Karath Mal Waka

DTP alumnus Karath Mal Waka is a well-known human rights defender from Porgera, Papua New Guinea (PNG). He is the Chairperson of the Human Rights Inter-Pacific Association and has spent nearly two decades in documenting and advocating against human rights abuses linked to mining operations in the resource-rich Porgera Valley.

Karath said that joining the DTP Program in Port Moresby was a turning point for him.

“The DTP program was magic. In just five days, I received the tools I needed for human rights advocacy, for the very first time with proper recognition. DTP’s approach was not only about theory—it was practical and focused on real-life experiences. It gave me what years of fieldwork never formally recognised.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Karath helped over 20 Porgera women to join DTP’s online trainings. He even negotiated with OHCHR to provide mobile data access for these women so that they can participate in DTP training.

Karath’s journey into human rights activism is deeply personal. In 1995, he survived a domestic violence incident. However that incident left him permanently disabled as he lost his right arm and leg. Despite these setbacks, he redirected his life’s path toward seeking justice for others, especially those affected by the Porgera Gold Mine, operated by the Canadian Barrick Gold Corp Company.

In 2004, Karath joined the Akali Tange Association (ATA), a local group established to address killings, sexual violence, and environmental destruction connected to the mine. Though he started as a volunteer, soon Karath became a figure in documenting abuses and collecting survivor testimonies.

Karath contributed to the influential report The Shooting Field of Porgera, and collaborated with international allies including MiningWatch Canada, Human Rights Watch, Harvard Law School, and EarthRights International.

His grassroots efforts were well recognised beyond PNG. In 2013, he spoke at a human rights forum in Columbia University. In 2014, he supported victims during mediations with Barrick Gold, and in 2015, cases he supported helped initiate international arbitration. That same year, he founded the Human Rights Inter-Pacific Association, which now oversees more than 1,500 unresolved cases related to the Porgera mine.

Karath is now embracing a new form of activism as a climate activist. Despite his disabilities, he leads community tree planting, agroforestry, and promotes nutrition to tackle malnutrition and climate change.

Karath wants to see DTP as a long-term partner in the struggle for justice:

“DTP should support alumni who can go beyond the diploma. I hope to be the first in the Pacific to pursue advanced studies in Business and Human Rights Law.”