A new report published by Jubilee Australia Research Centre in collaboration with Project Sepik raises concerns about the proposed Frieda River copper-gold mining project in Papua New Guinea’s West and East Sepik provinces by PanAust (a Chinese-owned, Australian-based company headquartered in Brisbane). The report alleges that the intended mining activity threatens to destroy the health of a major river system and poison fish stocks, and has the potential to cause violent unrest. Further, the report alleges that the Free, Prior and Informed Consent of locals was not adequately obtained, and that “legitimate concerns about the impact of the mine on their river were not being seriously considered”.

Business and Human Rights Centre invited PanAust to respond to the allegations, the response is provided below. We also spoke to Emmanuel Peni, coordinator of Project Sepik, whose story is profiled below.