Gulf Province landowners are calling on Total SA to reschedule its full scale social mapping and landowners’ identification (SMLI) studies for PRL-15.
Baimuru landowner representatives for the Papua LNG project in Kikori District want to allow more time for awareness and consultation.
Deputy president and chairman of the oil and gas for Baimuru LLG, Omaro O. Karara, said there was inadequate awareness among the impacted communities and the proposed dates set by the developer are not convenient.
He said the dates were set during the holiday period and the government accounts were closed. Karara was speaking on behalf of the social mapping and landowners’ identification working committee (SMLIWC) and the PRL 15 landowners in Port Moresby on the weekend.
Karara stated that the SMLI is going to be the final survey therefore it should be done properly so that impacted communities can be correctly identified.
“We would like to defer the activity to March 2018, as Government accounts will be opened and we will be in a better position to raise awareness and to mobilise our ward members to organise their people,” he said.
“I was informed that as of Friday 5th January 2018, four villages (Uraru, Wabo, Poroi and Subu) have been surveyed and the survey team was prevented from continuing at the fifth village (Eva’ara) as the people are demanding for more awareness be done.”
Karara said the committee is in full support of the SMLI but is calling on the Gulf Provincial Government and Total to work with the local leaders and the committee that is in place, as they directly represent the interest of the impacted communities.
He stressed that if the SMLI is rushed, it will create conflicts.
“We are appealing for more consultation for the safety of the SMLI team and the successful completion of the survey.”
According to a public notice issued by Total on 22nd December 2017, the company announced that it had engaged a firm to conduct the full scale social mapping and landowners’ identification (SMLI) for PRL-15 in late December 2017 to mid January 2018 for 16 villages. The purpose was to update and finalise the preliminary SMLI for PRL-15, in line with the Department of Petroleum and Energy’s guidelines. The study includes desktop and field work, which would take 43 days to complete.
Karara said besides the 16 villages identified, the developer has not considered other nearby villages who also share common ancestral linkages and common land boundaries. He said it's in the interest of all stakeholders that communication be improved so that all parties cooperate to support the identification process.
There are about 30 villages in Kikori District, 23 council wards with an estimated population of 15,000.
“Hence the SMLI in PRL-15 must be done to benefit our people and their interest first,” stated Karara.
(Deputy president Karara, centre [in white], with Baimuru community and leaders who support the deferral of the SMLI)