Lae landowners want to be part of Wafi-Golpu stakeholder forum

THE Butibam people, the traditional landowners of Lae City, have called on the State to include them as stakeholders in Wafi-Golpu mine development meetings.
The locals raised their concerns through their council-of-chiefs after they were left out in two stakeholder forums in Lae and Kokopo recently.
The leaders of the six major clans — Agactu Gwatu, Busulum, Tumata, Wapicguhu and Apo — in a joint statement said it did not go down well with the Butibam people when they were left out of negotiations because tailings pipeline from the mine would pass through their land and seafront.
“Will we be invited into this Wafi-Golpu development forum?” the statement read. “We want the mining minister to advise us. This kind of treatment dished out to our people is unacceptable and very disrespectful.”
They said the tailings pipeline would run from 9-Mile to Lae Port and Bumbu River. These were all owned by the Butibam people but alienated to the State without payment.
They said if their interests were not considered and represented, they would not allow the pipeline to pass through their land.
“If we are not invited to participate, we will not allow the pipeline to run through our traditional land,” they said.
The leaders said all they wanted was for the State and developer to recognise them as integral stakeholders.