Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea: Forced Evictions and Policy Brutality around the Porgera Mine

 
Amnesty International has released a report revealing the misconduct of police, who burnt down homes and threatened people with guns while illegally evicting them from land next to one of the biggest gold mines in the country. The report documents how between April and July 2009 police raided villages in the highlands of Papua New Guinea (PNG), burning down at least 130 buildings and forcing out families from their homes, including young children, pregnant women and the elderly.

Amnesty also has concerns regarding ongoing support to the police by companies involved in the mine after the companies became aware of the police activity in the area. The mine is 95% owned and operated by subsidiaries of the largest gold mining company in the world, Canadian-based Barrick Gold Corporation (Barrick), as part of the Porgera Joint Venture (PJV).  Despite requests from Amnesty International for the companies to urge an independent investigation, neither company has done so.

To read more

Download the report, Undermining Rights: Forced evictions and police brutality around the Porgera gold mine, Papua New Guinea

Take Action

Click here to send an email to Prime Minister Michael Somare calling on the Government of Papua New Guinea to carry out a full investigation into forced evictions and police violence. 

Write to Peter Munk, Founder and Chairman of the Board of Barrick Gold Corporation urging Barrick and PJV to:

• Withdraw accommodation and other support of the Police Mobile Squad in light of evidence of human rights abuses;
• Ensure that the prohibition on forced evictions under international law and the human rights consequences of forced evictions are part of human rights training for PJV and Barrick personnel;
• Implement the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights by recording  all information already gathered by PJV and Barrick and reporting it to the state authorities immediately and calling for a full investigation into the forced evictions and police violence.
  
  Please send letters to:
  Peter Munk - [ Founder & Chairman of the Board]
  Barrick Gold Corporation
  Brookfield Place
  TD Canada Trust Tower
  161 Bay Street, Suite 3700
  P.O. Box 212
  Toronto, Canada M5J 2S1