Bougainville

Full Bougainville mining law hoped for new year

On 09 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

source: Radio New Zealand

The president of Bougainville says he hopes to have a complete mining law for the autonomous Papua New Guinea province passed by the end of the year.

A new "transitional" law was passed last week to replace PNG mining law, which formalised the province's control of its own resources as laid out in the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

Vetrans Association says new Mining Law lays foundation for another crisis

On 08 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

The Panguna Veterans Association has presented a withering denunciation of Bougainville's proposed new Mining Law and urged the members of the House of Representative to reject it.

A Statement from Chairman Noah Doko and Vice-Chairman Joe Birunoim describes the Bill as a wolf hiding in a sheep skin and accuses the ABG of selling out their birthrights.

But the most critical and worrying part of the Association's analysis is that the new law will lay the foundations for another crisis:

Rio Tinto's Coup - The Bougainville Mining (Transitional Arrangements) Bill 2014

On 08 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Rio Tinto may have lost the battle in 1990 but, if the Bougainville Mining Bill is passed, they have won the war.

The key section announcing the coup is buried right at the end of the Bill. If passed, Rio Tinto's special mining lease will be converted into an exploration licence, which can then in turn be re-converted into a mining lease under the law.

Why is this a coup? Surely this is a loss for Rio Tinto? Well ...

Francis On a denounces Bougainville Mining Bill

On 08 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Source: PNG Mine Watch

Only a truly great thinker can capture historical motion with such accuracy, that their words can serve as a compass for the years ahead. Francis Ona’s historic address, written in 1989, could have been read out yesterday on the steps of Bougainville’s parliament.

We were forced to become passive observes of our own exploitation, first by the racist colonial administration and after independence by the black political leaders in whitemen’s coats.

Miroi calls for stand-alone Mining Policy

On 08 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Chairman of the Me'ekamui Governmet of Unity on Bougainville, Philip Miroi has stood his ground in publishing a statement that "the ABG enact into law a stand-alone Bougainville Mining Policy that makes a clean break from the past." He has furthermore stressed that the 4th draft May Bill mining policy gives mandate for BCL into Panguna and this is a "dangerous and potentially destabilizing move and is not acceptable to the Me'ekamui."

Me'ekamui government calls for protest against new Mining Law

On 07 Aug, 2014 By Elizabeth1

Me'ekamui Government of Unity

Citizens of Bougainville.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM MEEKAMUI GOVERNEMTN OF UNITY PRESIDENT PHILIIP MIRIORI

All citizens of Bougainville, I ask you all to mobilise and meet tomorrow morning, Friday 8 August 2014, at 9.30am at the ABG Parliament to STOP THE BCL THEFT OF BOUGAINVILLE.

The Mining Bill drafted by the Australian Tony Regan simply hands back to RIO/BCL the entire Panguna Mine effective immediately with no of compensation.

The John Roka Memorial School

On 29 Jul, 2014 By rait man

Words and Pictures by Nathan Matbob

John Roka was a loving father who did not think twice about his own life when he traveled back to be with his family during the peak time of the ten year crisis in 1993. John, from Bali in West New Britain Province, married Theresa Pokamari from Enamira in Panguna, Central Bougainville in 1977. And both with their children lived in the mining town of Arawa. Stories from people who knew John personally often articulate John of a person who never held back anything; he was a very generous man.

Why Bel Kol with BCL is not well received by local people of Bougainville

On 28 Jul, 2014 By rait man

Special Correspondent in Bougainville

The Panguna Landowners Association executives and stakeholders have been blowing the Bel Kol with Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) trumpet over the past weeks creating awareness’s in and around Central Bougainville.

Reconciliation from the heart

On 21 Jul, 2014 By rait man

Story and Pictures by our Special Correspondent

Only on Bougainville: A rather large sour treat

On 16 Jul, 2014 By rait man

Panguna may have had the largest copper mine in the word back then, but it may now have the largest lemons. If you have the taste buds for lemon, then Panguna has more than a mouthful for you. On an afternoon spin up in the mountains of Panguna in Central Bougainville, the author came across what looks more than the conventional size lemon. As the picture below illustrates, the lemon is extraordinarily large. This lemon was able to fill more than one cup and sure enough there was more than enough lemonade that Sunday afternoon.

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