Western MPs unite to fight mine extension

By ADRIAN MATHIAS
WESTERN MPs have pledged to do all they can to stop the extension of mining.
The community mine continuation agreement (CMCA) between Ok Tedi and leaders of Ok Tedi Mining Impacted Area Association (OKTMIAA) signed on Saturday will see mining continuing from 2015 to 2025.
However, North Fly MP Boka Kondra and his fellow provincial MPs called a media conference in Port Moresby yesterday to announce they would oppose the extension from 2015 in the strongest possible terms after serious and mysterious health issues, including deaths, have occurred in the mining area.
Kondra said he and the other two Western MPs Aide Ganasi (South Fly) and Roy Biyama (Middle Fly) would push hard for the National Executive Council (NEC) not to accept the agreement.
Along with the MPs, OKTMIAA leaders Nick Bunn (president), Elizah Nato (vice-president) and Edwin Yara (treasurer) also confirmed the health issues in the area and signed a statement about their concern.
The claimed that the Ok Tedi Development  Fund (OTDF) that was supposed to take care for the well-being of the communities in the mining area had been ignoring the health issues despite reports from those associated with the mining, including health personnel.
OTDF said it was mindful of people’s health and was not turning a blind eye to the health issues.
It said it was fully committed to improving the lives of people in the 156 villages in the area.
However, Kondra who reported mysterious illnesses, said: “We (Western MPs) will stand together and fight until we address this serious health issue that is affecting the lives of our people along the banks of the Fly River.’’Biyama and Ganasi said they would press for NEC not to accept the Ok Tedi mine agreement.
One of the claims in yesterday’s joint statement was that water had not been available since 2001 and people resorted to drinking water from water holes and wells that were often contaminated.
Health reports from Bosset, Aimbak, Wangawanga, Teapopo and Wariobodoro villages have confirmed women experiencing abnormal bleeding, with some dying.