BOUGAINVILLE’S LEADERS AND political authorities and are looking at the Panguna District – site of the former copper and gold mine - as the catalyst for an economic leap for the autonomous region of Papua New Guinea in the north of the Solomon Islands archipelago.
In terms of natural resources, Bougainville is the largest and the richest island of the Solomon archipelago. In 1899 it became part of the German New Guinea colonial administration that used it as the launching pad for its New Guinea civilising effort taken over by the Australians after World War I.
In the 1960s, as the colonial ruler, Australia, preparing its New Guinea territory for nationhood, approved the development of the Panguna mine that became an important factor triggering the Bougainvillean struggle for self determination since.
Bougainville ended up part of the independent PNG state in 1975; but the accommodation kept PNG quaking as the protests in Bougainville continued.
In 1988, after all the years of dissatisfaction and peaceful protest by Bougainvilleans, the Panguna mine became the catalyst of action to tear down PNG’s exploitative rule of the Solomon Island people of Bougainville.
A decade later, with the dawn of the Bougainville peace process, the Panguna District leadership played a significant role in finding a solution to the conflict that had sacrificed the lives of some 15,000 Bougainvilleans and much property destruction.
But internal politics in the Kieta area affected progress in development and peace-building for the Central Bougainville region.
The conflict had being complicated and without much room for understanding and negotiation; thus it had divided the people. Kieta had seen factions led by men like Chris Uma, Moses Pipiro and Ishmael Toroama.
With Bougainvillean leaders looking at the Panguna mine as the economic driver for the future development of Bougainville after the referendum planned 2015-2019, there are moves by the people across Bougainville calling for the re-opening of the mine.
There is evidence that this is creating change in the hearts and minds of the Panguna people.
A few months ago, leaders in Panguna created the Panguna Peace Building Strategy (PPBS) that is now playing significant roles in uniting the people of the District.
Operating under the Panguna District Administration, the strategy now oversees the peoples’ views on mining in the villages not only of Panguna but across many areas of Central Bougainville and South Bougainville’s Bana District.
Landowners understand what the leaders of the Autonomous Bougainville Government want. Last week, all Panguna mine site landowners from Pirurari, Dapera, Moroni and Guava met in Panguna with the Panguna Peace Building Strategy to voice their concerns over the re-opening issue.
The landowners said they are willing to welcome mining to help finance the compensation for lives and property lost in Bougainville.
Furthermore, they are willing to allow mining for economic recovery and strengthening of Bougainville independence. To them innocent Bougainvilleans died for independence and this challenge must be met.
The gathering also heard that, before mining resumes, the ABG and whoever is the mining company should let them know about their future life as a result of mining operations: issues such as automatic employment and good compensation or royalties.
Their most pressing demand was to close the door to all non-Bougainvilleans.
Landowners also wanted a new waste disposal system. They don’t want gravel stockpiled on the dumps already in existence and they do want environment-friendly management of waste from the concentrator mills down the Tumpusiong Valley and in the sea in South Bougainville.
The meeting heard that the new mining venture must grant all mine sub-contracts for catering, tyre services and other services to Bougainvilleans and allow no firm outside Bougainville to tender.
They said Bougainvilleans are innovative people so the miner should come first with education for Bougainvilleans.
The landowners want to see every village across Bougainville connected by sealed roads; every river to have permanent bridges; and every island community to have a jetty. These improvements are what the mining company should think about before talking about re-opening the mine.
One great breakthrough for the Panguna people is the conflict between Bougainville Revolutionary Army leaders, Ishmael Toroama, Chris Uma and Moses Pipiro, which is scheduled for reconciliation late this month.
This trio with their followers have long kept the people divided politically and have also regularly fought each other over their own personal interests, mostly over the Panguna mine site and money from scrap metal and government projects.
In line with this, ABG President Dr John Momis will soon be visiting Guava Village for the first time as Bougainville president.
These events certainly indicate that Bougainville is moving and not stagnant.
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