Porgera

“This was a very vicious attack on defenceless men, women and children and must be strongly condemned. Additional police manpower will be sent into the area to beef up the police numbers already on the ground and to build cases against perpetrators and bring them to justice,” Commissioner Manning said.

“My thoughts and prayers go to the communities in the area in these very trying times,” Commissioner Manning said.

Kramer said he was informed of the impending raid during his last visit to Porgera and strongly advised against it given the lack of protective gear and training.

He said when he learnt of the death of the police officer he was upset.

Minister Kramer was responding to questions by NCD Governor, Powes Parkop, on the proliferation of guns in tribal communities in rural PNG.

Speaking after the attack on police on Sunday night that left two officers with extremely serious gunshot injuries, the former chairman of the Porgera Landowners Association, Mark Tony Ekepa, and the Chair of the Porgera District Women’s Association, Serah Erasi, said the actions of the perpetrators were a further example of the mindless behaviour of a violent group of outsider criminals who are causing great fear and disruption in Porgera.

This follows the killing of a woman and clashes between illegal miners at the Porgera gold mine site.

Porgera mine operator, Barrick Niugini, has also called for Government intervention.

On Sunday 23rd December, 2019, the Porgera Mine security personnel and Royal PNG Constabulary officers recovered the body of a woman who died of significant injuries, including gunshot wounds. These injuries were allegedly caused by tribal enemies from Tari in Hela Province.

Yokoloma is a community within the Special Mining Lease (SML) of the Porgera Gold Mine.

On 26 February, one of the biggest clan within the SML area, Mamai Clan, made up of people basically from Yokolama, Alipis and Panadaka, took ownership to denounce publicly the sale and consumption of alcohol, marijuana and illegal drugs. They also said no to engaging in unacceptable social activities such as tribal warfare or violence, carrying around offensive weapons in public and stealing and illegal mining within the clan areas.

Juvenile trespassing continues to be an ongoing problem for the Porgera mine operation in Enga Province. Of the total number of illegal miners that enter the mine operations monthly, the mine’s Asset Protection Department (APD) reports that five percent are children.

Porgera Joint Venture’s (PJV) Community Development Section (CDS) this month carried out a school outreach program with the aim of raising awareness on the dangers of illegally entering the mine pit and other operational sites.

“It’s disappointing to come here and see such conflict. We should be working to make sure that the community around this mine improves…to make this place a better place to come to work,” Bristow said during a ‘question and answer’ (Q&A) session with employees recently, at the Porgera Gold Mine.

On his maiden visit to Papua New Guinea, Bristow led a Barrick delegation to Port Moresby and up to Porgera, from 15 to 18 February 2019.

This week the Porgera miner carried out maintenance work on the Aipulungu Bridge – one of the two bridges that connect Paiam Township to Porgera Station and the Porgera Gold Mine.

The PJV roadworks team on February 23^rd removed the damaged bridge deck planks on the Bailey Double Single Reinforced – 7 Bay bridge, removed damaged stringers, and placed new stringers followed by the new deck planks before reopening the bridge to motorists.

Senior Engineer Josiah Kunai said the maintenance work was carried out after an inspection of the bridge by the PJV team.

Provincial Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Joseph Tondop, highlighted this after he paid a special Christmas visit to security operations in the mine areas, saying this is posing a threat to workers’ safety.

Reports of rape incidents, home brewing, murder and break-and-entering into company premises, is frequenting the surrounding mine area at Pogera Gold Mine.

According to PPC Tondop’s security assessment, these serious issues are likely to affect mining operations as illegal mining activities increase.

Under the PJV Food Security program, they were able to acquire improved crop farming skills through the Agrikids program, which is targeted at school children.

According to PJV Executive Managing Director Anthony Esplin, the company is happy to support communities in re-establishing agriculture skills, particularly through agriculture oriented projects.

“I spent most of my career working in developing countries around the world, and I’m a very great believer in the power of mining companies to do good in the communities where we operate.