Category Government of Papua New Guinea

Feb 26 2026

Bougainville News Alert : A Nation In His Making – A Memory 

 

FIVE YEARS ago we farewelled GC Sir Michael Somare with the most deserving tributes around the country. We also paused to remember him as someone whose political life is synonymous with the birth of PNG as a nation state as much as it is about his political journey. A father of the nation.

For many of us that watched him daring to carry the political mantle early in the pre-independence period, his unwavering enthusiasm to lead grew like a candle from a flicker to a national light. While much of the population at the time may have harbored doubts about the Territory’s readiness for independence, he made everyone realize arguing for independence was not evil but inevitable.

Political pioneers come only once in a life time but they last much longer than their chronological age. The Chief was the main man, a centre of attention in the mandated territory with his group of pioneers that emerged with him in the same era. They include members of the bully beef club that formed, initially and for a time, the spine and mainstay of the pioneer PANGU Party which vetted and abetted the quest for independence.

Many of us that followed after in civil service careers and served in institutions at the time around which new countries evolve, still ask: how could a pioneer team of many genuine leaders have emerged in the same era.

My attempts to explain has always been something like this. PNG came of age because the excitement, the challenges, the doubts about self determination prompted and nudged the Chief and those with him and around him to exercise a level of political maturity, bravery – as well as faith – far ahead of the time most would have envisaged, politically speaking, to face up to the unknown future to nationhood.

Remembering you quietly Chief but always fondly and beyond every anniversary.

Simon Pentanu

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

 


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
Aug 24 2024

Bougainville News Alerts : BCPC expands consultations to Brisbane, Australia

Bougainville Constitutional Planning Commission (BCPC) will be extending its consultations to Brisbane, Australia this  week.

This will be the second international consultation to gather views from Bougainvilleans living in Australia; the first international consultation was done in June this year with Bougainvilleans living in the Solomon Islands.

Please note our Australian based Bougainville News Alerts editor Colin Cowell with be in attendance

The three chairs to the BCPC – President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and BCPC Chairman, Hon. Ishmael Toroama, Alternate Chairman of BCPC and Vice President of AROB Hon. Patrick Nisira and Deputy Chairman of BCPC, Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Independence Hon. Ezekiel Masatt will be traveling with selected Commissioners and secretariat to attend this consultation.

Since the BCPC was established in April 2022, the first round of consultations to gather views from Bougainvilleans to draft a new autochthonous constitution were only conducted within Bougainville and various other provinces on mainland Papua New Guinea.

These views collected were used to provide a report that assisted constitutional lawyers Professor Anthony Regan and Dr Katy Le Roy, to engage with the commissioners in six consecutive meetings to receive drafting instructions to produce a draft constitution.

Following the six consecutive meetings, a first draft constitution was completed in March this year, which resulted in the second phase of consultations in May to present the first draft and collect more views to create the final draft.

The second phase consultation was conducted within Bougainville, the New Guinea Islands Region of mainland PNG, three provinces in Southern Region, and Morobe Province in the Momase Region of PNG. Other provinces in these regions and in the Highlands Region of PNG are yet to be conducted.

The BCPC consultations in Brisbane will be from the 31st of August to 1st September 2024. Those Bougainvilleans in neighbouring states can attend if they are able to, however, they can also email their submissions to bcpc.arob@gmail.com.

 

The copy of the first draft is also available on the ABG website.

https://abg.gov.pg/

 

May 27 2024

Bougainville News Alert : Lawsuit against Rio Tinto and BCL involving thousands over environmental and social destruction wrought by Panguna Mine

A class action involving thousands of people is being brought against Rio Tinto and Bougainville Copper Ltd over the environmental and social destruction wrought by the Panguna Mine in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville.

The action is headed by Martin Miriori, who is the brother of Bougainville’s first president Joseph Kabui, and was a former secretary of the separatists’ government, the Bougainville Interim Government, during the civil war.

Panguna, which was the spark for the civil war, was forced to close in 1989, but the present autonomous government, which now controls it, is working to have it re-opened.

Rio Tinto has acknowledged that a class action has been filed against it and Bougainville Copper in the National Court in PNG.

The company said in a statement to mining.com that “we are reviewing the details of the claim. As this is an ongoing legal matter, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

Mining.com says the action is being financed by Panguna Mine Action LLC, a company established for the purpose of funding the investigation and prosecution, according to its website.

Miriori said they have reflected back on the unsuccessful US$ten-billion-dollar claim made in 1989 by the man who led the separatists during the civil war, Francis Ona.

“Nobody took it [the Ona suit] to the court. You know, that’s the thing. Nobody took it to court. So this time is a legal process. So we are trying to get something out of BCL and Rio Tinto through the legal process,” he said.

Miriori said they want compensation for “environmental [damage], land, everything that the mining operation affected, basically, for the directly impacted landowner communities.”

This would cover five communities, from the Special Mining Lease area at the site of the mine, through the upper, middle and lower ends of the tailings, right to the coastal corridors.

There is presently work to determine the extent of the environmental damage caused by the mine and this is being funded by Rio Tinto, which no longer has an interest in its former subsidiary, Bougainville Copper Limited.

But Miriori said his legal action is not something that will clash with that work.

“That’s a separate case,” he said.

While Francis Ona had sought US$10 billion dollars Miriori has no figure in mind, “no, I just can’t pre-empt any amount. No the legal process will decide that. The court will determine how much, as we go along”.

He said ideally, they want to settle out of court.

Bougainville government not happy

President Ishmael Toroama said the lawsuit is disappointing and the work of people not acting in the interests of Bougainville as a whole.

He said his government is not backing it in any way, shape or form.

Toroama said he views it as hindering Bougainville’s economic independence agenda.

He said the redevelopment of Panguna is an important priority for this government and for the people of Bougainville.

https://www.rnz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/517756/lawsuit-involving-thousands-over-bougainville-s-panguna

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Jun 15 2023

Bougainville News : Today we celebrate 18th AROB Day Anniversary June 15 2005 to 2023

Where were you at the beginning of this era on this Day 15 June 2005.
I was at Hahela YC sports oval. This was the outdoors venue where the inauguration of the first ABG took place.
It is where the President of ABG (Joseph C Kabui) took his oaths as the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville within PNG.
It is also where the first 40 members of the First Bougainville House of Representatives took their oaths of Office as Members.
The swearing-in was administered by and before His Honour the Deputy Chief Justice, late Sir Mari Kapi.
This Day was graced by a full crowd of women, men, including schoolchildren that filled the whole oval. A colorful loop of young students holding a large Bougainville flag end to bed took up a large space of the oval.
At the head of the ceremonial pavilion were VIPs that included head of UNOMB, heads of missions in PNG, a Fijian Government contingent led by their Foreign Minister at the time, and heads and representatives of churches, chiefs, elders, traditional spiritual leaders and women leaders.
The significance of this occasion was a “rebirth”of Bougainville after a devastating conflict in which many lives were lost on all sides of the conflict but mostly upwards of fifteen thousand lives of Bougainvilleans.
The thoughts and significance that today marked the end of what seemed a debilitating war and the beginning today that would usher in peace in the land was not lost to many Bougainvilleans at home and abroad.
The principal guest who made the keynote response to the inaugural Address by President Kabui was the Rt Hon Prime Minister of PNG, Sir Michael Somare.
At the end of the ceremony the Prime Minister, the President, all MHRs, VIPs and the Clerk of the House were ‘ushered’ into vehicles on a short drive to the Parliament, Bougainville’s first House of Representatives.
The first business of the House was the appointment of Speaker of the House. Hon Nick Peniai was duly elected and took his oath as the first Speaker of the House.
Two main Addresses followed, the first in the Bougainville House of Representatives by the Rt Hon Sir Michael Somare and by Hon Joseph C Kabui.
On this day was born the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, the ABG and Bougainville’s Parliament, the House of Representatives.
So today isn’t just another day. It is the eighteenth anniversary of AROB eighteen years on. Hon Ishmael Toroama MHR is the fifth President of ABG and head of the Executive. The Fourth Bougainville House of Representatives is celebrating its fourth anniversary with four successful, successive peaceful elections since 2005 with its fifth Speaker as head of the Legislature on this eighteenth anniversary.
Thanking all Bougainvilleans across the length and breath of the main Islands and out on the Atolls.
Thank you PNG National Government for honouring the BPA in delivering Autonomy and maintaining a continuing interest in the development and aspirations of Bougainville.
A long and winding, challenging and interesting, road is ahead and beyond. It isn’t awaiting us. We have to make the right efforts guided by faith, honesty, trust and forebearance, led by leaders that must not only be beyond reproach but seen to be so in a world that is still violent, full of greed and aggrandizement.
Happy AROB Day Anniversary ☮️
May 6 2023

Bougainville News : Download /Read : Unsung Land, Aspiring Nation a new book by Gordon Peake

In 2016, Gordon Peake answers a job advertisement for a role with the government of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a collection of islands on the eastern fringe of Papua New Guinea looking to strike out as a country of its own.

In his day job he sees at first hand the challenges of trying to stand up new government systems.

Away from the office he travels with former rebels, follows an anthropologist’s ghost and visits landmarks from the region’s conflict. In 2019, he witnesses joy and euphoria as the people of Bougainville vote in a referendum on their future.

Out of these encounters emerges an unforgettable portrait of this potential nation-in-waiting.

Blending narrative history, travelogue and personal reminiscences, Unsung Land, Aspiring Nation is an engaging memoir as well as an insightful meditation on the realities of nation-making and international development.

Download the book here

Bougainville book

Publisher ANU

https://press.anu.edu.au/publications/series/pacific/unsung-land-aspiring-nation

‘Heartfelt and honest. This book is an insightful read and a valuable addition to scholarship on Bougainville’s journey to peace.’
— Joseph Nobetau, former Chief Secretary to the Autonomous Bougainville Government

‘An excellent piece of engaged travel writing. With first-hand observation and curiosity, Gordon has produced a deeply informed, compelling and evocative account of war, survival and nation-building in what may become the world’s newest country.’
— Tom Bamforth, author of The Rising Tide: Among the Islands and Atolls of the Pacific Ocean

Unsung Land, Aspiring Nation is also available as an audiobook.