Chief landowner and Laiagam-Porgera MP Nixon Mangape issued the ultimatum during a press conference in Port Moresby after they failed to address landowners’ issues such as resettlement.
Mangape said it was now 20 years since the mine started and the mine inspector, through the Mineral Resources Authority, needed to tell the peoples of Porgera and Enga, its provincial government and the nation whether it was safe to live in the area. 
“If it is safe for the people, then a public notice has to be put in the media and a copy made available to me assuring the safety of the people so that all people, including the international community, can know.”
He said in layman’s view, Barrick was breaking international law as safety of the indigenous people had not been guaranteed.
“If it is illegal and against international mining laws then the government and the developer need to resettle them immediately.”
Mangape called on Barrick to provide a copy of the mining environmental plan for the mining area as displaced landowners had never been resettled.
“As the mandated leader, I’m giving the company 14 days to make a copy of this plan available to me,” he said.