Tolukuma mine requests investigation in PNG
Published by MAC on 2002-12-12
Tolukuma mine requests investigation in PNG
Source: The National, Papua New Guinea - By Veronica Manuk
December 12 2002
Executives from the Tolukuma mine have requested a health team from Central province to carry out an investigation into the reported health problems in the area.
Spokesman for the mine told The National the mine would help facilitate a visit by health officials so they could come up with an official report.
He said this would prove that the mine is not at fault.
Villagers at Fane in the Goilala district have expressed their concern over the deaths of 19 people since the beginning of this year under what they described as “mysterious circumstances”.
They claim that the skin colour of the people turned yellow before they died.
The mine spokesman said that even if the company had submitted its own findings that these deaths were unrelated to the mining activities, many people would not believe it. For this reason, he said, an independent investigation was necessary.
He stressed the company would assist representatives from the Department of Environment and Conservation, provincial health workers and the media to travel to the site for a first hand look at the situation.
Reports about unusual deaths in villages in the vicinity of the Tolukuma mine were made a few weeks ago after the closure of the health centre at Fane, which is run by the Catholic archdiocese.
It is understood some unofficial approaches were made to AusAID for assistance to keep the centre open since villages in the surrounding area are totally dependent on it.