“PNG and International Scientists Denied Access”, 11 November 2019

Papua New Guinea scientists and medical practitioners engaged by national government and working with [international] scientists on the Ramu mine spill were denied access to the [Mine]…last Friday and Saturday to carry out further sampling and investigation. “[W]e were told…we could land on the site…[but] instead…we were told to immediately leave the premises”.

A special meeting was also held on Thursday night…[to] discuss plans and [a] way forward to work together to carry out the investigation,…one recommendation was to…carry out samplings on various locations at the Basamuk and Astrolabe Bay.

Ramu mine executives [said]…they refused [entry] because they were still waiting for the official investigation that Prime Minister James Marape had announced in Parliament. “[T]he company will only accept the findings…sanctioned by the PNG National Government, not others. [Ramu] refutes the damning report which is irresponsible, defamatory and malicious…we must also have a round table meeting to discuss…many [other] things before the investigation begins because this is a highly technical area”.

[N]ational government agencies engaged to work together with Swiss and German Scientists from CEPA, NAQIA, NFA and provincial health authorities said the provincial government was also an authority and that Ramu did not need to wait for [Parliament’s] investigations.