Interviewed by Priya Kunjan, Dr Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka, founder of youth-centred environmental organization Finafinau, joins us from Pago Pago to discuss recent progress in the United States government's moves to advance offshore mineral extraction in the waters off American Samoa in the face of significant resistance

Sabrina spoke with us about the cultural and environmental impacts that deep sea mining for critical minerals will cause, and the ongoing fight to prevent this from happening in the waters off the islands of American Samoa.

Interviewed by Priya Kunjan, Louise Byrne of the West Papua Women's Office discusses the connections between Sugar Research Australia, the Indonesian sugar industry, and alleged rights abuses and illegal deforestation in Merauke, West Papua. 

In December 2025, Greenpeace published the report 'Sweet Promises, Bitter Reality: Inside the Merauke Sugarcane Project' detailing serious concerns about the role of the Indonesian state and agribusiness in land theft and mass deforestation in Merauke. 

More recently, Royce Kurmelovs of Deepcut News has written about the connections between the Australian government-funded body Sugar Research Australia and land clearing in Merauke. Louise has been working for West Papua's freedom and self-determination since 1999, and helped found the West Papua Office in Docklands in 2014.

Utube Video Pesta Babi: Kolonialisme di Zaman Kita (Pig Feast: Colonialism in Our Time), an investigative documentary examining contemporary colonialism, militarisation, and large‑scale development projects in West Papua YouTube .

 For more information, you can visit the West Papua Women's Office at 211/838 Collins Street, Docklands 3008 (VIC), and contact them at  '; // --> (link sends e-mail) or via SMS at 0424 745 155.

I would like to acknowledge the Kulin Nation – true owners, caretakers and custodians of the land from which we broadcast. 3CR pays respect to Elders, past and present of the Kulin Nation. We recognise their unceded sovereignty.

Earth Matters #1570 was produced on Widjibul Weiable lands in the Budjalumg Nation by Bec Horridge