Category Government of Bougainville

ABG Government and her Elected leaders. Short History of Bougainville.

Feb 22 2026

Bougainville News Alerts : Simon Pentanu : My memories of Kieta

The first permanent German presence in Kieta, Bougainville, began with the establishment of a Marist mission in 1901, followed by an official German colonial administrative office in 1905 to oversee the region. They would have seen, steaming into the deep natural harbour, beautiful green hills and beyond the hills, trees in rich green foliage.

The Germans planted most of the coconut trees that are still standing today and introduced the first variety of cacao trees. Together coconut and cocoa were the mainstay of plantation economy since WW1. Since then and now both tree crops continue to remain the major earners for Bougainville, largely benefiting local small holder farmers.

Kieta has always been a picturesque shoreline with pristine coral reefs along its shores and the  deep and beautiful harbour, protected by Bakawari (Pokpok Island).

During World War 2, Kieta was a squabbling ground for the Allied forces and the Japanese.

By the end of the 1950s, Kieta had more expatriates than any town on Bougainville – mostly Australian colonial administration staff headed by the District Commissioner. There was also Australian war veteran managers of these old German plantations, rewarded in Bougainville with running and living off these plantations as business as a reward for serving in Allied forces in the Second World War. These plantations  in central Bougainville are along the eastern seaboard from Numanuma in the north to Toimanapu in central Bougainville.

German planted plantations are also located elsewhere, in north and south Bougainville.

In the early ’60s, the colonial administration’s Bougainville District headquarters moved from Sohano Island near Buka to Kieta. Sohano has its own rich war and colonial history preserved in books and memories. Kieta offered a more central location for the administration with more land for expansion and the attractive and useful natural harbour.

Lumber workers who set up a big sawmill inland from Aropa airport did thriving business, swelling the numbers of this small but beautiful township, which became adept at organising itself around a range of festivities and events.

Such festivities included a very colourful festival on Her Majesty the Queen’s birthday holiday every June, ANZAC Day marches in April and the New Year’s welcome with activities organised by the District Commissioner, known to everyone here as Mr Dennehy.

The residents of Kieta’s Chinatown, together with Chinese communities in Buka and Kangu, made up the single largest non-indigenous population in Bougainville. On their part the Chinese forte was business and commerce. The commodities they traded included copra, trochus shells, green snails related to trochus (from the sea) and beche de mer (mostly for domestic consumption).

As far as festivities were concerned, the big bang was at New Year when Kieta Chinatown’s six or seven trade stores would let off firecrackers that could be heard from the village on Pokpok Island. We joined in, purchasing crackers in anticipation of this day. In those days firecrackers were readily available as other merchandise over the counter at Chinese trade stores.

The main man in Chinatown’s community was the emblematic Wong Yu. Wong Yu had shops in Buka and Kieta; his children grew up around these shops before they ventured out on their own.

The three mainline churches added to the number of local activities, contributing to both religious and development fervour in the area, running schools and health centres. The robed clergy, as well as the laity and local volunteers, were conspicuous in many aspects of missionary work.

Kieta started to grow, perhaps for the better, with the building of Aropa airport and the introduction of TAA DC-3s from mainland New Guinea and East New Britain. TAA’s DC-3s replaced the Qantas Catalina sea plane, which came into service after WW2, bringing in mail and supplies, mostly for the expatriate population.

One of my most vivid memories growing up in the village on Pokpok Island, facing Kieta across the water, was seeing the big Catalina sea plane flying in and making its sea-surface landings, stopping by a big red buoy for mail and passengers to be delivered and collected. It was quite a spectacle we children enjoyed. We tried to race the sea plane along the village beach as it landed or took off.

In its colonial heyday, Kieta had a primary school, the Kieta Hotel, the Kieta Club and much later the Davara Hotel in Toniva. Kieta had a well-manned police station, a native hospital and a government wharf.

Before the wharf was built, overseas ships used to anchor deep in the harbour. All cargo – from building materials to merchandise to vehicles and machinery – was brought to land by putting together two boats and loading the gear on timber platforms. All back-cargo from coconuts, cacao to rubber was brought to ships on large hull boats towed by small boats. Of the big cargo boats that called in, Tulagi and Malaitawere most familiar.

Plantation labourers manually carted all the produce. Stevedoring on the ships was mostly done by folks brought over from Saposa Island, complemented by a small number from Pokpok. The MV Saposa, captained by the enigmatic Mr Wickham of English-Solomon Islands extraction was a nice boat that steamed to Kieta whenever the cargo ships called. I had the fortune of boarding the Saposa with my old man, who had some role in picking men for stevedoring, supporting those brought from Buka by the Saposa.

The shipping and exports added to the number of businesses that started to emerge after the Kieta wharf was built.

The mainstay of Catholic education in Bougainville was St Joseph’s Marist Brothers High School at Rigu.

There was a predominance of Catholic, Methodist and Seventh Day Adventist churches, which played major roles in education and shaping society before colonial government services really took hold.

My own youthful fascination with Kieta was interrupted by my departure from Kieta Primary School at the end of 1963 to attend the final year of primary education at Kangu (later Buin) Primary School.

Thus began a journey away from home.

Looking back, it was opportune that I attended and completed my Grade 5 in Kieta Primary ‘T’ School, a colonial government school, as opposed to a mission school nearby. I say opportune because, had I gone to St Joseph Marist nearby, my old man knew I would have run away to the lure of a very comfortable village life nearby on the island, like other island boys before and after me did. He often said to me if I didn’t go to St Joseph I could go elsewhere, to Kangu, Buin and still stay in school.

With the coming of CRA and Rio Tinto, t at Kieta started to change – slowly, but it seemed almost overnight.

A satellite town emerged in Toniva. The local hospital was moved from Kieta to Arawa, attracted by the exploration and construction of the Panguna mine.

The Kieta Open War Memorial contains Japanese war wrecks and relics and a memorial grave  to Chief Barosi of Sirovai, who was beheaded on site during WW2. The graveyard and memorial still serve as witness to the vagaries of a war the locals had nothing to do with but suffered a lot because of it.

Kieta has outlived its own history.

Perhaps its epitaph could read something like: Chief Barosi’s head lies buried here today. It was removed by a samurai sword and fell. Queen Emma eloped near here and saw a small hill she claimed for herself near Toborai plantation. The first Catholics were converted just across the harbour on Pokpok Island. One of the casualties of the Bougainville crisis, MV Cosmaris, lies sunk by Kieta wharf. Before Loloho port was built, Kieta wharf was the gateway to Panguna, handling all shipping and cargo.

Where do you stop? And where do you start? A town’s history does not really have a clear beginning or end.

There is a lot of history in and around this once-popular harbour town. Sadly, like much of Bougainville, its past is rarely recalled.

Perhaps some of the past for which Kieta ought to be remembered is not recorded in history texts because it’s held in the heads and hearts of the people of Bougainville.

Let it not be lost.

QANTAS Catalina after landing in Kieta Harbour

Jan 30 2026

Bougainville News Alerts : President Toroama confirms ABG position on Panguna Partnering process

President Toroama confirms ABG position on Panguna Partnering process
The President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Hon. Ishmael Toroama, has confirmed that the ABG has rejected the proposed partnership between Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) and CMOC Group Limited in relation to the Panguna project.
This decision follows careful consideration and reflects the ABG’s position as the majority shareholder with a combined 72.9 per cent ownership in BCL.
The President has affirmed that the ABG does not authorise any proposal involving equity participation or dilution of its shareholding in BCL arising from the Expression of Interest partnering process undertaken by BCL.
BCL has been directed to discontinue further progression of the CMOC proposal and the related partnering process and to instead pursue engagement with Lloyds Metals & Energy Limited as the ABG’s preferred partner under a contract mining or services partnership model, which should not affect BCL’s EL01 licence standing or ABG’s shareholding in BCL.
This direction reflects ABG’s policy position that Bougainville is to retain ownership and control while engaging experienced operators through clearly defined contractual arrangements.
The ABG remains committed to progressing the Panguna project in a lawful, transparent, and orderly manner that serves the long-term interests of the people of Bougainville.
Ends///
Jan 14 2026

Bougainville News Alert 2026 : Simon Pentanu : My meeting with Francis Ona

 

Meeting Francis Ona – from my Panguna journals.

My six year appointment as Chief Ombudsman that began in January 1995 ended on 31 December 2000. This time was also the end of my national public service career. It was a relief after serving without taking any furlough leave since I began as an interpreter in pre-independence House of Assembly in March 1969. I mention this because after a long absence from home I was looking forward to a year’s sabbatical in the village during 2001.

I decided I would use my time at home to secure a one on one meeting with Francis Ona early in the new year 2001. I began deliberate efforts to do so through my village Chief who had his intermediaries and contacts up the road. I was glad and grateful when I was advised the request for the meeting was granted.

I left Pokpok village in the morning and traveled to Arawa to leave from there to Pangkuna. It was a pleasant surprise too, that Ona’s security escorts were there for us for the road trip. It was an expectant journey but I did not have any expectations of any chiefly welcome or any security check when we arrived. Gladly there weren’t.

After a few bends and turns up to Pakia Gap and the descent from there we finally arrived at Ona’s new settlement where he moved and built his family home away and out of old Guava village that is perched on a high ridge overlooking the valleys below. I have also been up to old Guava twice, once on New Year’s Day 2007 and later.

Today’s meeting was in Ona’s hamlet where he resettled his family away from old Guava village. The meeting would be on his terms. We had no preparations, no agenda, no forewarnings what I might expect or could discuss – or not discuss – with him.

We met in a small bare earth courtyard and greeted each other with good mornings, hellos, and how are yous in Nasioi. Mine was: Tampara maata barau (good morning brother).

After a breakfast of fresh taro harvested in the morning and a chook that lost its head to go with the taro and ferns for greens, Ona said to the others (minders and elders) we would have some time for a group chat some time after breakfast. The overwhelming fresh forest air and scent at this alpine attitude went quite well with breakfast on a pagoda-like veranda looking into the open courtyard.

Our meeting this morning was in a meeting room venue where we were sat in our places prearranged in the room. It was obvious this is where he welcomes and meets his guests for all manners of discussion and discourse. I had decided well beforehand I would not ask any questions but let him start the conversations. I would pay my courteous respects and comments and respond to any questions and see where it took us. In short the meeting was informal.

Ona spoke of his desire for Bougainville to be self sufficient with people standing up on their own feet. This was predictable given that he pronounces this at every public meeting and rally. He spoke repeatedly of sowing and harvesting from the land. Bougainville was rich and had more than enough to support everyone. He both hoped and was sure it was a matter of time before the Island would be Independent. Being self sufficient was very a part of his own preparation toward being independent.

Another theme he repeated was family and spiritual nourishment. Kastom and rituals were important to keep Bougainville on a good footing. He was aware that it needed more than rhetoric to achieve a state of governance that was credible to outsiders. He suggested that retirees coming off employment like myself are useful in guiding and advising elders and leaders in a future Bougainville. I openly agreed and shared how I started in the village and the relief I felt to be back in the village, even if only temporarily.

I actually liked and enjoyed the informal nature of our chats. I was happy my village chief who accompanied me was with us. For, there were almost instantaneous moments when the thought of being suspected a spy flashed in my mind. But I dismissed the thought as fast as it entered my mind merely by asking the question, who on earth would I be spying for anyways!

Ona harboured a lot of thoughts and ideas and I thought his train of thoughts was remarkable for a person in self imposed isolation, perhaps immolation. This is not to say he also gave considerations to the amount of time, effort and the costs associated with achieving his dream and ideas. They were precise one liners from him about the abundance of resources, well thought out, that would bankroll a future, thriving Ona’s Bougainville. I restrained from quipping like ‘and who do you have in mind would be prepared to come home and take on such an enormous task after the devastating turmoil and crisis’.

But he impressed me that for all the desire for an independent, self-sufficient Bougainville I’m not sure he appreciated the enormity of the task, the capacity and human effort and human resources it would take from the start. He simply said, this is our land, we are taking it back to protect it, we can do it, we will do it, there is no turning back from the political turnstile.

On the other hand Ona was a part of long line of leaders at different generations that emerged at different decision periods and moments towards the same goal who carried the mantle and hope of a better Bougainville. Others would follow after him — and so on and so forth it goes.

On why he wasn’t being readily involved in the machinations of the peace process at the time, he explained he had his principles. Without saying so I think he was hinting that for a good tactician there must be a fall back position, that we can’t put all our political reconciliation eggs in one basket.

Ona made no mention of the ten billion kina compensation demand. And I had decided before making the trip I would keep my tongue tied on this. But he impressed me as someone who was clear in his head, fit and healthy, fit and bouncy, independent and self assuring and confident whenever he mentioned a wealthy and prosperous Bougainville.

I wasn’t here to ask questions and raise eyebrows but came to listen. It wasn’t my place to ask about the K10 billion demand; besides no one would or will ever pay this so any discussion around it would be rather futile.

After the group meeting I took the opportunity to meet and mingle with others outside. I shared my own stories about coming up to Pangkuna on a high school vacation jobs in 1967 and 1968 before the mine was built. But this is another story on its own.

Lunch was avacado from a tree at the entrance to the hamlet, and local fruits and some smoked fish from the boxful of supply my Chief and I brought from the Island.

After lunch I was shown my room and bed for the night at the end of the day. The night was restful
and cool at this altitude. The only intermittent distraction before dawn was the course voice from what sounded like an old transistor radio blurring out early round up the pacific news in Tok Pisin. I thought: Wow! the man does keep himself up to date courtesy of Radio Australia PNG service.

I can still figure out the elders and some of Ona’s staunch supporters and close minders and confidantes who I thought I knew. They were Meka’amui through and through. We retired to a ‘kavoro’ with a central fireplace where all manners of discussion, advice, tales and stories take place in the local Nasioi tradition.

Dinner was fresh sweet potato and tapioca and greens that Ona dug and gathered himself. Another village chicken lost its head for protein at dinner – owing to my visit. I joked in thanking him I had to come all the way to Panguna to get enough fibre from the garden foods he was serving. A rather good break from fish protein we mostly live on along the coast.

On the following morning, cool with clouds hanging low in the valley greeted the beginning of the new day. It was time to leave. Breakfast was light after two heavy meals the previous day. We had wild ferns, wild greens done in a herbal mix. It was sumptuous and light on the guts. It all smelled and tasted nice.

In Nasioi tradition, perhaps common to all traditional societies, when you leave you are given something to take with you. It is usually garden food, today it was some of his best taro from his garden. In the old days a smoked possum could have been included. But there aren’t many possums in the peripheries of the mine anymore with most of their habitat denuded and lost to mining.

Any possum around would not have withstood the noise pollution of the blasting, the roars of humongous Euclid trucks and the continuous noise of PH electrical shovels day and night.

Pangkuna was around the clock operation that paid good bucks and other enticing benefits to workers commensurate with the nature of work and risks involved.

We took back a basketful of avacados. Someone must have passed the word I love avacados. I could see they must fall off the trees to rot away on the ground. Reminded me of Ona’s conversation how he was enjoying living off the land and food and fruit bearing trees.

Francis Ona was not a fool. He decided someone from Pangkuna had to stand up and be counted. He was an innocent rebel, a tough nut to crack, decided to keep everything close to his chest by choice. I thought he developed a quiet contempt for people he knew but he thought that abandoned him even though some of them still spoke favorably of him for standing up to the BCL.

It is unfair to write and comment too much or any more about Ona after only a day’s encounter and without any stories and research of his life background.

My travels to Pangkuna before actual mining began, during mining and post mining gives me a good feel writing about the place. My acquaintance with some of the landowners and villagers there has given me an appreciation of the deceit they feel, including by their own kind they often talk about in conversations about BCL.

At the same time the level of annoyance and anger that people bear is understandable when one considers that really, after the mine was closed, there is no real development in the communities up there. In many ways Pangkuna and its people are no better or happier today than they were before mining despite the mineral wealth they witnessed being carted abroad under the Bougainville Cooper Agreement.

Foothold on the Land

For Ona, it is the duty of man to fight to keep his land, care for the rivers, jungle, creeks and everything to do with their meaning of what makes life’s happiness and satisfaction to its lowest denominator. To him this has been worthwhile living and fighting for.

It is not to do with humongous projects that promise so much, including limitless amounts of money that turn out, and in many respects become, a false sense of their security, including as food security if they have been left deprived and devoid of their livelihood and know they can’t eat money.

May be it was what and why they have not bought the argument or view from outsiders that Francis Ona was a rebel and criminal but, rather, a hero to them.

The simple, but the most profound utterance, from Ona is one which earned him the popular quote: “The duty of man is to protect his land”.

I don’t doubt there is a more profound message, even if it is not so obvious, in this. A message about what or how people regard development. It is not something that others can do or force on anyone else. Put it another way, development is much too often confused with aid and welfare.

Our national security is tied to the security of all the people in the region in which we live and it is therefore important that we know these people and willing to work with them. Development— this is not something that anyone can do to anyone else. Too often we confuse aid and welfare with development. Some NGOs have not, and will never, comprehend this.

Whilst I went up to listen to Ona, I left Pangkuna thinking I wouldn’t have probably quietly mused some of the thoughts above if I didn’t listen to Ona’s desire for development and the the political dreams he expressed freely even if he didn’t appreciate that investors, donors and developers keep and guard and counsel, perhaps sing from similar hymn books when it come to development.

Elsewhere, before my visit with Francis Ona, I wrote he was a local hero that came to prominence when he took a stand against his own family members and relatives and BCL for what he saw as unfair and unjust payments and distribution of royalty, lease, inconvenience payments and other payments through a vanguard of local RMTL Executives supported by BCL. There was a mounting dissatisfaction of younger landowner generation that Ona represented that saw this as unfair and unjust. If we must learn from some of the experiences from Panguna it is this.

At the time I finalized these notes for my own journals – and even now – this wasn’t meant to be a criticism but an observation that we should learn from even after Francis Ona has long gone from Panguna

Dec 5 2025

Bougainville News Alerts :Rio Tinto urged to accelerate action on remediation of Panguna mine disaster, one year on from investigation

One year on from the release of an independent investigation into Rio Tinto’s former Panguna mine in Bougainville, communities living with the ongoing environmental impact are calling on the company to urgently move towards funding solutions, particularly in areas identified as posing life-threatening risks.

Conducted by Tetra Tech Coffey, the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment found serious risks to local people from toxic chemical hazards, collapsing infrastructure and levees, and mine-related flooding.

The report made over 30 recommendations for action to address the hazards and other significant impacts on communities caused by over a billion tonnes of tailings waste left by the mine.

Traditional Owners of the area and supporters from the Human Rights Law Centre noted in a statement on Friday that since the report’s release, Rio Tinto has accepted its findings and committed to developing a remedy mechanism consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

“Over the past year, the company has been working with communities, the Bougainville Government and its former subsidiary, Bougainville Copper Limited, to discuss ways forward, and has supported further investigations into some of the most critical risks posed by the mine,” the statement read.

“Despite these steps, leaders from affected communities have expressed concerns at the slow pace of progress towards addressing time-critical risks on the ground, some of which were first identified as early as August 2022.

“Communities are urging Rio Tinto to now move decisively towards addressing the mine’s impacts and establishing an independent fund for long-term remediation works and clean-up.”

‘Our people cannot wait indefinitely; too much is at risk’

Theonila Roka Matbob, traditional landowner and lead complainant, said residents were still at risk.

“A year on from the release of the report, our communities are still living with collapsing levees, polluted rivers, and dangerous chemicals. The mine’s impacts affect every aspect of our daily lives; from where we grow our food and collect our water to our ability to safely cross rivers to access schools and healthcare,” she said.

“The Impact Assessment confirmed the scale and severity of the disaster we are living with and highlighted many areas where people’s lives are at risk. We acknowledge Rio Tinto for coming to the table with communities and the company’s support for this process so far. What we need now is for solutions to be implemented quickly, in partnership with community leaders on the ground.

“Our people cannot wait indefinitely; too much is at risk. We urge Rio Tinto to now move quickly towards action to remedy the huge problems we are facing due to the mine”.

In March, Bougainville community leaders called for representation in discussions over the potential remediation of the former Panguna mine, which began in Port Moresby that month.

At the time, Ms Roka Matbob said community leaders “find ourselves shut out of the room”.

“This is not the way to rebuild trust with communities or design lasting solutions,” she said.

‘An ongoing environmental and human rights disaster’

Human Rights Law Centre legal director Keren Adams said on Friday that the Impact Assessment confirmed in “unequivocal terms” that communities in Bougainville are “living with an ongoing environmental and human rights disaster”.

“It found major impacts in every area assessed, including many life-threatening risks to communities,” she said.

“We welcome Rio Tinto’s public commitment to working with all stakeholders towards lasting solutions. Communities now need to see that commitment translate into tangible action on the ground to address risks and impacts identified in the report, and the establishment of an independent fund for clean-up and remedy, as they have repeatedly called for.

“Rio Tinto’s new leadership team have an important opportunity to move decisively to address the company’s legacy at Panguna and to rebuild trust with the people of Bougainville.”

A Rio Tinto spokesperson told National Indigenous Times the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment was “a critical step forward in building understanding of the long-term legacy impacts of the former mine in Bougainville”.

“Throughout 2025, we have continued to engage with the PMLIA Oversight Committee, and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) through a Roundtable, to identify ways forward and key priority actions,” they said.

“Ongoing and continuing efforts by the Roundtable parties to address high and very high saliency impacts and imminent risks include: works on 4 structural sites that pose severe and imminent risks to nearby communities; removal of hazardous materials associated with a risk to life from Loloho Port; works to address the impact of flooding for Kuneka Creek communities; geo-technical monitoring and hazard awareness campaigns to ensure local communities and small-scale miners are made aware of potential risks; and additional investigations to address the most critical impacts identified in the PMLIA.

“We continue to support a water and sanitation project in Central Bougainville, in cooperation with the ABG, providing drinking water facilities and youth training to communities.”

A troubled history

Panguna was previously one of the world’s largest copper and gold mines. During its operation from 1972 to 1989, over a billion tonnes of mine waste was released directly into the Jaba and Kawerong rivers.

In 1989, an uprising by local people against this environmental destruction and inequities in the distribution of the mine’s profits forced the mine to stop operating and triggered a brutal decade-long civil war.

Rio Tinto remained the majority owner of the mine until 2016, when it divested and passed its shares to the PNG and Bougainville governments. No clean-up has ever been undertaken of the site.

The company agreed to fund the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment in 2021 in response to a human rights complaint brought by local communities, represented by the Human Rights Law Centre.

Phase 1 of the Impact Assessment, published in December 2024, confirmed extensive impacts and risks for local people are being caused by the abandoned mine, including: imminent, life-threatening risks posed by the collapsing mine pit, levees and infrastructure; ongoing contamination of the Jaba and Kawerong rivers and migration of waste into new areas; mine-related flooding, making river-crossings to access basic services life-threatening and affecting peoples’ access to drinking water, food gardens and sacred sites; and toxic chemicals stored in some locations and found in the soil in some areas.

Originally published by the National Indigenous Times

 


Oct 8 2025

Bougainville News Alerts : OBEC returns 45 writs, marks completion of 2025 ABG General Election

Bougainville Electoral Commissioner, Desmond Tsianai, today formally returned 45 writs comprising the Presidency, 38 single-member constituencies and the six reserved regional seats for women and Former Combatants.
Tsianai formally handed the election writs to the outgoing Speaker, Simon Pentanu, officially acknowledging the completion of the electoral process.
“In accordance with Sections 145 of the Bougainville Elections Act, and guided by the constitutional mandate vested in the Office I hold, I am proud to return these writs to you, Mr. Speaker, and to this Honorable House,” he said.
He reiterated the democratic spirit of the people of Bougainville as a testament to their unity and resilience.
“To every voter who stood in line with patience, dignity, and determination, we say thank you. You have proven once again that the heart of Bougainville beats strong with a belief in peaceful democratic choice and representation,” Tsianai said.
Commissioner Tsianai highlighted that the election was more than an administrative exercise, emphasizing the scale and achievements of this electoral exercise.
“We recorded a total of 408 candidates, including a growing and welcome number of women candidates. 21 women contested constituency seats, up from 14 in 2020. The Presidential race featured 7 candidates, reflecting a vibrant and competitive democratic environment.”
“The Final Electoral Roll included 238,625 registered voters which is the most inclusive and comprehensive roll in our history. 51% of enrolled were men, and 49% women. Notably, 14.3% of enrolled voters were aged 18 to 24 which is a significant increase from 8.9% in 2020, showing that our youth are claiming their place in shaping Bougainville’s future,” Commissioner Tsianai explained.
He acknowledged that there were challenges faced as is expected with large scale operations, however his team was able to respond swiftly within the law and in the best interest of the people.
“Our systems of verification, oversight, and accountability were tested and they held firm,” he said, noting that they will also begin their post-election review, listening to lessons from this cycle to improve the next.
May 8 2025

Bougainville News Alerts : Could tourism lead Bougainville into the future ?

Bougainville has gone through many turbulent periods over the past 100 years, not least the Civil War of the 1990s, which claimed as many as 20,000 lives.

The government is now looking to develop the economy and has its eye on mining as an immediate solution as it strives for independence.

However, for at least one Bougainvillean, tourism in the region is more than just a promise.

Zhon Bosco Miriona has been running his business Bougainville Experience Tours for years, and he spoke to RNZ Pacific about the sector now and its prospects.

https://bougtours.com/

 

Zhon Bosco Miriona: I started the company in 2010. But in 2002 the Bougainville government had sent me as a youth to represent Bougainville at the Melanesian Arts and Cultural Festival in Fiji, so that is where got interested in tourism.

 

I was one of the people that had joined the rebels to fight against the system in the Bougainville War. So after that, I went down there [Fiji], and that way I got interested in the tourism after the mining had an issue with our people in Bougainville. So that is why I saw that tourism can help Bougainville better than mining.

 

Don Wiseman: What sort of tourism?

 

ZBM: At the moment we are running tourism for people that are coming for culture, history, World War Two and the Bougainville War, trekking, bird watching, and even people just want to come to take pictures on photography tours, and fish, game fishing. And also, we are looking after super yachts and small expedition vessels, like the New Zealand owned, Heritage Adventure, which comes once a year, but I think it’s going to be coming here twice a year.

 

DW: Now when you when you see photos and film at Bougainville – it’s a spectacular place, isn’t it?. You can see the appeal for tourists. But the problem, I guess, is getting people there. It’s difficult, isn’t it? 

 

ZBM: The main problem for people, especially Papua New Giuneans that want to come to Bougainville – and the biggest killer in the tourism industry – is the air fares. You will spend a big amount of money that you can do around the world, from maybe Australia [and] New Zealand, to travel around the world and back to your country. That is the amount of money that we spend from Port Moresby to reach Bougainville. Around 5000 kina (about NZ$2000) – too much.

 

But we have a airport that is coming up – our Kieta Airport, which is under construction now – maybe by end of 2026 it will open.

 

We will have flights coming in from the Solomon Islands so that will be a big bonus for our tourism industry in Bougainville. We will have clients coming to especially Fiji or Australia, come up to Honira or Munda, and it is like 30 minutes or 25 minutes flight from Munda to Kieta.

 

DW: How many of the tourists you get are from overseas?

 

ZBM: At the moment, we used to have, like, previously used to have, like, one or two every quarter, just after we started. But now we are getting, like, every month tourists coming in. Like, not really big numbers, but in a small way, but it’s increasing like five to 10 a month

.

DW: And there’s enough accommodation as numbers increase?

 

ZBM: No, that is one issue. But people are building more. We have a new hotel that’s this coming up in Arawa, built by a local company.

It is good that they are going to have a four storey accommodation in Arawa, and we need to build some more in Buka, because at the moment, accommodation is going to be the problem, along the years that we will be getting more people in.

 

Also we are trying to look to encourage our guest houses, or the lodges, to put more rooms into their accommodation.

 

Zhon Bosco Miriona says people visit Bougainville for a range of reasons, including the culture, history, World War Two and the Bougainville War, trekking, bird watching. Photo: Supplied

 

DW: Now Bougainville, of course, has had a turbulent history going back a long way, but I guess, most particularly the recent Civil War. 

 

ZBM: A lot of people that are coming in are interested about the history of Bougainville from the colonial era, or before the colonists came.

There were people that came up looking for gold and stuff like that. And lot of people are coming here for the history, about the war, about even why Bougainville went into war and how we stopped the war.

 

But I would like to thank the government and the people of New Zealand for your assistance from the troops and peace monitoring and all these things.

We also have New Zealand police still around here in Bougainville. So thank you very much the people of New Zealand for being with us after we went through this conflict.

 

DW: Bougainville is on the verge of independence, at least as far as your government’s concerned. We don’t quite know what the people in Port Moresby are thinking at this stage, do we? But how is that going to impact your business?

 

ZBM: I think the Bougainville people – we have had enough of the war and all this.

 

We are peace loving people so we do not want to have any war again. But the thing, especially for our independence, that is up to the politicians. We already voted for the referendum, we told the world that we want to go and have our own country.

 

It is now between our government and the Papua New Giunea government to give us what we have wanted. People might say, ‘Oh, I think if the referendum failed, people will go back to war’.

 

No, we do not want to go back to war. We want just the world to recognise us, and then we can have our own county.

But we will be with PNG, working together, like what Papua New Guinea is doing with Australia, after Australia gave them the independence. It is just a political thing, but the relationship will be always be there.

From Here

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/560212/could-tourism-help-lead-bougainville-into-the-future

 

Mar 17 2025

Independence 1 September 2027 :Opening Statement by ABG President Hon. Ishmael Toroama, MHR at the Joint Consultation Moderator Meeting

Opening Statement by ABG President Hon. Ishmael Toroama, MHR at the Joint Consultation Moderator Meeting
Sir Jerry Mateparae, Distinguished Moderator, the Honourable James Marape, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Foreign Missions, distinguished dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen.
First I would like to thank you Sir Jerry for this most unique opportunity to present our case in this very historical meeting. It is a historical event because you are here on our invitation to broker this dialogue. It is particularly significant as this is very much, the last leg of our journey.
Secondly, I welcome the presence of representatives of the international community especially the friends of Bougainville who stood behind us to bring about a truce and ceasefire and to pave the way for negotiations.
Many of us present here today have personal experience of those negotiations up to and including the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
I thank the National Government for inviting the signatories to the Peace Agreement to witness the opening ceremony of this moderation. As one of the key negotiators in those days, I still remember, we never argued to implement our part of the bargain, and I still remember I had to meet the BPA commitments as my part of the bargain. And in the same spirit, Honorable Prime Minister, I now expect your Government to take ownership and endorse independence in this 11th parliament.
Prime Minister, I appeal to you to take the Bougainville referendum results and pass it to the National Minister for Bougainville Affairs to present to the National Parliament for endorsement through this moderation process in the same manner the National Constitution was amended to give effect to the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
By this action of the Parliament of Papua New Guinea, to amend the Constitution in 2001, PNG was probably the first independent state anywhere to have accorded the UN Charter right and principle of self-determination of peoples to its own people under its domestic laws and regulations.
We recognize that the sessional order is a process that will happen in the national parliament and while we appreciate the engagement in this particular subject, it has diverted our attention from the core agenda of the political settlement on independence. The referendum Independence result must be endorsed. In the spirit of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, the two governments can jointly decide as part of the consultations to reach agreement on a bilateral relationship for independence for Bougainville outside of parliament.
Bougainville’s agenda is independence and in our post-referendum consultations we have made this clear, resulting in joint agreements such as the Wabag roadmap and the Era Kone Covenant. Therefore, it is my expectation that the moderation process will have to address the Bougainville independence issue.
I thank the signatory countries that witnessed the Peace Agreement, for your commitment. I trust that as the witnesses to the BPA, you will respect the Bougainville people’s democratic choice for Independence, decided through a constitutionally granted referendum for independence. I am aware that some countries are already implicated in pushing their neo-colonial interests in Bougainville and I ask that you refrain from interfering.
Sir Jerry, my people have set 1st September 2027, as the date for independence to take effect. This decision is consistent with the jointly agreed Referendum Results Implementation Roadmap, commonly known as the ‘Wabag Roadmap’, that set the window of ‘no earlier than 2025, no later than 2027’, for the declaration of independence. As President, I will uphold the decision of my people throughout these moderation consultations.
I look forward that this moderation process will conclude with an agreement on the independence package for Bougainville.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement is a political settlement that has three pillars; Weapons Disposal, Autonomy and Referendum. Out of the three pillars, the Referendum pillar was the key pillar that held the commitment of all Bougainvilleans to the peace process, by guaranteeing in the National Constitution, a choice of separate independence for Bougainville.
The definition of independence was defined by the Government of PNG as, ‘An independent nation state with sovereign powers and laws, recognized under international law and by other sovereign states to be an independent state, separate from the State of Papua New Guinea.’ The people voted for independence and to propose any other option in this moderation is detrimental to the peace process.
We all know Papua New Guinea is going to celebrate its 50 years independence anniversary. In the case of Bougainville, this marks more than 50 years of struggle for independence within Papua New Guinea. It is important to remember that Bougainville leaders have lobbied for Bougainville’s Independence well before PNG’s Independence without any recognition from international bodies.
In conclusion, Mr Moderator, as far as I am concerned, the process of negotiating independence was concluded with the referendum. My understanding is that this moderation is about reaching agreement on implementing the referendum result of independence. Therefore, my focus in this moderation is to define the new relationship between Bougainville and Papua New Guinea as two independent sovereign states. This relationship can be captured through an independence package for Bougainville.
Bougainville has done its part in this peace process. It is now your turn.
May God continue to bless Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.
His Excellency Hon. Ishmael Toroama, MHR
President
Feb 11 2025

Bougainville News Alerts : Speaker of the House of Representatives Simon Pentanu, has announced the official dates of the 2025 ABG General Election

Speaker of the House of Representatives Simon Pentanu, has announced the official dates of the 2025 ABG General Election
Mr Pentanu said that he would be issuing the writs for the 2025 ABG General Election of the Bougainville House of Representatives on Monday 7th July 2025 as Speaker in accordance with Section 107 of the Bougainville Constitution.
He said that the election dates were in accordance with the election schedule provided by the Bougainville Electoral Commissioner, Desmond Tsianai.
The dates for the 2025 5th ABG General Elections are;
Issue of writs -Monday 7th July 2025
Nomination Open -Tuesday 8th July 2025
Nomination Close -Thursday 10th July 2025
Polling Period Starts -Tuesday 2nd September 2025
Polling Day -Thursday 4th September 2025
Polling Period Ends -Monday 8th September 2025
Counting Starts -Tuesday 9th September 2025
Counting Ends -Sunday 21st September 2025
Return of Writs -Monday 22nd September 2025
Pentanu highlighted that the 2025 elections would include the new five single member constituency seats bringing the total number of seats in the fifth House to 46. This would include the seats for the new president and speaker.
Mr Pentanu emphasized that it was important that the election was conducted in a lawful manner and applauded the Office of the Bougainville Electoral Commission for their continuous dedication in ensuring that the election was free and fair throughout Bougainville despite the challenging circumstances faced during elections on Bougainville.
Meanwhile, Bougainville Electoral Commissioner Tsianai acknowledged all the stakeholders, the departments, Bougainville Police Service and other agencies for their continuous support thus far.
“On behalf of my office and the organisation, I thank all electoral stakeholders, key ABG Departments, the Office of Speaker for the Bougainville House of Representatives, the Bougainville Police Service, the Australian Government through DFAT and the New Zealand Government through MFAT for their continuous support in every election in Bougainville and IFES for the technical advice.”
“I look forward to your continuous support in conducting the 2025 5th ABG General Elections successfully.”
ENDS

 

Nov 24 2024

Bougainville News Alerts : Land Access Compensation Agreement signed with Panguna Landowners

Over 300 traditional landowners from Panguna today signed a Land Access and Compensation Agreement (LACA) with Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), marking a significant milestone in the project’s exploration phase.
 This signing follows the ABG’s decision to grant BCL with an exploration licence, EL01, in January of this year.
 His Excellency President Ishmael Toroama, who also serves as Minister for Mining and Energy Resources, acknowledged that another step in the Panguna project’s mining life cycle has now begun. He commended both the landowners and BCL for their efforts in reaching this stage.
 “I commend the Panguna landowners for reaching agreement with BCL and BCL for complying with the law towards undertaking its activities within the EL01 area. Once this LACA is signed, I trust that it will be registered by the Bougainville Chief Warden within the required legal timeframe to enable BCL to progress this project,” he said.
 President Toroama urged BCL to maintain cooperative relations with landowners, emphasizing the importance of these relations in ensuring the smooth progress of the Panguna project. He further encouraged all stakeholders to continue working together in unity and in compliance with the law to progress the project for the benefit of Bougainville.
 Secretary for the ABG Department of Mining and Petroleum, Peter Kolotein, outlined the importance of the Agreement, noting the significance of today’s signing ceremony.
 “This signing ceremony today is significant because it is a process per Bougainville mining law; which states that before entering the land the subject of an Exploration Licence to implement its work program, the licence holder must first enter into a land access and compensation agreement with the landowners. This means that the government may issue an exploration licence at the government level, but the licence holder cannot enter the land unless it gets the land access permission from the landowners”.
 Secretary Kolotein also highlighted that after 35 years since closure of the former Panguna mine, there is now tangible redevelopment progress being made through an all-inclusive, consultative process under the leadership of Hon. Ismael Toroama as Minister responsible.
 “It has also taken 9 to 10 months since grant of EL01 in January to get to this stage where the landowners and the company are now in agreement; culminating with signing of the LACA today. Various stakeholders have been involved in the process including BCL, Landowners, Ex-Combatants, the ABG, and others. In spite of the challenges along the way, the outcome we’re witnessing today is the result of that inclusive and consultative approach”.
Sep 2 2024

Bougainville News Alerts : Bougainville Peace Agreement – August 30th 2001 a brief history

The establishment of peace on Bougainville: After many attempts of unsuccessful peaceful settlements both within Papua New Guinea and overseas including Solomon Islands, New Zealand and Australia, an irrevocable ceasefire was signed in 1997 between the PNG Security Forces and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA).

The Bougainville Peace Agreement was signed on 30 August 2001 following about 10 years of a fragile peace negotiations process between the Bougainville leaders and the PNG National Government.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement’s three pillars are:
1. Autonomy: Bougainville to assume an Autonomous Bougainville Government to be operated under a home-grown Bougainville Constitution and a Parliament with a right to assume increasing control over a wide range of powers, functions, personnel and resources on the basis of guarantees contained in the National Constitution.
2. Weapons Disposal: whereby the agreed weapons disposal plan will proceed in stages, area by area, around Bougainville as soon as practicable.
3. Referendum: guaranteed by the National Constitution, among Bougainvilleans on their political future. The choices available include a separate independence option and to be held not prior to ten years, and not later than fifteen years, after the election of the first autonomous Bougainville Government.
The Bougainville peace Agreement is guided by the principle of Peace by Peaceful Means.
Key Points about the Bougainville Peace Agreement:
1. A divided Bougainville entered into the peace negotiations and shaped the spirit and intentions of the Peace Agreement through specific interpretations:
· Peace by peaceful means; weapons disposal; good governance
· Melanesian consensus and relations building
· Autonomy as a conduit for independence
2. In 2002, amendments were made to the PNG National Constitution that guaranteed Bougainville a constitutional means of restoring governance and peace by peaceful means. Section 276 of the PNG National Constitution explicitly states that Part XIV of the National Constitution is unique to Bougainville alone.
3. Autonomy was intended to be a transitional peace and restoration arrangement for ten to fifteen years until a referendum would determine Bougainville’s political future.
4. The Bougainville Peace Agreement is a joint creation therefore both parties have a joint responsibility to implement it jointly.
5. Key milestones under the Bougainville Peace Agreement have all been achieved: Weapons disposal, Autonomy with an independent parliament and a referendum conducted to international standards.
6. Papua New Guinea as a joint implementer of the Peace Agreement, is obligated to implementing the Peace Agreement by endorsing the 97.7% vote for Independence.

#BougainvillePeaceAgreement #PeaceByPeacefulMeans