Act now: Help end forced evictions at Porgera gold mine

 

 
Between April and July 2009, police officers in Papua New Guinea illegally and forcibly evicted people from their homes alongside one of the biggest mines in Papua New Guinea, the Porgera gold mine.

People fled as their homes were burned by police. In some cases police assaulted and threatened people with firearms. One woman, a mine employee, said that while she was nursing her small child in her arms, a police officer hit her on the shoulder with a rifle butt when she hesitated to leave her house, pointed the gun at her and threatened her. Another resident said that when he refused to leave, the police tried to lock him in his house and set fire to it while he was inside.

Those affected by the forced evictions have had to seek shelter elsewhere. One woman told Amnesty International, “I am a bit ashamed because my wontoks [relatives] have to provide for my family.” Several former residents of Wuangima say that due to their forced eviction, they can no longer rely on their gardens for food. Women in particular report significant hardship as a result of the police action as it is generally their responsibility to provide food for the family.

Many people told Amnesty International that they want compensation and an explanation from the authorities as to why the police destroyed their homes. As one man stated, “I didn’t steal gold and I didn’t do anything wrong. Why are they burning my house?”

Amnesty International is calling for:
  • the government of Papua New Guinea to immediately investigate the police actions, prosecute those responsible and provide effective remedies for people whose rights were violated.
  • the companies to withdraw their support for the police deployment and call for an investigation into the police action.
  • the Canadian government to actively promote respect for human rights by Canadian companies in their operations at home and abroad.

Take Action

Send a message to help end forced evictions at Porgera gold mine.

445 messages have already been sent. Click here to view signatures and read personal messages.

Send letters to the mining companies at Porgera and to the governments of Canada and Papua New Guinea urging better human rights protection for people living near Porgera Mine.

To:

Barrick Gold and Porgera Joint Venture (Read letter)

The government of Papua New Guinea (Read letter)

The government of Canada (Read letter)

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Background: The Porgera Mine

The Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea is 95 percent owned and operated through the Porgera Joint Venture (PJV) by subsidiaries of the Canadian-based mining company, Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick).

At the time of the forced evictions PJV was providing the police deployed to the Porgera area with accommodation, food and fuel under an agreement that stated that PJV's support was conditional on the police respecting national law and international standards, including the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

Despite the forced evictions and other reported human rights violations, the company continues to provide accommodation, food and fuel to the police.

For more information, read the Amnesty International report “Undermining Rights: Forced evictions and police brutality around the Porgera gold mine, Papua New Guinea” (February 2010), and visit www.barrick.com.