Society, forum oppose sand mining

THE Catholic Professional Society in association with community rights advocacy forum are supporting the opposition to the proposed sand mining in Madang.
President Paul Harricknen said as a faith-based organistaion, the call to support the opposition to the proposed sand mine was based on their social teachings.
He said reasons include the lack of a free, fair and prior informed consent from the landowners and other stakeholders of the proposed tenement area in Sumgilbar local level government, Sumkar.
Harricknen said there was no policy and specific law to guide sand mining in the country.
“In the absence of policy, the State cannot grant a licence for sand mining without a specific law for it,” he said.
“We have the Mining Act, and the traditional form of mines that we have are covered by the Mining Act.
“There is no clear policy on sand mining and the law is built on policy, in the absence of policy, we can’t say that there is law.”
Harricknen said there was a conflict of interest with the Conservation Environment Protection Authority (Cepa) who had approved the project.
“There is already a Cepa-approved conservation area along the same stretch of land. It cannot allow for both conservation and mining on the same land.”