A Social Assessment of the Proposed Dam Area: A Consolidated Report

January 2012 Nancy Sullivan and Associates The Research Team: Frances Akuani, Kritoe Keleba, Ma Keleba, Jackie Anau, Dorothy Derevi, Somu Nosi, Daniel Plawa, Albert Tobby, Waka Tosa, Graham Unam, Benard Yake

I

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was a collective effort, and the NSA research team is particularly grateful for those who assisted in the fieldwork. We sincerely acknowledge the participation and contribution of the Pawaian people in the study. The support of Pawaian leaders in every village that we visited, and the willingness of clan leaders to share their traditional stories and other valuable information, was crucial to us. Special thanks also go to the hardworking operator of the motor we used for the fieldwork. NSA sincerely thank the management of PNG Energy Developments Limited (PNG EDL), especially Dr. Michael Leggo (Chief Executive Officer, and Tony Carbry (Chief Financial Officer) for commissioning the report and offering ongoing support. We acknowledge and are grateful for the enormous assistance of Mathew Carr and other personnel engaged by PNG EDL for their efforts in organizing the logistics, and countless other favors during the fieldwork. We also thank the continual support of PNG EDL Area Manager, Steve Page, and field supervisor, Ben Turi, for contributions to logistics, and not least, meals and accommodation during the last stages of this study. This also extends to staff at PNG EDL Head Office, particularly Shirley Laulau and her team, for the assistance they extended to us in Port Moresby.

We also extend our gratitude to Mathew Nige, Abraham Kuake and Joseph Bariamu from Western Power, and to David Wilson of Entura Hydro, and Ken Baxter of Origin Energy, for all their help. We are indebted to the people of Hai’a for their help in carrying our materials and food rations on a 12 hour journey from Hai’a to Solipero during the second phase fieldwork in the Upper Pawaia area. Finally, but not the least, we truly appreciate the help of those villagers who assisted us with accommodation and food.

1

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements 1 Acronyms and Abbreviations 5 Maps 6 Tables and Figures 6 Executive Summary 9 Introduction 12 Literature Review 14 The ethnographic background 16 Methodology 21 Sampling 22

Part 1: FIRST PHASE OF DATA COLLECTION FOR THE SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY, LOWER PURARI REGION (Poroi 1 & 2, SUBU 1 & 2, URA, WABO, URARU) 23 DEMOGRAPHICS 23 Survey recruitment 23 Gender 25 Marital status 26 Population 28 Education 29 Literacy 32 Religion 33 VILLAGE PROFILES (Villages/Landowner grounds and Landowner clans) 34 WABO VILLAGE 34 URA VILLAGE 38 URARU VILLAGE 41 WABO STATION 44 SUBU 1 & 2 VILLAGES 47 POROI 1 & 2 VILLAGES 50 Individuals and groups in the study area 52 CULTURE 56 Marriage 63 Sexuality 64 Tenure and usufruct 64 ENVIRONMENT 66 Purari River use 66 Perceptions of the environment 67 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES 69 Sports 69 Discos 69 Gambling 69 ECONOMY 70 Employment opportunities 75 GOVERNMENT SERVICES 76 Education 77

2

Health 80 Transport and communication 84 Courts 85 OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS (CHURCHES, NGOS, COMPANIES) 86 Influence of different institutions and organizations in the study communities 90 VIEWS ON PROPOSED HYDROPOWER DAM PROJECT 96 Aspirations, issues, disputes 96 CLANS THAT SIGNED THE MOA---LOWER PAWAIA 103

PART 2: SECOND PHASE OF DATA COLLECTION FOR THE SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY, UPPER PAWAIA REGION (SOLIPERO, YABRAMARU [YURUMATU]) 104 DEMOGRAPHICS 105 Gender 105 Age 105 Marital status 105 Literacy 106 Religion 107 CULTURE 107 Tenure and usufruct 110 GOVERNMENT SERVICES 110 Education 111 Health 112 Maternal Health 115 Communication 116 Transport 116 Law and Order 117 ECONOMY 118 OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS (CHURCHES, NGOs, COMPANIES 122 VIEWS ON THE PROPOSED HYDRO DAM PROJECT 123 Land disputes 124 Signatory clans to the MOA ---Upper Pawaia 125 SUMMARY 126

PART 3: SUPPLEMENTARY DATA,