From Transparency Solomon Islands

A government that sits complacently while its people suffer from the devastating impacts of environmental damage, caused by unlawful mining, is a government that prioritises profit over people. 

It has been sometime since Transparency Solomon Islands (TSI) released its first statement on East Choiseul Nickel Mining in February 2025. 

That statement detailed the widespread environmental destruction at the Siruka tenement, as well as the unlawful exploitation of tribal land. 

Earlier this year, TSI submitted a report titled “Siruka Nickel Mine: Severe Environmental Impacts and Non-compliance with Conditions of the Development Consent” to the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Rural Electrification and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology. 

The report highlighted serious breaches of government-approved agreements, documenting how mining operations have consistently failed to implement the mitigation and management measures required under the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIAR) and Development Consent. 

TSI along with community and tribal representatives submitted letters asking for a stop notice to be put in place. 

It has now been over 6 months and there has been little to no action. Most recently, In-depth Solomons has provided damaging evidences that verify the first report.

While the Ministry of Environment has provided a response to our letters of concern, it has been less than satisfactory. 

Their response was limited, citing limited capacity to take necessary measures to investigate the reported issue due to a lack of funds. 

The Director of Environment has acknowledged that the company is breaching its agreements, yet no decisive enforcement action has been taken. 

So far, only a warning has been issued, which the communities have reported have had no impact on the company’s operations. 

The Ministry of Mines has not responded at all, demonstrating a troubling lack of engagement in this matter.

This raises a series of questions to be answered. If the breaches are clear: 

• Why has no stop notice been issued until investigations can be properly conducted?
• Should companies be allowed to continue operating while ministries lack the resources or capacity to enforce the law? 
• And should the government continue to make deals with miners, knowing that breaches of contracts may go unpunished? 

The situation is further complicated by conflicting information around licensing.

According to TSI’s understanding, the Development Consent was granted to Solomon Islands Mining Company Limited, owned by Johnny Sy. 

However, the company actually conducting mining activities at Siruka is Solomon Nickel Mining Limited, which does not appear to hold the required consent. 

The ability of the company to blatantly conduct operations illegally raises serious concerns about the lack of enforcement of regulations and accountability. 

Most recently, in-depth Solomons has provided further evidence of the damages provided in TSI’s Siruka Mining report (photographs taken as part of their investigative report have been used in this statement).

TSI calls on the government, including the development partners that are providing assistance in the mining sector, to equip responsible authorities, customary resource owners, and affected communities with the resources and expertise to carry out and enforce a full assessment of the devastating environmental and human impacts of the mining operations. 

Such an assessment would expose loopholes, misinformation, a lack of transparency that communities have been subjected to and issues that the Mineral Resources Bill 2025 should be addressing.

Until this happens, TSI urges the Director of Environment to issue a STOP WORK NOTICE to immediately halt all mining activities at Siruka. 

The company must first put in place the mitigating measures it committed to under the EIAR before operations can continue. 

Likewise, TSI calls on the Director of Mines, Krista Jacob Tatapu, to monitor and take action against miners on the ground who are not complying with the conditions of their Development Consent. 

What is happening in East Choiseul is not simply the fault of foreign companies exploiting our people and our land. 

It is also the result of government complacency and failure to enforce its own laws and protect the rights of our people. 

Mining approvals exist to protect the environment and communities from the most destructive impacts that can occur with reckless and ill-monitored resource extraction. 

Yet these protections are being ignored. 

This cannot be allowed to continue. The irresponsible practices of loggers-turned-miners threaten people’s livelihoods and environment. 

This is unacceptable under our laws and to the people of East Choiseul. 

Some tribes may support mining if it is conducted responsibly by reputable companies, but they too reject the reckless approach currently on display. 

TSI therefore repeats its call that the government must act decisively and enforce its regulations to show they care for the wellbeing of its people above foreign profit.