Fishy business. The Social Impact of SST.pdf - Act Now!

Multi-group landowners meeting:21 July 05, Saure #2 clan members/councilors, Wewak islands Fisheries Association,Murik Resource Owners, Hawain Resource Owners, Schouten Islands Resource Owners.There was an agreement with Saure #2 landowners when work on the SST project was initiatedat Yawasoro by Francis Sumanap and Joachim Nianguma. Both Sumanup and Niangumaassured them that everything would be okay as long as the landowners did their part. They werepromised big development with many spinoffs by Kevin Conrad, too. So the leaders of the 8clans were urged to fast-track registration of company and other necessary documentation withBaltazar Kaprangi.Islands Chairman, Nick Artekain: I was involved from the start: “I did not see any clause in theagreement stating benefits to locals in PNG. The agreement was only for the benefit ofpoliticians and foreigners.”Concerns of the agreement include:• Use of grease to lure resource owners to sign.• Use of company name/documentation to start project and then a shift to anotherlocation.• Non compliance with laws protecting resource owners’ rights in major developmentprojects.• Suare Villagers spent substantial amounts of money and effort in getting the licenseagreement in place but have not received any benefits in return.• Ownership of the loinery project.Though the landowners of Saure, Wewak Islands and others were involved in the initial stagesof the project, they never actively participated in its planning and/or formulation. To makematters worse, the project site was move to its current location and even after heavyinvolvement from Sauire landowners. Landowners were never included in the contract. As onelandowner from Wewal islands stated, “There is no clause in the agreement that includeresource owners.” According to the resource owners the project is owned by Somare and sonsand the building is owned by Sir Peter Lus.Somare also promised Nick Artekain of the ESIA to assist in developing their projects, Artekainreports Kinson Kare was there too, and Somare offered 1 million kina to ESIA-- but thenreneged. They believe this money was then given to Sir Hugo. Arthur Somare and Narokobisigned the project agreement., but the resource owners do not have a stake in the project. “Whydid Somare and Narokobi the pillars of Sepik society and the State of PNG with their respectivegovernment Ministers and Department Heads sign the agreement knowing that the rights of theresource owners were not protected?” “What’s Hugo’s role I all this?”According to locals the fishing ships usually discharge dirty oil between Kairiru and Vokeoislands. There have been sightings of ‘waste matter’ in the sea believed to be from theloinery.The use of sophisticated modern fishing methods in local waters between the WewakEast Coast and the Shouten Islands include drag nets, fishing attraction devices (lights) andradar. As a result the fish stock in traditional fishing waters has been dramatically depleted andlocal fishermen now have to travel further out to catch the same fish. Evidence of floaters andlong line nets are at Bien island. Photos were apparently taken by the Environmental LawCentre.122