For seven years the mining department of the Autonomous Bougainville Government has worked to develop a policy framework for the long term mining law to meet Bougainville’s very special needs.
During a fiery Senate Estimates hearing in Australia earlier this year, a senior official from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked by Senator Lee Rhiannon if she was aware of significant evidence on Australian state criminality published in the British Journal of Criminology.
The Bougainville parliament has just passed an interim mining act, paving the way for its troubled Panguna copper mine to re-open. Even though the new act removes the automatic renewal of its lease to continue, Bougainville Copper Limited is still the preferred mine operator, as Kevin McQuillan reports.
A ONE-day meeting for the trust fund board responsible for the coordination of discussions on issues concerning Panguna mining and its subsequent re-opening was held in Buka yesterday.
A legal analysis commissioned by the Mineral Policy Institute says Bougainville's new Mining Law fails to protect the rights of local people. The law is also in breach of Bougainville's own Constitution and is inconsistent with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People
While it is fairly certain a few champagne corks were popped Friday night, as a conspiratorial session of parliament finally passed a legislation designed to uphold Rio Tinto’s leases in Panguna, and pave the way for other industrial mining operations.
This Law has taken away the Panguna SML Landowner’s right over their resources by giving easy access to Rio Tinto and its subsidiary BCL. Just have a look at Section 13 then the reverse in Sections 212, 70, 66, and 69. where our ABG Government drives the last and the final nail in our coffin.
Our President and his foreign legal expert, Mr. Tony Regan are lying all the way covering up for Rio Tinto and BCL.
The Momis-Australian economic pact developed since 2010 was sealed through the Mining Bill when it passed through Bougainville's parliament. According to its salesman this economic strategy will bring independence, jobs, money, and happiness.
But there is not one exampleto back up their claims. On the other hand we know from Bougainville's own history, and we know from the history of ex-colonial countries from around the world - still under the hoof of foreign powers - what will emerge.
During a fiery Senate Estimates hearing in Australia earlier this year, a senior official from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade was asked by Senator Lee Rhiannon if she was aware of significant evidence on Australian state criminality published in the British Journal of Criminology.
