landowners threaten to close yandera mine

Landowners threaten to close Yandera mine

Post Courier

The flagship Yandera mining project in the highlands of Madang province is likely to face closure after complaints filed by landowners that developer Marengo Mining must honor commitments.

Landowners are frustrated and threaten to shut down the mining operations in Yandara mining if Marengo Mining Company continues to ignore the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) that was signed before the operations.

Peure and Geremi Zones spokesman Greg Kila Gambu told this paper yesterday from Goroka that the company failed miserably to identify principal landowner and identification of land boundaries in addition to allowance of launching of Umbrella company and other sensitive clauses or the consent of the MOA.

Furthermore, blessings of the election of Chairman of Spin off business and Umbrella Company were not done in accordance with the MOA.

Mr Gambu said: “Peter Yama and I are genuine and principal landowners of the two mountains Marengo Mining Company is dreaming to exploit. Unless the land boundaries and principal landowners are identified, Marengo Mining Company will never mine our land.’’

Mr Gambu concluded that after the consultation with his tribesmen, they have no choice but will have to force the company to ease operations until all the grievances are met accordingly.
Attempts made by Post-Courier to get in touch with Marengo Mining were unsuccessful because the media officer was told by the company to step down for a while and it was not possible to get comments from them.

The person that is supposed to respond to the queries is overseas but it is understood that the community affairs division is expected to establish facts surrounding the disagreement of the landowners to let the company operate in the area.

http://ramumine.wordpress.com/2013/06/19/landowners-threaten-to-close-yandera-mine/

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