Ramu Nickel Mining accused of Ignoring Community obligations

The Ramu Nicco Mine Management has been accused of ignoring its community obligations to the mine impacted villages at the mine site, along the pipeline and at the refinery at Basamuk at Raikos District of Madang Province.

Basamuk Landowners Association Chairman Steven Saud says communities in the impacted areas still lack the basic necessities of power and water supply which is a must for mine impacted areas.

He says it is the landowners who own the land and they have every right to such services which the company must provide through its community obligations program and given a fair treatment of developments in their area.

Mr. Saud says they have also missed out on the business aspect of the mine through spin offs where the Landowners should be given the opportunity to participate and they have suffered for the past 13 years which is utterly unjust as royalties are one off and through spin offs, they will fully benefit.

He says he will support the Kurumbukari landowners at the mine site to shut down water supply to the mine if their demands to the Ramu Nicco Management are not met.