Social Empowerment Education Programme Ltd

Social Empowerment Education Programme Ltd [SEEP]

Statement

The Social Empowerment Education Programme [SEEP] joins the growing voices, including the Vanuatu Government and CSOs across the Pacific, opposing the unnecessary exploitation of our seabed in the name of economic growth and development.

Vanuatu's Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources, Hon. Ralph Regenvanu, in his opening address at the Regional training workshop on Social impacts of deep sea mining held in Port Villa said that Vanuatu will apply the precautionary principle and not allow experimental seabed mining in its territorial waters until the full environmental impacts are understood and ongoing extensive consultation with its citizens and civil society organizations.

In March, it was reported by Pacnews that the Pacific Conference of Churches were unequivocal that no further action should be taken by regional governments until there is empirical evidence of the effects of deep sea mining. These churches represents 6.25 million Pacific people who have serious concerns about the environmental and socio-economic impact of deep sea mining.

"With deep concern at the overwhelming situation of licenses being granted for mineral extraction on land across the region, we support and applaud the courageous stand taken by the Vanuatu Government against the oncoming threat of experimental seabed mining" said Leo Nainoka, Coordinator of the Social Empowerment & Education Program [SEEP].

"We join the growing voices across the region and demand an immediate end to experimental seabed mining. We implore the wisdom of the Fiji Government to do the same - Stop approving Licenses to mine our ocean floors", Nainoka said. "We depend a lot on the sea and its resources for survival. The same resources now under threat of exploitation by our Governments even though not enough is known about experimental seabed mining and the negative effects on our survivial ", Nainoka said.

"We strongly urge the Government of Fiji to seriously take into consideration the daily livelihood of our local communities and the future generation of the inhabited 110 islands in Fiji. We must not think only of short term gain but the harmful effects of experimental seabed mining on the livelihood of our people and the future generations".

Leo Nainoka

Coordinator, SEEP

ENDS

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