The complaint will be filed with the Department of Treasury’s Australian OECD National Contact Point, which has the power to investigate complaints made against Australian companies operating overseas. The limited mine employment opportunities were resented, but the far more limited mine revenue share received, not only by mine lease landowners but also by Bougainville as a whole, was of even greater concern for multiple groups involved in the origins of the conflict. A group of Bougainville residents have filed a human rights complaint against Rio Tinto, alleging ongoing environmental, health and economic impacts from mining waste. A group of Bougainville residents have filed a human rights complaint against Rio Tinto, alleging ongoing environmental, health and economic impacts from mining waste. The ensuing civil war left up to 20,000 people dead and led to a peace agreement opening the way for possible Bougainville independence. Today 156 Bougainville community members have filed a complaint with the Australian Government against Rio Tinto for environmental and human rights violations caused by its former mine on Bougainville in Papua New Guinea. Bougainville News : ‘Deal with the disaster’: The girl from #Bougainville who grew up to take on a mining giant RTZ. We love feedback: help us improve by rating the app and sharing your suggestions at apps@sbs.com.au. The mining industry has dominated Papua New Guinea’s economy for decades, with companies extracting minerals including gold, copper, silver and nickel. Panguna Mine Conflict. Three executives, including the chief executive, were forced to step down this month. Speculation about the future of the Panguna copper mine in Papua New Guinea’s autonomous region of Bougainville, which ignited a decade long civil war in the 1990s, peaked late last year when an application for exploration by former Rio Tinto subsidiary, Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL), was put to a local vote. Disaster Capitalism Written by Antony Loewenstein Directed by Thor Neureiter www.disastercapitalismfilm.com. Mining giant Rio Tinto is facing accusations that a mine it abandoned in Papua New Guinea two decades ago is leaking poisonous waste into rivers. “The communities are living in a highly unstable dangerous environment,” said Keren Adams, the legal director of the Human Rights Law Center. It’s a hue of grey-blue, the result of copper pollution and mining tailings from a long-abandoned copper mine upstream. DARWIN, Australia — The mining giant Rio Tinto has been accused of environmental and human rights violations in a complaint that says an abandoned mine is leaking waste and poisoning rivers on the island of Bougainville. Disaster Capitalism is a groundbreaking documentary film about Bougainville, Haiti and Afghanistan, revealing the dark underbelly of the global aid and investment industry. By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS. We urgently need Rio Tinto to do what’s right and deal with the disaster they have left behind," Matbob said. Bougainville overwhelmingly voted to break away as an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea last year, with debate still open over whether the mine could be reopened to enhance its economic security. “We live with the impacts of Panguna every day,” Theonila Roka Matbob, a traditional landowner from Makosi Village and a member of the Bougainville Parliament, said in a statement released by the Human Rights Law Center, which lodged the claim. The group of Bougainville residents have asked Rio Tinto to fund an independent environmental and human rights impact assessment of the mine and support a program to help address any issues and assist long-term rehabilitation efforts. In 2016 Rio divested from the mine, passing on its shares to the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments, in a move locals say allowed the miner to entirely avoid the costs of clean-up. The people of Bougainville are poised to vote for independence and already Australians, including Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest, are hoping to exploit their … “Our rivers are poisoned with copper, our homes get filled with dust from the tailings mounds, our kids get sick from the pollution,” Ms. Matbob added. 29/09/2020 1:59:00 AM. The mine’s abandoned piles of tailings have also caused rivers to flood, destroying sacred sites. Source: Human Rights Law Centre, Traditional Owners slam Rio Tinto for secretly laying explosives in Juukan Gorge despite pleas to stop, Significant WA cultural heritage sites 'at risk' in planned Rio Tinto mine expansion. Thirty years later, the effects of the mine are still being felt. When the Panguna copper mine opened in 1966 it had cleared 220 hectares of the Bougainville rainforest, led to the displacement of local people, and introduced over four thousand foreign workers into local communities. Developed and majority-owned by Rio Tinto, disputes over the distribution of profits led to a decade-long civil war that claimed the lives of nearly 15,000 people. The United Nations Environment program will help Papua New Guinea's island of Bougainville manage on-going environmental issues associated with the Rio Tinto-owned Panguna copper mine. In 2016 Rio divested from the mine, passing on its shares to the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments, in a move locals say allowed the miner to entirely avoid the costs of clean-up. For nearly two decades during the 1970s and 80s, the Panguna mine in Bougainville was one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines, generating an estimated $US2 billion. “This is a company that holds itself out as a global leader on human rights, and yet as we saw at Juukan Gorge in Australia and we see here in Bougainville, there is a total disconnect between Rio Tinto’s rhetoric and the reality experienced by Indigenous communities impacted by the company’s operations,” the Human Rights Law Centre's legal director Keren Adams said. When the Panguna copper mine opened in 1966 it had cleared 220 hectares of the Bougainville rainforest, led to the displacement of local people, and introduced over four thousand foreign workers onto a small island. Key points: RTG Mining chairman Michael Carrick says a proposal by the Central Me'ekamui Exploration Limited consortium is more realistic and "for the benefit of the… “If Rio Tinto is serious about learning lessons, it needs to listen to communities and take responsibility for the human impacts of its activities,” Ms Adams said. Panguna is a copper and gold mine that Anglo-Australian multinational Rio Tinto exploited, through its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), from 1972 to 1989. “We live with the impacts of Panguna every day. [10] In February 2018, BCL begun legal proceedings against the Autonomous Bougainville Government following the cancellation of the exploration license. Updated. Bougainville’s significant economic problems could pressure the government into re-opening the Panguna Mine, which closed in 1989 during the fighting — at the time, it was the world’s largest open-cut mine. Now, 27 years after the war forced the closure of the Panguna mine on the island of Bougainville, resources giant Rio Tinto has finally made the decision to cut its losses and walk away. The complaint alleges the Anglo-Australian company failed to mitigate the risks posed by billions of tonnes of mining waste that have turned riverbeds blue and caused health problems for more than 12,000 people living downstream. “We’ll have to wait and see what meaningful action they propose,” she said. Theonila Roka Matbob standing in front of an area destroyed by mine waste flooding. Activists proclaimed the independence of Bougainville (Republic of North Solomons) shortly before Papua New Guinea in 1975 but failed to achieve recognition. Rio Tinto divested from the mine in 2016, giving its 53.8% interest in Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) to the Papua New Guinea government and the autonomous Bougainville … In … Posted On: 29 September 2020; Posted By: Terrell Davis; Comments: 0; Each morning, Theonila Roka Matbob walks down to the river that flows near her village, and looks at the water and sand. Pollution of the Panguna mine in Bougainville: Rio Tinto targeted by a complaint in AustraliaSydney (AFP) Anglo-Australian giant Rio Tinto is accused of shirking its responsibilities in cleaning up toxic waste from the gigantic Panguna mine, on the Papua island of Bougainville, in a complaint filed Tuesday in Australia. In the 1960s, Bougainville was explored for copper and gold mining opportunities which resulted in the opening of the Panguna Mine in 1969, managed by Bougainville Copper Limited (a subsidiary of Rio Tinto). Bougainville Copper Limited looks forward to sustainable, responsible mining, being committed to the recommencement of the Paguna mine at Bougainville, PNG. Please select the editions you would like to sign up to. It said the waste was making the island’s drinking water unsafe and causing health problems, including skin conditions and upper respiratory and gastrointestinal illness, particularly in children. Abandoned Rio Tinto Mine Is Blamed for Poisoned Bougainville Rivers. Catch up on SBS On Demand. Key points: RTG Mining chairman Michael Carrick says a proposal by the Central Me'ekamui Exploration Limited consortium is more realistic and "for the benefit of the… She said surrounding communities were being inundated with large amounts of tailings waste washed into the rivers, causing a range of health, cultural and economic impacts for locals. The ensuing civil war left up to 20,000 people dead and led to a peace agreement opening the way for possible Bougainville independence. Operations of the mine at Panguna and sharing of its revenues had been perhaps the major sticking point between Bougainville and PNG government. The Panguna mine is a large copper mine located in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, in the east of Papua New Guinea.Panguna represents one of the largest copper reserves in Papua New Guinea and in the world, having an estimated reserve of 1 billion tonnes of ore copper and 12 million ounces of gold. The Papua New Guinea government obtained significant economic benefits from the mine, some of which were funded social services in Bougainville. Ask Amazon Alexa for the latest SBS News or listen to SBS Radio. A number of raskol(criminal) gangs that were affiliated with the BRA, equipped largely with weapons salva… “These are not problems we can fix with our bare hands. The company passed on its shares in the mine to the Bougainville and PNG Governments and side-stepped entirely the cost of clean-up. Ms. Adams, the lawyer, said that while she was encouraged by Rio Tinto’s statement, there was still a long way to go before the vast and sometimes fatal problems caused by mining’s legacy on the island could be addressed. Rio Tinto operated the Panguna copper mine in Bougainville from 1972 until 1989, when local landowners — angered about pollution and revenue sharing — forced the mine to shut down. The command structure set up by the BRA seldom had any real control over the various groups throughout the island that claimed to be part of the BRA. Rio Tinto also recently suffered scalding public criticism in Australia over its stewardship of the environment. At the time, the Panguna open cut mine was the largest in the world. Download our free app on the App Store or Google Play for the latest headlines and breaking news alerts. Panguna was among the largest copper mines in the world, but it was closed in 1989, after protests by workers escalated into a brutal civil conflict. We urgently need Rio Tinto to do what’s right and deal with the disaster they have left behind,” added Mrs Matbob. Francis Ona responded by unilaterally declaring independence. An abandoned Rio Tinto mine in the Bougainville region of Papua New Guinea has caused flooding as well as pollution, according to the Human Rights Law Center, which released this photo from last year. In 2000, residents of Bougainville filed suit against Rio Tinto in U.S. federal court, arguing that the company had mistreated Black workers, had been complicit in war crimes and had damaged the environment. A large number of nearby communities, Ms. Adams added, “don’t have access to safe, clean nearby water sources.” She said Rio Tinto desperately needed to conduct a risk assessment, and to contribute substantially to an independent fund to assist in the cleanup and managing of ongoing health problems in the community. The mine was the largest non-aid revenue stream of the Government of Papua New Guinea from the nation’s independence in 1975 to the mine’s closure. Bougainville Copper Limited looks forward to sustainable, responsible mining, being committed to the recommencement of the Paguna mine at Bougainville, PNG. “We live with the impacts of Panguna every day,” Theonila Roka Matbob, a traditional landowner from Makosi Village and Bougainville’s education minister, said in a statement released by the Human Rights Law Centre, which lodged the claim. Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox. The complaint alleges that, through failing to address these ongoing impacts of its operations, Rio Tinto is responsible for significant breaches of its human rights and environmental obligations under Chapters II, IV and VI of OECD guidelines. On Tuesday, 156 residents of these villages filed a human rights complaint against Rio Tinto with the Australian government. Rio Tinto is facing accusations it side-stepped responsibility to clean up poisonous waste from a closed mine on Papua New Guineas Bougainville island in a complaint filed Tuesday in Australia. In 2016 Rio divested from the mine, passing on its shares to the Papua New Guinea and Bougainville governments, in a move locals say allowed the miner to entirely avoid the costs of clean-up. “Every time it rains more waste washes into the rivers...some communities spend two hours a day walking just to get clean drinking water because their nearby creeks are clogged up with mine waste.”. Makosi village, where Ms Matlob lives, is one of several villages that are downstream of the mine. The claim, signed by 156 residents of the autonomous region in Papua New Guinea, is seeking an investigation by the Australian government into what it calls Rio Tinto’s failure to clean up millions of tons of waste at the former Panguna copper and gold mine. Human rights complaint urges Rio Tinto fix environmental 'disaster' at Bougainville mine site. The mine was also at the center of … Child among new NSW coronavirus cases amid concern over potential for Sydney CBD cluster, As families gather to mark Christmas, these Australians remain detained overseas, 'We have taken back control of our destiny': UK and EU seal post-Brexit deal, 'Big changes': What we know about the UK, EU post-Brexit trade deal, 'Many just want a hug': The Queen delivers message of hope, Under the shadow of coronavirus, Australians mark a Christmas like no other, Second coronavirus case linked to superyacht docked in Queensland's north, 2020 has been tough for nurse and activist Teresa, but fighting for her community is everything, Strict coronavirus lockdowns dampen Christmas festivities across the world. “These are not problems we can fix with our bare hands. It provided over 45% of Papua New Guinea's national … " The Bougainville Government is holding a crucial mining warden's hearing at the abandoned copper mine which sparked a decade-long armed insurgency against the Papua New Guinea Government. However, resuming operations at the mine isn’t a guaranteed economic solution. The company which used to the run the controversial Panguna copper mine on the island of Bougainville is now trying to reopen it with the support of the island's Government. In a statement released on Tuesday, Rio Tinto said it was “aware of the deterioration of mining infrastructure at the site and surrounding areas, and claims of resulting adverse environmental and social, including human rights, impacts.”. Reconciling these views is not as easy a task as they range from [the late Francis] Ona’s two decades old claim for 10 billion kinas to various other forms of compensation to Mungta’s admonition that reopening of the Panguna mine would be a disaster for Bougainville. Anglo-Australian mining company Rio Tinto is once again facing a backlash after it reportedly "side-stepped" its responsibility after failing to clean up toxic waste from a closed mine on the autonomous Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville. In May 1990, Papua New Guinea imposed a blockade on Bougainville. The company which used to the run the controversial Panguna copper mine on the island of Bougainville is now trying to reopen it with the support of the island's Government. The complaint alleges the Anglo-Australian company failed to mitigate the risks posed by billions of tons of mining waste that have turned riverbeds blue and caused health problems for more than 12,000 people living downstream. Bougainville’s recent history is littered with a number of failed enterprises including attempts to reopen the Panguna mine. Rio Tinto retained majority ownership of the mine until 2016, when it divested from the operation and allegedly left Bougainville without cleaning up a considerable amount of mining waste. We urgently need Rio Tinto to do what’s right and deal with the disaster they have left behind.”. Human rights complaint urges Rio Tinto fix environmental ‘disaster’ at Bougainville mine site . Rio Tinto faces human rights crisis over Bougainville mine. Thirty years later, the effects of the mine are still being felt. The mine’s abandoned piles of tailings have also caused rivers to flood, destroying sacred sites. Port Moresby Office +(675) 309 2800 BCL The United Nations Environment program will help Papua New Guinea's island of Bougainville manage on-going environmental issues associated with the Rio Tinto-owned Panguna copper mine. The idled Panguna copper-gold mine was once a major producer and one of the largest open pit mines in the world. Between 1972 and 1989 the four main recipients of mine-derived revenue were: Follow SBS News to join in the conversation and never miss the latest live updates. We urgently need Rio Tinto to do what’s right and deal with the disaster they left,” Ms Matlob said. " The Bougainville Government is holding a crucial mining warden's hearing at the abandoned copper mine which sparked a decade-long armed insurgency against the Papua New Guinea Government. Port Moresby Office +(675) 309 2800 BCL He set up the Bougainville Interim Government (BIG), but it had little power, and the island began to descend into disarray. A group of Bougainville residents have filed a human rights complaint against Rio Tinto, alleging ongoing environmental, health and economic impacts from mining waste. 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