“Madang Govt Seeks Legal Advice”, 20 November 2019

The Madang provincial government has sought legal advice from six lawyers and an [Australian solicitors] …firm to help with a lawsuit against the Ramu nickel mine operator, Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC). Madang Governor Peter Yama…said the environment issue in and around Ramu…was “very sensitive” and required immediate action…

“When the…mining development contract was signed in 2000, the provision for the national government through CEPA…to establish an environment committee, gave…responsibility to CEPA to…monitor and receive environmental updates and reports from MCC every year…that has not been done. Look at Madang now; my people [have] been deprived of their source of food and income. [The] judge in the 2012 case said…the environmental consequences of [the Ramu toxic spill] may…[cause] irreparable damage…and seriously [harm] the lives and future of…thousands of…coastal people in Madang. I don’t think I am over-reacting…[and] that is why we are going to court”, [Yama].