www.bougainville-copper.eu17.03.2011Source:...

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17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier


Bougainville gains pace on mine opening


THIS week two important and successful historical occasions happened in the history of Bougainville - the reconciliation of Me?ekamui Defence Force Commander Chris Uma with Bougainville Affairs Minister Fidelis Semoso and the meeting with another hardliner Moses Pipiro with the National Government departmental heads at Panguna.
For Bougainville the ?first time meets? for the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and Me?ekamui hardliners with the National Government team and Mr Semoso who went out of his way to meet these rebels, has enabled the progress of the negotiations for the re-opening of the giant Panguna Mine.
Mr Semoso did a leisure drive out of Arawa town on his electoral visit to Panguna to see if he could have a chat with Mr Pipiro, the man who has been guarding the mine pit and Panguna for the last 10 to 20 years.
Over a buai, the two spoke as if they were never enemies or there was no problem.
Mr Pipiro completely shut himself from the outside, even his own ABG leaders over the outstanding issues surrounding the Panguna mine.
Last Monday, Mr Semoso made his way through and did the dirty work of getting Pipiro out of his hide out.
And 11 hours later Mr Semoso took with him a whole delegation of PNG departmental heads who flew in from Port Moresby to the region for the scoping of projects in preparation for the release of the promised one-off K500 million in five years to Bougainville.
The heads, led by Secretary of Mining Nellie James and Health Secretary Dr Clement Malau had breakfast up at the rebel?s brown coffee shop, all prepared by the families of Mr Pipiro and Philip Takaung, the Me?ekamui Government president.
And on Tuesday, Mr Semoso took another successful trip - to make him the first National MP to have Chris Uma come out, reconcile and straight away begin the mine talks on a personal level.
This in itself is a milestone for Bougainville which now has mining on Bougainville and especially the re-opening of the Panguna mine as a priority.
This was a historical moment for Bougainville, PNG and the international community is watching this issue.
The world can now breathe a sigh of relief because the feared rebel who mans the famous Morgan Junction, the gateway to the Panguna Mine has given the green light for the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.
But the re-opening of the mine will come with strings attached - like every other rebel needs - negotiations for compensation and the K10 billion issue.
Chris Uma, who took over as the commander of the Me?ekamui defence force up until the world renowned hardliner Francis Ona died in 2005, one of the factions that currently holds the key to total peace on Bougainville, for the first time in 10 years sat face to face with a Bougainville leader and a National Government Minister to reconcile, grieve and put forward his demands for the future of Bougainville.
The Mine talks can now begin and Bougainville can expect a progress in the peace process, weapons disposal and economic development at large.




17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier


Panguna on the verge of rising up from demise


PANGUNA, the home of the now defunct multi-billion kina Bougainville Copper Limited has been covered with thick forest and remains of what was then the savaged 1989 crisis.
Since the closure of the giant Bougainville copper mine in 1989, the environment was reclaimed by beautiful but exclusive orchids, myriad colourful flowers, countless vegetables, especially the famous ?joko kumu? and very thick forests infested with bush animals.
What was also left were burnt down houses, naked buildings, a polluted Java river and a huge mine pit. This is not to mention the increased population of alluvial gold miners from all over Bougainville who make Panguna their home and those that have settled to find a way out of their criminal activities.
What happened 20 years ago, although history and long gone, is still fresh in the minds of those that held the place at heart.
But a new twist to the mine site is now an invitation to the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government from the rebel hardliners to make it a better place to live in, keep it clean until such time progress is made to speed up the negotiations and the re-opening of the Panguna Mine.
The Bougainville and Arawa Administration has made its way back into the mine site to revive their once high tech office and not only that, the place is now being maintained by trade store owners, alluvial gold miners and individuals who are struggling to making ends meet. There are close to 12 trade stores right from the Morgan Junction right through to the mine area and, there are two small guest houses that offer a small fee of K50 a night run by the Me?ekamui and a small transit area for tourists or those who can spend a night to enjoy the beauty of Panguna.
Rebel hardliners manning the mine site, and its nearby surroundings have indicated to the Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Trade and Regional Member for Bougainville Fidelis Semoso that they want police stationed at Panguna.





17.03.2011
Source: Post-Courier


Sisito plan to meet Dadae
By PETERSON TSERAHA


BOUGAIVNILLE?S former revolutionary hardliner now, Autonomous Bougainville Government Veterans Affairs Minister David Sisito wants an open dialogue with PNG Defence Minister Bob Dadae.
In the name of peace, Mr Sisito has requested the meeting to be held here on Bougainville in order to gain trust of former combatants.
The former rebel and now politician called on the Minister, his Secretary Billy Porakali and PNGDF General Francis Agwi to come to Bougainville to discuss how they can contribute to the region?s security, weapons? disposal and compensation issues with the Bougainville executive council.
?I want us all to work together as one now, forget about the past burn the propaganda out and join hands for one Bougainville,? Mr Sisito said.
He said all the guns floating around on Bougainville are Papua New Guinea Defence Force issue excluding just a couple which were smuggled into the region from neighbouring Solomon Islands during the crisis.
?Our security here on Bougainville is now at stake, with sighting of illegal fishing vessels in our waters, and with illicit activities going on in the Solomon Islands border it is just beyond our control now,? Mr Sisito said.
He urged all Bougainvilleans that the PNGDF is not the enemy anymore now and they still take care of the nation?s security, because Bougainville is still incapable and premature when it comes to security.
?The right people to talk to about weapons disposal are the PNGDF they will have the appropriate data as to how many of their weapons were lost here on Bougainville, and when it comes to compensation where ever a claim arises for damaged or lost property they will have to verify before anything is paid to a claimant,? Mr Sisito said.
?With the absence of the army, false crisis claims are rising in an alarming rate and claims are being paid with public money without defence force verification. Illegal fishing vessels are now treating Bougainville waters as their home fishing ground with the absence of patrol boats in our waters.?
Mr Sisito has called on the Bougainville affairs ministry to also look into these arrangements and help where ever they can.