Alleged forced evictions at Porgera, Papua New Guinea - and Barrick Gold response
On 27 April 2009 police allegedly forceably evicted villagers from the Porgera mine area operated by Barrick Gold and burned their homes. The Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Barrick Gold to respond to the following reports:
“Papua New Guinea: Forced Evictions and destruction of property by Police in Porgera must end,” Amnesty International, 11 May 2009
“MiningWatch Appeals to U.N. over Human Rights Abuses Related to Barrick Mine in Papua New Guinea,” Mining Watch Canada, 8 May 2009
"Statement in support of victims of forced evictions in Porgera", Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE), 26 May 2009
Statement by Jethro Tulin, Executive Officer of Akali Tange Association (Porgera, Enga Province, Papua New Guinea) at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigneous Issues, 27 May 2009
"Porgera up in flames," Simon Eroro, Post Courier [Papua New Guinea], 30 April 2009
Barrick Gold's response:
Response from Barrick Gold [PDF], 16 Jun 2009
- Appendix A, Letter to Amnesty Intl [PDF], 22 May 2009
- Appendix B, Letter to UN special rapporteurs [PDF], 2 Jun 2009
- Appendix C, Jethro Tulin email [PDF], 4 Jun 2009
The above Barrick Gold response refers to this page on its website and the following news reports:
"Operation Ipili the Way to Go," Post Courier [Papua New Guinea], 20 April 2009
"Let cops stay longer," The National [Papua New Guinea], 8 May 2009
"Porgera Leaders Surrender Arms," Philip Kepson, The National [Papua New Guinea], 14 May 2009
"Governor pleased with operation," Post Courier [Papua New Guinea], 15 May 2009
"Warring tribes make lasting peace," Post Courier [Papua New Guinea], 20 May 2009
"Porgera folks fed-up with crime and violence," The National [Papua New Guinea], 21 May 2009
"Clans hand over firepower," The National [Papua New Guinea], 2 Jun 2009
"Marching for peace and a better future," and "Porgera march for peace," "The National [Papua New Guinea], 9 Jun 2009
Barrick Gold says it will also respond to the following two news reports that appeared on 10 Jun 2009. When we receive Barrick's response we will post it here.
“A walk through the valley of death,” Nick O’Malley, Sydney Morning Herald [Australia], Jun 10, 2009.
“Guards accused of assaulting workers,” Nick O’Malley, Sydney Morning Herald [Australia], Jun 10, 2009
MiningWatch rejoinder:
MiningWatch rejoinder to Barrick Gold's response sent to the Resource Centre:
Letter from MiningWatch Canada [DOC], 25 Jun 2009
Amnesty International rejoinder:
Porgera Landowners Association rejoinder:
We invited Barrick Gold to respond, but they have not yet done so. When we receive a response we will post it here (22 Jul 2009)