Articles
On the road to the Puk Puk festival… The Northern Rivers Folk Choir befriended Sepik locals who are fighting the massive Frieda Mine
T
he people of Sepik are still talking about their new friends from Australia – seventeen singers from the Northern Rivers Folk Choir who visited them during their Puk Puk (crocodile) festival earlier this year. The choir, directed by Peter Lehner, is a touring choir who recently went little further afield than usual and found themselves, by invitation, in Kogoru village on the Sepik River in Papua New Guinea. Sepik man Emmanuel (Manu) Peni sent a letter to all Australians after their visit. ‘The arrival of these special guests who are now regarded as family from northern NSW, Australia, at Korogu village along the Sepik River gave the people an opportunity to feel connected to the outside world,’ he wrote. ‘They felt connected to events from outside of the villages. The village life can be isolated, remote and removed from what is happening elsewhere.’ Manu says it’s important that there is a connection between the Sepik and the ‘outside’ world, because the river people need help ‘Our Sepik life is under threat,’ says Manu. ‘The rest of PNG is under threat. China is buying countries through loans, getting them to be shackled to debt. Once countries are hooked and chained, China sweeps in to control every aspect of the so-called sovereignty of that country. PNG is on that slippery slide into the abyss of debt to China.’
‘Our government will say Yes to the Frieda Mine no matter what we the people say,’ [sound familiar?] no matter what the scientific studies say, no matter what the world says and no matter what the learned people say. It’s a Yes from the PNG Government, no matter what the spirits of Sepik say. The Frieda River Project is located in the provinces of Sandaun and East Sepik in Papua New Guinea. It is one of the biggest copper and gold deposits found in the Asia-Pacific region. Northern rivers chorister Ken Golding says money being raised to help will go into a trust set up by Manu and his supporters to help fund education and a census-taking of people living along the 1,200-kilometre length of the river. ‘They are up against a mining industry with huge reserves of money,’ says Ken. ‘Sepik people will need funds to help counter the “fake news” of these companies.’ Golding says the only available form of travel up and down this long river is in long dugout canoes powered by outboard motors. Fuel is very expensive, around $3 per litre. Goldong says Manu and his helpers have embarked on the potentially effective approach of going from village to village and making awareness raising information available to the people in the villages as to how much a threat this mine is. They will compare the Frieda mine threat with the Ok Tedi mine disaster. It was built in the same earthquake-prone
mountain range as the proposed Frieda mine This area has a yearly rainfall of 10 metres. ‘We have a heartfelt wish for our friends in Korogu and the half million people living on the Sepik to have confidence in their future, that they and future generations can continue to live in their villages in the way they choose. ‘Children of the Fly River devastated by the Ok Tedi mine are being born with deformities as a result of their food and drinking water being poisoned by billions of tons of toxic waste.’ Manu says it’s time the Australian people also know that the Chinese government and its business arms own much of PAN AUST, the company that is exploring and has since applied for licence to mine in PNG. ‘Australians must know that China is using the Australian laws, Australian safety and support to come up to Papua New Guinea and annihilate the Sepik life, our life, and send us to oblivion.’ Manu says the people of Sepik are grateful and appreciative of the voices of the Northern Rivers Choir group. ‘We are in debt to the group for singing and speaking about the oncoming destruction of the Sepik, but importantly singing about possibilities and hope to save the Sepik. ‘Let’s sing together. Let’s shout out together to stop the Chinese Frieda Mine.’ For info on how you can help, visit the Save the Sepik and its People Facebook page.
We now treat toenail and fingernail fungus with the latest safe and effective laser technology. We also treat all other Podiatry complaints and offer 3D digital foot scanning technology for custom orthotics.
mullumbimby podiatry LASER CLINIC
www.kingscliffpodiatry.com.au 02 6674 2933 Meadows Medical Practice 123 Dalley St Mullumbimby
Candace Foo (Chinese Medicine) Available Saturdays
Acupuncture | Chinese Herbal Medicine Acutonics® | Remedial Massage Hicaps / Instant Claiming
14 Park St, Brunswick Heads www.baysideacupuncture.com | 6685 1088
Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians & Gays Do you have a gay or lesbian family member: son, daughter, cousin, niece, nephew, sister, brother, aunt, uncle, parent – or perhaps a friend? PFLAG is a support and resources group
for you!
We offer educational resources, one-to-one support, referrals, and social gatherings. You can find out more about PFLAG Northern Rivers on
facebook.com/groups/PFLAG.NR
Your local independent brewery
0467 382 010 enquiries@pflag-nr.org If you need us, or wish to join us, we’d love to hear from you!
The way it should be
PFLAG Northern Rivers is a local chapter of the nationwide and international PFLAG organisation supporting Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays.
North Coast news daily: www.echonetdaily.net.au
The Byron Shire Echo October 17, 2018 17