23 Jul 2015

PNG activists dedicate win to anthropologist Nancy Sullivan

8:32 am on 23 July 2015
Anthropologist Nancy Sullivan made her home in Papua New Guinea where she had a great affinity for the people.

Anthropologist Nancy Sullivan made her home in Papua New Guinea where she had a great affinity for the people. Photo: Nancy Sullivan & Associates

Activists working to resolve issues around a controversial industrial zone in Papua New Guinea say they will dedicate their win at court to the eminent anthropologist Nancy Sullivan.

Dr Sullivan died last week in a car crash in the United States.

She was among eleven defendants to a court challenge by the PNG government which wanted their public campaign to raise concern about the planned Madang-based Pacific Marine Industrial Zone restrained.

The court has ordered the eleven defendants to be compensated and the case has been dropped.

Dr Sullivan was one of those leading the PMIZ campaign and a fellow activist Dorothy Tekwie says her death is a blow but that it has also spurred them on.

"Nancy was the champion in pushing this forward. She wanted to see this thing resolved and we dedicated the win so far to her in trying to not stop the PMIZ project, but to ensure that the landowners get benefit from the process, that they are respected and the environment is protected."

Dorothy Tekwie says the court action caused a lot of stress for the defendants and they also faced police harrassment.

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