Porgera Alliance

Category: Killings, Rapes, Mine-related Deaths and Arbitrary Detentions

  • Righting Wrongs?: Columbia and Harvard Law School produce report on Porgera

    Jethro Tulin commended the Columbia and Harvard Law Schools, as well as lawyers Sarah Knuckey and Tyler Giannini,  for their excellent independent reporting in “Righting Wrongs? Barrick Gold’s Remedy Mechanism for Sexual Violence in Papua New Guinea: Key Concerns and Lessons Learned“. (download report here)

    Tulin also stated, “Catherine Coumans (Canada), Natalie Lowery (Australia), Teacha Beaumont (Australia), Sakura Saunders (United States) and many other names not mentioned, we all started together in this struggle some 10 years ago and you all know the full story. Barrick through out the entire remedy framework implementation, did avoided contact and isolated myself and Tony Mark Ekepa in totality but the report tells the full story, we the Porgera Alliance team in Porgera, Mark Tony Ekepa, Jethro Tulin, Jeffery Simon, David Mandi, Robert Taropen, Aron Robin Pes Kiwale and many others names not mentioned, despite Barrick’s controlled isolating us from a struggle that we are deeply connected, the Righting Wrongs? report sets the record correctly. We stand tall.”

    Natalie Lowrey wrote of the report, “it pains me to have to even post the following report which is a three year study that highlights the ongoing abuses of the mining industry. In this case the brutal rapes and gang rapes of women in Porgera, Papua New Guinea, at the hands of staff employed by the worlds largest gold miner, Barrick Gold. Barrick finally admitted to the rapes, most of the 120 rape survivors were compensated with less than $6,000 and had to sign waivers that gives Barrick legal immunity i.e. they cannot sue the company.”

    View the report here: http://www.rightingwrongsporgera.com/

    Thanks to Sarah Knuckey, MiningWatch Canada, and the Human Rights Legal Clinics at Harvard and Colombia Law Schools for there work in exposing this atrocity.

  • PRESS STATEMENT: Victory! Victims of abuse receive compensation

    We at Porgera Alliance are pleased to Claim Victory on out of court settlement  entered by our lawyers from Earth Rights International in the USA and Barrick Gold of Canada on agreement to pay compensation to issues connected with human rights abuses at the Porgera mine site, (Rapes and Killing) after many many tears of struggle to seek justice and relief.
    The victory comes about after many years struggle to seek justice with limited or no resources in the absences of the Papua New Guinea Governments support. Human Rights abuse crimes occurred at thePorgera mine site and we plead to the PNG many times but felt on deaf ears in Waigani. Despite many obstacles, we brought the issues to door step of Barrick Gold in Canada and USA. It took us many years but at least, but not the last, we at Porgera Alliance where able to pin down Barrick and that eventually lead to the out off court settlement, compensation in a small way to rape and killing victims. The victory demonstrates, Porgera Alliance Yes We can on a grassroot note and a shame to the PNG government failing to protects its citizens in the pre text of foreign investment and development.
    Jethro Tulin
    Executive Officer
    Porgera Alliance & ATA

    READ statement by EarthRights International.

     

  • Porgera Burns: Police set homes of “illegal miners” in Wingima ablaze again

    Porgera Burns read the headline in PNG's national paper
    "Porgera Burns" read the headline at PNG's National Newspaper

    UPDATE ON WINGIMA HOME BURNINGS: (reporting from Jethro Tulin)

    1. A Total of 87 permanent structured were burnt down
    2. At the time of the raid, two women where raped according to witness.

    3. 5 people were seriously injured and admitted to hospital.

    People feared the police and cases were not properly reported to police nor did people seek medical reports.

    From June 9: “Porgera Burns” read headlines in Papua New Guinea’s daily newspaper. More than 200 houses were burnt to the ground, it reports, and angry villagers retaliated by attacking an Australian mine worker.

    This isn’t the first time that security forces have burnt down hundreds of houses next to Barrick’s mine, and this recent violent episode underscores the need to meet the community’s demand to be resettled away from the dangerous mine site.

    “This is the second time this village (Wingima) was burnt down. The first one was done during the first state of emergency call out operation some six years ago which never solved the problem,” MP Nixon Mangape said of this most recent police campaign.

    “Why is Barrick not looking at long term solutions like relocating the people out of the special mining lease area? Burning houses in a particular village in the special mining lease area will not solve the illegal mining problem. It”™s adding more fuel to a burning fire.”

  • UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Responds to Allegations Regarding Porgera “Remedy” Framework

    In response to appeals from MiningWatch and many other groups, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has issued an opinion regarding the framework of remediation initiatives developed by Barrick Gold Corporation for women who have been victims of sexual violence by security personnel at the company’s Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea. The opinion makes some important positive contributions but also raises some serious concerns. Here’s the OHCHR opinion, and our letter in response.

    UN OHCHR Opinion: Allegations regarding the Porgera Joint Venture remedy framework

    Letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of September 4, 2013

  • Barrick Under Global Pressure to Withdraw Conditions on Remedy for Papua New Guinea Rape Victims

    Since January, 2013, MiningWatch Canada has raised concern about the fact that Barrick Gold is seeking legal immunity from victims of rape by mine security guards at the company”™s Porgera Joint Venture Mine in Papua New Guinea (PNG). If these rape victims accept an individual remedy package they must sign a waiver that assures Barrick that they will never sue the company in PNG or anywhere else in the world. We have raised this concern in public letters to the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights (UNHCHR) on March 19 and April 2, 2013. On May 14, 77 global organizations sent a letter to the UNHCHR expressing their deep concern over this. For more background, see Barrick Seeks Immunity from Rape Victims at its Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea.

    Under pressure, Barrick posted a note to its web site on April 16, 2013, stating that there is a new “version” of the legal waiver that “contains much narrower terms.” We have repeatedly asked for a copy of the new terms to be made public but none has been released by Barrick to date. We therefore sent another letter to the UNHCHR on May 14. She, or rather her office (the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights), has responded. The OHCHR’s opinion makes some important positive contributions but also raises some serious concerns. Here’s the opinion, and our letter in response.

    UN OHCHR Opinion: Allegations regarding the Porgera Joint Venture remedy framework

    Letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights of September 4, 2013

     

  • Indigenous Landowners release report demanding urgent resettlement

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

    Contact: Mark T. Ekepa: emarktony@gmail.com, Phone: +(675) 5479428, cell: +(675) 71234467
    Jethro Tulin: jctulin@gmail.com +(675) 72817336

    The Porgera Land Owners Association (PLOA), in partnership with the Porgera Alliance released a report today detailing the case for the urgent resettlement of their people away from Barrick’s Porgera mine. The report covers the health hazards associated with living close to the mine, as well as enumerating the human rights abuses caused by mine security. The report also recounts the history of the mine’s agreements with the local community, revealing a pattern of neglect of the community’s free, prior and informed consent at nearly every stage of the mine’s development.

    This report follows investigations and reports published by Amnesty International, Harvard Law, Human Rights Watch, and the Norwegian Government all detailing the dangerous conditions near the Porgera mine. However, this report stands out as a comprehensive look at the history of the Porgera mine, from the perspective of the landowners who have led negotiations with the company.

    download report here: https://www.porgeraalliance.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Urgent-Resettlement-Porgera-web.pdf

    for background, see:

    Norwegian Pension Fund Full Report on Divestment Decision: http://www.protestbarrick.net/downloads/recommendation_barrick.pdf
    Harvard Law Report on Porgera: http://www.reports-and-materials.org/Harvard-testimony-re-Porgera-Main.pdf
    Amnesty International Report on Forced Evictions: http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA34/001/2010/en/2a498f9d-39f7-47df-b5eb-5eaf586fc472/asa340012010eng.pdf
    Human Rights Watch report confirming gang rapes by Barrick Security Forces:     http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/png0211webwcover.pdf

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  • Porgera Issues Represented by Asia Pacific Caucus at United Nations

    The Asia Pacific caucus statement at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues urged the Special Rapporteur to investigate the human rights crisis near Barrick’s Porgera mine.

    Whilst the Special Rapporteur has not yet visited the Indigenous peoples of Papua New Guinea for a country report, on 19 August 2008 a special communication was made by the Special Rapporteur regarding the situation concerning Mr. JethroTulin, the CEO of a NGO based in Porgera that has been documenting human rights violations associated with a Gold Mine there. Mr. Tulin had travelled to Canada to express concerns about the mine and on his return in August 2008 was attacked, told not to return to Canada and received further anonymous threats. The Special Rapporteur wrote to the Government of Papua New Guinea, but there was no reply. A formal complaint on other human rights violations was also filed with the Human Rights Commission by Barrick Gold of Canada who also the sought ordinance with the Special Rapporteur last year. Despite these actions, reports of gross human rights violations at the mine continue.

    Read full Asia Pacific Caucus statement here.

  • Background – Issues Related to Barrick Gold”™s Porgera Joint Venture Mine in Papua New Guinea May 2011

    Violence Perpetrated by the Security Forces of the Porgera Joint Venture Mine

    Allegations of rapes, beatings and killings of community members by Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) security forces have been prevalent for at least a decade. In a news article in 2005 then-mine operator Canada”™s Placer Dome admitted to eight killings of community members by PJV security guards. 1 Early in 2006 Barrick Gold took over the mine when it acquired Placer Dome. There have been further allegations of killings and rapes by PJV security forces since 2006. Most of these cases have never been investigated. (more…)

  • PNG Mining Minister Responds to Munk’s Statement about Gang Rape, Porgera Alliance demands Accountability


    Download this letter from the Government Mining Minister demanding apology from Peter Munk for his statement about gang rape being a “cultural habit” in PNG.

    The following is the Porgera Alliance’s response the official response of Barrick’s Gary Halverson to the outrage cause by Peter Munk’s insensitive comments.

    Gary Halverson, Barrick Asia Pacific President’s response to public outcry over Peter Munk’s statement was short sighted and bad taste (Post Courier Monday 28 2011). The facts surrounding the rapes cases at the Porgera mine site reflects a pattern of continuous human rights violations at Porgera and it was not surprise for Mr. Halverson to say Mr. Munk”™s comments taken out of context.

    How can a man of Munks standing globally, a chairman of the world”™s largest gold producer says “Gang Rape A Cultural habit” in PNG and yet, one of his deputies defend him saying he was taken out of context. We understand that Munk is a no nonsense man and he meant what he said.

    Porgera Landowners Association through Porgera Alliance rang the bell on Barrick, exposing such in-humane activities in Porgera and demanding accountability for the crimes.

    We stand with the Minister for Mining and the Government of Papua New Guinea in demanding an apology, but we deserve more than that from Peter Munk and Barrick. Rapes and other forms of human rights abuses are the culture of Munk and Barrick pattern of operations globally. The Government of Papua New Guinea must act now to hold Barrick accountable for the crimes instead of just an apology. Evidence of transnational crimes has surfaced and the government of PNG must not shy away with a shallow defensive apology from Halverson to save Munk’s ass.

    Cash for land deals by transnational under pretext of social wages can be accepted but not with the kind of taste that we have experienced so far with Barrick in Porgera.

    Ipilis, Engans and PNG in general were a civilized society before western civilization. We had rules and laws guiding our way of life, far better than Munks way of business and life. Rape or Gang rape is unheard until recent times around our so-called urban centers and we do not promote or tolerate such crimes in our rural society.

    Mark Tony Ekepa
    Chairman
    PLOA

    Regards

    Mark Tony

  • Letter to Peter Munk regarding his statement: “Gang Rape is a Cultural Habit”

    The President
    Barrick Gold Corporation
    Toronto, CANADA

    Attention: Peter Munk

    Subject: Gang Rape A “Cultural Habit”?

    We write to seek clarification of the terminology you used in the Globe and Mail saying that Gang Rape is a “˜Cultural Habit”™ in Papua New Guinea, and we urge you to prove with facts and evidence of your statement.

    The indigenous population of Papua New Guinea is one of the most heterogeneous in the world having diverse culture. Papua New Guinea has several thousand separate communities, divided by language, customs, and tradition etc. Some 800 languages spoken in PNG reflect the diversity.

    Porgera is an ancestral domain where indigenous people interact to sustain life and lived in good peace and harmony by solving problems and conflicts the customary way. Young women were kept pure to deserve a bride price while young man undergoes cultural initiation to mark strength for future challenges. We promote preserving our culture as a source of pride and prestige for our future generation.

    Your Barick Gold Corporation extracting gold in Porgera in the Enga Province of Papua New Guinea is bringing wealth and luxury for your betterment alone at the expense of deaths, rapes and beatings of local indigenous people in the pretext of development. Your mining impacts have brought pain, disunity, poverty and cultural conflict induced by your way of operation.

    You are aware that our plea for justice and relief was expressed broadly and was even presented annually by us at your AGM in Toronto since 2008, where you were present.

    Rape is not tolerable in Porgera/Enga and PNG. It is subject to a high traditional penalty of compensation or the offender may be imprisoned for a maximum term of life through a court of law.

    A Gang Rape is a new phenomenon to us since your mine arrived and is only practiced by criminals as in western cultures. The practice of gang rapes in the mine at Porgera is reflecting your criminal paramilitary type goon guard security operation system.

    You have just violated the rule of law and our customary practices by introducing gang rape through the Porgera Joint Venture mining in Porgera in Papua New Guinea and you must know that gang rape is against our culture and is a serious offence with the highest penalty in the court of law in Papua New Guinea.

    We anticipate receiving a favorable response from you soon.

    Yours truly,

    “¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦..

    Mark Tony Ekepa

    Chairman ““ Porgera Alliance & Porgera Landowners Association