February 7 was the opening day of a trial that will determine whether a Chinese mining company can dump waste from its Ramu nickel mine and refinery into the Bismarck Sea. Plaintiffs in the case are Indigenous residents of coastal communities whose lives and livelihoods depend on the sea. They base their case on laws that guarantee their rights as landowners and provide protections for Papua New Guinea’s marine resources. The proposed dumping would occur within the Coral Triangle, which has the highest diversity of marine life on the planet.
One thousand coastal landowners have asked the court to allow them to join the three plaintiffs who are asking for a permanent injunction against dumping mine waste into the sea.
For background, see the Global Response Campaign Alert HERE.
To follow events as the trial continues, see https://ramumine.wordpress.com/
