Locals condemn assessment reports

By GABRIEL LAHOC
THE environmental assessment reports by the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) and the operator of Hidden Valley gold mine, Morobe Mining Joint Venture (MMJV), has been rejected by the three Labu communities.
The DEC this week came out to say that the Markham River system, the Markham and Labu people’s main source of livelihood, was not contaminated from the suspected chemical spill several weeks ago.
The leaders of Labu Butu, Labu Miti and Labu Tale are concerned that the assessment carried out by DEC officers who came into Lae last weekend without the knowledge and of the locals is not reflective of the current situation on the ground.
They questioned whose interest the government department was serving as they were facilitated by the developer, including aerial surveys on MMJV helicopters.
The increasing number of dead eels, fish and prawns and other marine life in the river has spread  towards the southern coastline towards Salamaua, where saltwater fish are found washed ashore.
On top of losing their fishing ground, source of other food source and clean drinking water, they are now affected economically as they cannot catch and sell fish which is their main income earner in the city.
Authorities in the city have also banned the Labu people from selling their catches at the popular Lain Kokonas market and the Lae main market.
Spokesperson Mondo Sigar questioned why the DEC assessment team comprising scientists and lawyers, did not sit down with the local leaders and did not visit the affected communities.
Governor Luther Wenge and provincial administrator visited them on Monday.
“The admittance that DEC relies and receives its assessment reports from MMJV is a gross mistrust and amounts to carelessness.
“That signifies that the department is a puppet that dances to the tune of the big companies and is very slack to  stand up for the affected people,” Sigar said.
“We invite the DEC team back to Markham bridge on their vehicles and not on a chopper.
“They must come and do this simple things: go swim in the river, fetch water and have a drink and eat food cooked with water fetched from that river.”
The leaders disputed claims by the department that the aquatic animals died from natural causes, as they have lived for generations where landslips or other natural causes did not produce such effects.
They say the department failed in its obligation to investigate the cause properly and explain how best it can help the people.