Theonila Roka Matbob of Papua New Guinea is one in all this 12 months’s Goldman Environmental Prize winners. She is being acknowledged for her efforts to restore the environmental and social harms attributable to a copper and gold mine.
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Theonila Roka Matbob was born in what ought to have been a lush rainforest. Her household’s house is close to the middle of the most important island in Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Area of Bougainville within the Pacific Ocean.
As a substitute, she says, the mountains round her have been largely rock and sand. “It’s a must to go miles — into one other area and territory — to search out the timber, the forest,” says Roka Matbob, who’s now 35.
She grew up listening to fixed warnings concerning the atmosphere. “From our grandparents and fogeys, the recommendation you all the time get is: Do not go close to the water. Do not go close to the river. It’s toxic. Don’t eat something that falls onto the bottom,” she recollects. “And so they do not let you know why.”
Roka Matbob began asking questions and, finally, she discovered the why.
Her work as an activist to restore the environmental and social harms has earned her The Goldman Environmental Prize for 2026. The winners have been introduced as we speak: grassroots environmental champions, one in every of the world’s inhabited areas. Roka Matbob gained for the island nations.
The set off for her environmental woes –- and activism –- is a mine.
Roka Matbob grew up minutes from the Panguna copper and gold mine, which had been developed by Rio Tinto, one of many world’s largest mining firms with headquarters in Australia and the U.Ok. The mine close to Roka Matbob’s residence was run via the subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd. Whereas the mine had lengthy been deserted, between 1972 and 1989 it produced thousands and thousands of tons of copper and a whole lot of tons of gold and silver.
The Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Area of Bougainville. The mine has been closed for many years however left environmental scars.
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It additionally provoked a bloody, decade-long civil battle — one which began when pressure turned to violence because the mining firm introduced in exterior labor and took out the earnings. The army was introduced in to cease the rebellion and the battle developed right into a separatist insurgency. The battle claimed 1000’s of lives and wreaked havoc on the group. Only a few days shy of Roka Matbob’s third birthday, her father was taken by an armed group and later killed.
Amid the unrest, the mine shut down. However, Roka Matbob says, that led to new issues. There was no plan to handle environmental injury and contamination.
“I used to be born into that damaged atmosphere. Rising up it is a life on survival mode completely,” Roka Matbob says. She provides that her mom and remaining household have been “nomadic” as they appeared for security. They ended up transferring right into a authorities managed camp.
When a peace settlement was signed, in 1998, Roka Matbob felt it did not handle the underlying points, together with the continued atmosphere devastation and the way 1000’s of individuals have been being “denied a standard island life.”
Her activism began as a excessive schooler main protests. She went on to turn into the lead complainant in a landmark human rights criticism filed by the Human Rights Legislation Centre in opposition to Rio Tinto. The consequence has been hailed as a serious win. In 2021, Rio Tinto agreed to fund an impartial evaluation and, in 2024, signed a memorandum of understanding to work with the impacted communities to handle and remediate the state of affairs.
“Theonila is main a historic effort to acquire justice for many years of environmental and social devastation due to the Panguna mine,” says Ilan Kayatsky, of the Goldman Environmental Prize in an announcement to NPR. “She understood that nobody else would step ahead to coordinate a marketing campaign and demand accountability. Her efforts have introduced collectively a coalition intent on enhancing the lives of Bougainvilleans, as we speak and into the long run.”
NPR spoke with Roka Matbob to be taught extra about her work and perspective on conquering challenges that may really feel insurmountable. This interview has been edited for size and readability.
At what level did you notice that you possibly can make a distinction?
There have been a pair milestones. In 2019, after we — the group — invited the Human Rights Legislation Centre to essentially come and hearken to us. Simply listening to us out was, for me, progress.
Then, once they supported us by publishing a report known as After the mine: Residing with Rio Tinto’s lethal legacy, we obtained a word from Rio Tinto saying they’ve by no means been on the bottom to know the influence. And, to me, it was progress once more: They learn it.
After which, lodging a authorized criticism and Rio Tinto responding in 24 hours was progress as a result of that was a platform the place I might communicate immediately [to them].
So that you printed a report and took authorized motion and the mining firm responded. How did that make you are feeling?Â
It’s a dream come true for me — the chance to signify the folks’s voice and to speak on to the stakeholder who modified our lives. I shed tears to say, lastly, my grandmother did not [get to talk directly to them] however I am going to do this now.
However, whereas we welcomed it, while you’re completely in a damaged atmosphere, it doesn’t provide you with area to pause and have a good time and transfer on. So, the following layer is: How quickly [can we fix it]? How lengthy is it going to take?
You might have been preventing for this for a few years. Is there one thing you return to that retains motivating you?
I’m from the indigenous Nasioi folks and the Basikang clan, the place the land, the atmosphere is an inseparable a part of my life. We co-exist. [We don’t have that] and that is one thing that I am unable to take frivolously.
Did you ever contemplate merely leaving?
I can’t transfer as a result of, if I’m going to be transferring, I will be transferring into one other tribal territory, and that’s thought of a no-go zone. So that is the place my kids and grandchildren will stay as properly. We’ll all the time be right here. We want a long-lasting answer, in order that motivates me.
What else motivates you?
Being a mom. No mom would wish to go on to her youngster a damaged, contaminated portion of the atmosphere. I’ve obtained two kids [ages 8 and 4] and there are such a lot of kids round who’re their age however haven’t got moms who’re in a position to come out and struggle.
You have been one in all a really small variety of ladies elected to Bougainville’s Home of Representatives, the place you continued your advocacy. How have gender dynamics performed into your work?
It’s kind of tough. With politics — the tradition — could be very patriarchal. However, additionally, it is a blessing. [In my clan,] we ladies are the land guardians and keepers. There’s this proverb in my language and territory: It takes a lady to cry to start out a struggle, and it additionally takes a lady’s tears to dealer peace. So [this fight to get answers and solutions] is known as a girl’s place in the neighborhood.
Theonila Roka Matbob (proper) and group members in Papua New Guinea’s Autonomous Area of Bougainville. Roka Matbob says she and her neighbors will determine the right way to spend the cash that comes together with her Goldman Environmental Prize.
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This Goldman honor comes with a money prize. What do you propose to do with it?
That is a call to make with the group. It takes a village to create a win. So it takes a village to make that call as properly.
When will you are feeling your work is completed? When there is a inexperienced rainforest round you?Â
No. The injury induced is irreversible. I’ll work as long as this activism brings hope to the folks. I would like them to have the ability to perceive their whys and begin transiting out of dwelling in survival mode to dwelling in thriving mode.
