In a dangerous step backwards, Papua New Guinea has prioritized profits over the rights of its citizens.
On May 28th, amendments to the country’s environmental law stripped indigenous peoples of their secure land rights and left them without recourse for environmental damage caused by corporations. Citing “national interest” as cause for the change, the revisions give preference to companies seeking profit from the island nation’s natural resources – whether through mining its rich mineral deposits or capitalizing on the carbon-capture potential of its rainforests.
“The new laws [are] meant to protect the interests of investors at the expense of the environment and the resource owners. The new laws [are] selling [out] the rights of the people,” deputy opposition leader Bart Philemon announced at a press conference.
For comparison, consider the recent announcement that BP has created a $20 billion fund to pay damage claims to thousands of residents along the United States’ Gulf Coast. This new legislation in Papua New Guinea ensures that its people could never seek such justice in a similar environmental catastrophe.
You can take action against these injustices!
ACT NOW!, a locally-based non-governmental organization, is asking the public to send an email to the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, telling him what you think of these deplorable measures now embedded within the country’s environment law.
Or get involved in Cultural Survival’s letter-writing campaign – Papua New Guinea: Defend Indigenous Rights and Protect Marine Life.
Read the full press release about the new amendments from IRIN, the humanitarian news service of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Learn more about the ‘big picture’ behind these changes in “Papua New Guinea bans legal challenges against environmental destruction whilst requesting international funds for reducing deforestation,” from the Accra Caucus. Greengrants Advisor Samual Nnah Ndobe is a member of the Accra Caucus and advocates on behalf of indigenous peoples in international negotiations around REDD.