Principal plaintiff speaks out against Ramu Nico

By LOUIS MEDAING

I am the principal plaintiff in the legal proceedings that challenge the marine waste dumping plans by the Ramu Nickel mine in Madang. 

I instituted the legal proceedings on 24 September 2010 being WS1192 of 2010 to seek a permanent injunction to restrain Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd from dumping five million tonnes of mine waste into Astrolabe bay annually, on behalf of myself and at this stage 38 members of the Tong and Ongeg clans from the Rai Coast.

A further 37 more clan members are seeking to join the proceedings this week.

Since the legal proceedings were filed in the National Court in Madang, my family and clan members have been put under intense pressure by the mine owners, Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd to discontinue the court case.

The Tong and Ongeg clan members who make up the Plaintiffs and who are not employees of Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd have been threatened that unless they withdraw or discontinue the proceedings, all Tong and Ongeg Clan members employed by Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd will be sacked.

The Tong and Ongeg Clan members who make up the plaintiffs but who are also employees of Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd have been individually told to sign documents which would withdraw them from the case, on threat of termination from employment.

Because of this intimidation, I have today filed an application in the National Court for punishment for contempt of court against Ramu Nico Management (MCC) Ltd and its employees Jacky Wang and Tonny Nongi as well as ward councillor Dongembu Dugai, particularly for assaulting , threatening and intimidating the members of the Tong and Ongeg Clans that make up the plaintiffs for the purpose of making the plaintiffs withdraw from or discontinue the proceedings.

I am informed by my lawyers that it is a serious offence to for a person or a company to take action to deter or obstruct a party from bringing or continuing legal proceedings as it is an interference with the administration of justice and constitutes Contempt of Court.

Louis Medaing

Plaintiff (on his behalf and on behalf of named members of the Tong and Ongeg Clans of the Rai Coast)

MCC out intimidating landowners again

Having threatened and intimidated their way out of one court action, Ramu mine owners MCC and Highlands Pacific, are following the same stratagy to try and get rid of a second court challenge, the Ramu Nickel Mine Watch website claims.

Construction of the Ramu mine's marine waste dumping system is currently on hold after MCC gave undertakings to the National court last week not to proceed with any coral blasting or pipeline work until an injunction application by local clans is heard on October 15.

But in the meantime MCC staff are out in the villages along the Rai Coast threatening and intimidating local people to sign 'Statements of Fact' (like the one illustrated below) stating they don't want to be part of the court action and know marine dumping (DSTP) is the 'safest way'.

MCC staff are particularly focusing their attention on Tugyag village which is the home of the court plaintiff Louis Medaing.

One technique being used by MCC to induce people to sign is to tell them that any relatives working with the company will be sacked if they don't cooperate.

Presumably it is the intention of MCC and Highlands Pacific to turn up at court on October 15 with as many of these signed statements as possible to try and undermine Louis Medaing in the eyes of the court and to intimidate him to withdraw his court case.

The first legal action collapsed when the original plaintiff's withdrew their case citing the conflict that it was causing in their communities and fears for their safety