Tuanda ILG in the Porgera Mine Lease Area has filed an 8 billion kina lawsuit against mining giant, Barrick Niugini Limited for environmental damage and socioeconomic losses over 30 years of the operation of Porgera Mine.
ILG Chairman, So-le Taro made this known in a media conference today calling on the government not to issue a new license to prospective developers until legacy issues by BNL are settled.
Tuanda is one of the seven land-owning clans of the Porgera Mine.
Tuanda clan members came together to form an ILG in 2014, now called the Tuanda ILG, and own up to 608.9 acres of the total 2000 acre Special Mining Lease area.
Although they have been owners to this huge piece of land, they claim that the developers of the mine secured the renewal of the Special Mining Lease in 2008 without their consent when the 20-year lease expired.
The ILG group took the matter to the Human Rights Court in august 2019 and were instructed by the court to file their damage claim.
They filed the K8 billion damage claim in February this year
The claims they say are for environmental damage, loss of livelihood, and of rights and loss of alluvial gold mining business.
Chairman Taro is concerned Barrick has operated one year without a proper license causing further damage to their environment.
With the government promising the landowners a better deal and the removal of Barrick, the landowners want their claims to be settled before they go into any new agreement.
Ruth Rungula National EMTV News
