Principle landowners of Ok Tedi Mine,the Kimka Sepiyan has welcomed Prime Minister; Peter O’Neill’s decision not to re-new Ok Tedi Mining contract.
The group claims to have been denliedthe full benefit ofthe project.
The Prime Miniter announcedthe new position on Ok Tedi in Parliament last week.
The decision ofthe Prime Minister has liftedthe spirits ofthe landowners.
They have taken legal action againstthe Mine. Whilethe court has been giving decisions intheir favour,the Mine and ther stakeholders have not been payingthemtheir benefits.
This is because only one individual has been benefiting fromthe Mine, Bell Kirokim since 1984 to 2006.
Kirokim has been maintaining he isthe one who signedthe MOA in 1991 with Ok Tedi.In an effort to come to a resolution Kirokim was invited to a meeting last Friday but he did not turn up.
It wasthen thatthe group voted new executives. Chief Kabomyap Allolim was elected as Chairman.
Meanwhile,the Mineral Resources Development Company clarifies that it only acts as a “pay master” to authorized land groups.
MRDC Managing Director, Augustine Mano saidthe Kimka Sepiyan Sub-tribeLand:roup of Ok Tedi is not amongthe beneficiary list.
Alice Thomas, National EMTV News
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