PNG EYECARE last Friday opened its Bougainville Office in Buka at the back of BE building. More stories later but pictured is Vice President and Minister for Health, PATRICK NISIRA cutting the ribbon of the new office.
29.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
Greens want crackdown on overseas Aussie miners
Australia's Greens Party is going to push for legislation preventing Australian mining companies from engaging in environmental practices overseas that they couldn't do at home.
This is a response to the recent legal decision in Papua New Guinea, allowing the Chinese owned Ramu Nickel Mine to dump up to 5 million tonnes of toxic waste into the Astrolabe and Basamuk bays off Madang.
The Greens Party holds the balance of power in Australia's Senate at the moment.
Party leader, Senator Bob Brown, has visited Madang to see the area which would be affected, and he says Australia needs to take action because this legal decision is not just an internal matter for PNG.
Presenter: Bruce Hill Speaker: Senator Bob Brown, leader of Australia's Greens Party
BROWN: It's a global issues because all our oceans are interlinked and the marine heritage and we're talking here about some of the richest eco-systems in the world belong to everybody, as well as to the unfortunate locals who have tried so hard in the courts to stop five million tonnes of toxic waste being dumped into the ocean eco-system off the north coast of Papua New Guinea.
HILL: Is this a decision that would have taken place in an Australian court of a similar thing had been proposed?
BROWN: No, it simply would not happen in an Australian court and one has to doubt it would happen in a Chinese court. It's a Chinese company of course working on the back of an Australian company which first opened up this venture. They're both very happy with the outcome, because they can see the profits coming from the development of the Ramu nickel mine and the..... that comes with it. But put the toxic waste into the marine eco-system, as well as I understand the sewerage from the mine system and who knows what else. It's an appalling indictment of modern technology being brought to Papua New Guinea without the safeguard that you would get in the home countries against this sort of destruction of marine eco-systems.
HILL: Well, this is a judgement about a tailings distribution system by a Chinese-owned company in Papua New Guinea. In what sense does this become an Australian issue?
BROWN: Well, of course, the mine was first mooted by an Australian corporation which still has that's Highlands Pacific, which still has nine per cent of the holdings and I understand can increase that to over 20 per cent again as the mine gets underway and becomes profitable. It's very much an Australian corporation and an Australian responsibility and of huge interest to Australia. It points again to the need for Australian laws which require corporations from Australia to behave overseas in exactly the same way they would be required to if they were operating here in Australia under Australian law.
HILL: Well, your party the Greens, holds the balance of power in the Australian Senate. Are you going to put pressure on the Australian government to do something about this and if so, what?
BROWN: Yes, I have asked, I was in Madang in May. I came back to the Senate and spoke about just this mine and warned about it in the Australian Senate. But of course the Greens are a minority there and the big parties are so far turning their back on their responsibility to speak up about what is potentially an underwater Ok Tedi exported again from Australia and an Australian mining company to the loss of the people who depend upon the environment, on this occasion a marine environment in Papua New Guinea.
HILL: So what is it you want the Australian government to do, what are you proposing?
BROWN: Well the Australian government should be firstly legislating to prevent Australian companies operating overseas from treating the environment in other peoples countries in a way that would be illegal home here in Australia.
HILL: If that happened though, wouldn't that simply mean that companies from other countries with a less strenuous legislation would simply be able to come in and undercut Australian companies and make the environmental situation so much worse?
BROWN: Well no, that's not what would happen. There is a limit to the capital and investment and certainly other countries might well do quite the reverse and adopt the Australian system of requiring their home grown companies to operate ethically overseas. You see what we have to do set a led in Australia and not put ourselves at the back of the row and not act in a way which the modern world requires that we should do so as the wealthiest resource-based company on earth. We should be setting the pace, not coming from behind.
HILL: In a judgement, the judge who made this decision said that he had to weigh up the needs of national development and the desires of the government for this to go ahead against the environmental wishes of the landowners. Do you take on board the need for a great deal of national development in a country like Papua New Guinea?
BROWN: Well, I would if the profits were going to go back to Papua New Guinea, but they're going to flow to the Chinese Communist government, but the biggest stakeholder in this and to a smaller degree, to already wealthy people who are not struggling in Australia and elsewhere. The judge also said that it's likely that this project will cause serious environmental harm and that directly points to the failure of the Papua New Guinea legal system to prevent serious environmental harm and I spoke to government officials when I was in Port Moresby about this particular mine and they seemed very relaxed about the fact that five million tonnes of toxic waste were going to be dumped into the sea canyon to the north of this mine as if somehow or other it was out of sight out of mind, but, of course, it's not going to be.
29.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Chinese flocking to Bougainville unchecked By GORETHY KENNETH
THE Foreign Affairs Department in Waigani has advised it is in the dark about the Autonomous Bougainville Governments’ arrangements in getting Chinese companies to the region to conduct business. The department’s Asia Desk, headed by Samuel Pulup said that the office was never consulted and given the chance for an input. Every week, groups of Chinese are travelling to Bougainville for business and the issue has been a question mark for the ordinary Bougainvilleans who don’t have time to listen to talk back or radio programs because boom box industry has taken over their ears. The Foreign Affairs Department Secretary Michael Maue and the Chinese Embassy in Port Moresby were asked to respond and comment on reports of the seven Memorandum of Understandings (MOUs) signed in China early this year by the ABG and Chinese tycoons to pave way for impact projects and economic development to take place in Bougainville through joint ventures with Chinese companies. They were also asked to comment on Asians, specifically Chinese, flocking to Bougainville every week. Chinese Embassy Economic Advisor Jhao Jhungen said although they were not aware of these arrangements, he claimed it was done on a private business arrangement by the ABG and the Chinese companies involved and they had nothing to say, but warned that these companies must still abide by local laws, meaning PNG and ABG laws. Foreign Affairs, on the other hand, advised they were also in the dark about the MOUs signed as they were never consulted, but only reading about it through the papers. They said these arrangements “should still have made the shelves of Waigani” so they are aware, just in case something happens and that ABG was still very much part of PNG and had to abide by the business laws and laws of PNG. “We are not aware…Foreign Affairs was never consulted, there was never any input from our office,” the officials said. “We are only reading about it from the papers, in fact the chief of migration should be aware of this because they are the ones to clear the planes, the travellers and check the visas…in any case our department should still be consulted and briefed. “They said that although it is a private arrangement between China and Bougainville, the PNG Government still has to be advised and notified because ABG is still part of PNG. “The ABG has been approached for the past three weeks to comment on the issue but our attempts were unsuccessful.”
29.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
ABG tackles HR problem By FABIAN GATANA
THE Autonomous Bougainville Government has made special arrangements with the New South Wales Parliament to help with capacity building to improve Bougainville’s human resource. Clerk of Parliament Robert Tapi made this known when responding to comments by National Planning officers who recently visited the region and said that Bougainville faced a big human resources problem. Mr Tapi said that the ABG understands the setbacks in its human resources and it has already taken steps to address the issue. “The observation by the National Planning officers sees that the ABG faces a setback in its human resource but we can make a difference,” Mr Tapi said. BMA Support Services, a private company, in partnership with Daltron Electronics Ltd, is also supporting the private sector by providing training in areas of capacity building with the first eight ABG parliamentary service officers having already undergone a week-long training. The courses they attended were on business writing, management skills for executive officers and managing time and managing yourself. Damien Dampeko said that he wanted to see more private companies work in partnership with the public sector to move such developments in the region. “The arrangement we believe would contribute towards addressing human resource requirements in preparation for the referendum in 2015,” he said.
29.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
200 men loot Chinese shop on Buka Island By GORETHY KENNETH
MORE than 200 men armed with knives and guns from all over Bougainville looted a Chinese shop in Buka in the early hours of yesterday morning. Bougainville police said they could not do much as there were men from all over the island looting and taking anything they could lay their hands on - literally leaving the shop empty. The men, mostly youths, came in numbers at about two o’clock in the early hours of yesterday with almost 10 dinghies waiting to transport their “early hour shopping goods” to their destinations - Kokopau, Sohano and nearby Buka town areas. These is the second break and enter of the week, the first one was on Tuesday night where a group of men stormed another Chinese shop in town and stole mobiles and other expensive items from the shop. The Post-Courier spoke to two men who were part of the group last night who said the men are planning another break and enter on another shop also right in the middle of Buka town. They said this was a message for the ABG and the leaders who are not helping the ordinary Bougainville youths in empowering them with projects to make their living. They are also claiming that they will not stop unless the leaders come out clear on their laws on making business in Buka, Arawa and Buin. While this is happening, late Wednesday, about 6pm, a private jet carrying a high-powered Chinese delegation touched down in Buka for impact project meetings with President John Momis and his Government on the way forward for Bougainville. The paper has not been privy to information on the visit, even after two visits and calls to the Parliament for comments. But the Post-Courier was reliably told the high-powered delegation is here to finalise arrangements on the seven MOUs signed in China and to proceed with development ideas on the latter, with mining being the top of the list.
29.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
SOS signal for Konnou women By GORETHY KENNETH
STRESSED, depressed and traumatised, women and youth groups from the troubled Konnou area in Bougainville want an end to their problems and total peace to prevail. President of the Konnou Women’s Federation, Mary Mamatau is in Buka, seeking help and ways to help end what they still call “the war” in Buin, south Bougainville. Mrs Mamatau, while speaking to the Post-Courier in Buka, said that although the Bougainville Crisis ended some 10 years ago, it still feels the war is still in the south – especially in the Konnou Constituency, which covers the areas of Wisai, Konnou Coastal and Konnou Inland - a total population estimated at 5000. She said the Konnou conflict has severely affected social issues and especially social activities that would have prospered their women, youths and children and is now seeking help from the ABG to assist them alleviate these problems. These problems include: - Capacity building in economic activities; - Peace building; - Women empowerment; - Rehabilitation; - Education; - Health; and - Economic activities like piggery, poultry, peanut butter, fish and prawns farming, vegetable farming, Lucas Mill, rice mill, coconut mill, soap mill and technical home skill centres which would help all youths and the children. “As president of the Konnou women federation, I would like to encourage more peace building and capacity building or women empowerment activities conducted for Konnou women. The above areas are now lacking and I am committed to encourage and put in extra efforts to convince our women, men, youths, ex-combatants, home guards, WILMO, freedom fighters and others to see the reality facing Konnou and agree to cooperate and liberate the Konnou people, especially for unfortunate youths who cannot continue on their academic education any more,” Mrs Mamatau said. “The people of Konnou are still to experience real peace and are still to discuss economic development issues that will enhance their family lives. The women and children still witness killings and other terrors which go with the war,” Mrs Mamatau said. “Fear and sufferings are still a daily routine going on in our area. Some of us live among factional fighting groups that are set up in our communities. Women continue to live in fear and we are gravely concerned that our freedom of speech and freedom of movement is nil. “The continued presence of the factions fighting each other must stop. Women or mothers have not been entirely idle during these times. “There are lots of pleas and talk going on between mothers and their children. Each in their small ways is doing her best to do what they can do to restore total peace. But because of continuous conflicts or fighting, most of us (women and mothers) are worn out and out and cannot think properly for any better way out. Depression is affecting women and we are all traumatised or like death bones without life, all our strengths are weakened,” Mrs Mamatau said.
28.07.2011
Source: ESBC
Finally unmasked!
The ESBC received this funny unmasking internal email from "mines & communities". It represents an excellent sample of an insane narrow minded character. The contents does not need any further comment - only LOL !
The "intelligent" writer was a certain Mr. Roger Moody.
"As I anticipated, perhaps only Elsie can expose this man for the insigificant toad he is – fit to rank with Anil Agarwal, judging by the latter’s brain-cracked performance yesterday.
Roger
PS I just asked Elsie if she would come out of her gin-haze to apply her razor-sharp tongue to Mr Sturm’s deluded utterances. She initially said she wouldn’t even deign to dignify him in his fashion, then conceded she had actually come up with a sub-heading for a possible swipe:
“Putting a spoke in Axel’s wheel”.
But I think she might still need an extra case of the Gordons’ before she actually puts pen to paper… "
28.07.2011 Source: ESBC
Sturm: Major Lack of Self-Confidence!
London based anti-mining activists back down:
The ESBC today received the refusal of the London based anti-mining group "mines&communities" to enter into an open dialogue. The ESBC had offered an informal meeting between Bougainville Chairman Peter Taylor, ESBC President Axel G. Sturm and ESBC Vice President Corinna Pattijn next September.
Please read here Mr. Whitmore's refusal and Mr. Sturm's reply:
Andy Whitmore:
Dear Mr Sturm
Thank you for the follow up correspondence & the offer to meet. However, please note I only wrote to you to correct something false you had written about us in a public space, with a desire to do it as publicly as possible. That was primarily done with Clive in mind, given that you then inferred from the allegation that he was being controlled by foreign interests in London, which is from our experience not true. You seem still not to believe that, which is your prerogative, but as long as we have rebutted it in public that is enough for me. Where views were expressed they were personal, as - given Mines & Communities is made up of a large editorial board - I do not claim to speak for them all.
I am afraid I do not have the time to meet, nor even to continue a detailed correspondence. First we cover a large number of issues, and my involvement with Mines & Communities is only one of a number of activities, so my time is limited. Second, I would not want to meet with companies or investors unless I had specifically been asked to do so by the relevant mines-affected people. We really do take the lead from people locally, and not the other way around. Without that mandate, and various pre-conditions to ensure any meeting would not be mis-used politically, I would not meet privately. Even if a public meeting was offered we'd need to take local advice & agree within Mines & Communities that it was a priority.
I'm sure there will still be a public debate in writing, which in my opinion, and given Mines & Communities' purpose is the best place for it to be.
Andy
Axel G. Sturm:
Andy, Sorry, but I have to interprete your refusal of an open dialogue between mines & communities, Bougainville Copper Limited and us as a major lack of self-confidence.
You call yourself “editor” but you do not want to listen to all parties involved. Please, as a former journalist, I would ask you not to call yourself editor. Believe me: you do not deserve this title at all. Obviously you prefer working as a narrow minded progandist who tries to suppress the truth. Brief: you disqualified yourself!
You may falsely believe that your work supports indigneous people on the ground, but you are absolutely wrong! Your work only encourages local unrest, severe pollution and poverty!
ABG Vice President and Chairman of the Bougainville China Cooperation Committee, PATRICK NISIRA says Bougainville needs to look at what has happened in Papua New Guinea and adjust its approaches on investment in the region. He was speaking at a meeting with a Chinese Business delegation that arrived in Bougainville on a private Chartered Jet this morning. MR. NISIRA said that in PNG there are a lot of resources but the owners do not benefit from these resources. He said that based on these scenarios, the ABG wants to build capacity in all areas simultaneously. MR. NISIRA said that the ABG welcomes investors from China and any other country who want to invest on Bougainville’s terms. He thanked the Businessmen for their interest in investing in the region. The group will return tomorrow.
28.07.21011 Source: Radio New Dawn in Bougainville
Court rises in Arawa By Aloysius Laukai
The National Court sitting in Arawa rose yesterday at midday after clearing most of the outstanding cases in both Tinputz and Arawa. The court resumed again this morning in Buka and would continue tomorrow Friday starting with Contempt charges to the staff of the National Court, the Court Recording Officer (cro)Charley Kogora and his boss acting Director of the National Court Recording Services, NANADAI GWAIBO. The contempt charges also includes the EMS MANAGER at the Boroko Post office who is to appear also for contempt charge for not bringing the Court Recording Equipment to the airport in time. The will appear before Justice John Kawi tomorrow.
The Judge had time from the Busy Court session to visit the now closed Panguna Copper mine site yesterday. Justice John Kawi is pictured with members of his team at the mine pit. Picture by Aloysius Laukai
28.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
MV BOUGAINVILLE ATOLLS By Aloysius Laukai
The Border Development Authority (BDA) has a latest barge in its fleet to provide shipping services in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. MV Bougainville Atolls now on its way to Port Moresby from Samarinta City in Java Island, Indonesia will be used in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB). The Barge which is expected to arrive early next month will mostly be used to provide shipping services to the isolated and scattered atolls of the Feat, Cataretts, Mortlock and Tasman. It will also be used to service other areas of the ARB. A delighted Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Education Minister John Tabinaman yesterday thanked the National Government on behalf of the atoll’s people and ABG for establishing the BDA. “We now see that BDA can come and help us in remote coastal border areas like ARB within a short notice. Many times no ship in the past and the Atolls people suffer. Teachers, Health and Government Officers do not arrive in time and mobility was a problem. There was no help to ship cargos. Now people can see the Government’s hands through BDA. The people will be relieved to see the Barge.” Mr Tabinaman said from Buka in the ARB that before ABG had to charter private ships and it was expensive. “Those ships had to meet up to their tight schedule runs and we had to cut short some of our trips. It was hard to do awareness and get to know the people’s real conditions. Besides the ships allocated were small and do not have facilities like a health room on the ship. But now with MB Bougainville Atolls we will have a medical bay with medical supplies on board.” Early this month BDA responded after North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi appealed for assistance saying that about 15,000 people on the Atolls with the islands of Nissan and Pinabel needed immediate relief supplies due to the four month old prolonged drought. BDA provided its Barge MV Andreas and donated K100, 000 worth of relief supplies such as food (over 500 bags of rice and garden food such as kaukau, taro and bananas), water containers, and medical and education supplies.” BDA already have MV Muntai, MV Ulayut, MV Gloucester, MV Manus Atolls and MV Milne bay Atolls in its fleet of Barges. Pictured is Bougainville Atolls departing Samarinta Port last week in Java Island, Indonesia for Port Moresby
28.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
BEC lauded By JOYCE TOHUI
The Deputy Secretary for the Department of Lands and Physical Planning, Oswald Tolopa has thanked the Bougainville Executive Council for establishing the Bougainville Physical Planning Board. Mr Tolopa made these remarks during the swearing in ceremony of the board members at Hutjena yesterday. He said it is important for planning to come through and this was the result of their office working together with the Lands Division. He said this was one of the department’s roles in rolling out powers and functions to various boards in provinces including Bougainville. Mr Tolopa also said it is important under the National Constitution’s commitment with the Government and ABG that it is imminent for Bougainville to have its own board which cannot be avoided. He said it was a milestone for ABG to recognise the important functions of physical planning. Speaking on behalf of his minister, he said the establishment of the board will pave the way forward for development in the region.
28.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
ABG told to form climate task force
THE Autonomous Bougainville Government has been urged to immediately establish a climate change and drought management task force to manage imminent climate threats to food security and environmental stability in Bougainville. This was highlighted in an information paper tabled to the Bougainville House of Representatives by the Ministry of Local Level Government, Kastom, traditional authority, village courts and disaster management. The paper states that if Bougainville does not act now, there will be serious food and water insecurity with likely loss of life. Minster of the Ministry Joseph Nopei said the climate task force will be tasked to ensure that risks are identified and managed accordingly, using modern monitoring and data analysis tools. He said the ABG government and NGO groups must work together with NARI and the national climate office and incorporate their resources into farmer training and education. He said the Bougainville Disaster Management Committee will coordinate the task force which will include ABG representatives and NGOs.
28.07.2011 Source: The National
Bank denies running short of cash
THE Bank of South Pacific says there is no cash shortage at its branch in Buka in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, as reported yesterday. The report in this newspaper was based on a statement by Joseph Jeraha, the Bougainville census co-coordinator, that the bank was unable to meet large cash requests, resulting in the delay of payments to census officers. The bank in a statement yesterday said Jeraha’s claim was misleading because there was enough cash to meet the requests but its officers needed to first verify the cheque before making payments. “Census staff wanted a cash withdrawal based on the presentation of a government cheque worth over K300,000 to the Buka branch, however the branch had to verify the cheque before making the payment,” the bank said. The bank said there were strict internal protocols in place to validate such large payments which the Buka branch officers rightfully applied in this case. “Clients must understand and appreciate that to ensure their money is safe, such large withdrawals are verified to confirm the cheque is not a fake or raised through fraudulent means,” the bank said. It said such verification was a government requirement. It was recently reported that “stringent guidelines have been issued to cash dealers (banks) by the Financial Intelligence Unit of the Fraud Squad which directs how to deal with government payments above a certain threshold”. The bank added: “In any case, clients who wish to make large withdrawals must give sufficient notice and not just turn up at the counter and demand payout. “BSP does plan for special situations when given sufficient notice and at no time were we short of cash in Buka. “To avoid such instances we request that clients who wish to make large withdrawals give sufficient notice to our branches. “BSP monitors daily cash balances in branches nationwide and where necessary ships in additional cash. “It must be understood that shipping cash to centres such as Buka, the aircraft charter cost alone is K40,000 ex-POM and a charter is required monthly. “Then there are other associated costs such as security that goes with cash movements (armoured vehicle etc). “There are a lot of costs involved to get cash to all centres and BSP remains committed to the people of PNG, which is reflected in our extensive branch, ATM and Eftpos network and our resolve to deliver banking services that are convenient and accessible, compared to other banks which focus attention only in main centres where the market is more profitable. It said the newspaper article was “unfair as it declares that BSP is cash-strapped in Bougainville”.
28.07.2011
Source: ESBC
ESBC press release 20110728
Bougainville Copper Shareholders: The Ocean is not a Rubbish Bin!
The President of the European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper, Mr. Axel G. Sturm, is shocked: “It is unacceptable that mining companies dump their waste into the Ocean!” Mr. Sturm refers to reports that the Chinese owned Ramu Nickel mine in Papua New Guinea was allowed by court to dispose their waste into the ocean near Madang. “Fishing is one of the major resources for human nutrition”, says Mr. Sturm, “already intensive fishing and the warming of the sea affects the ecological balance worldwide. There is no need to kill the ocean by polluting it. China is an extreme rich country: It can afford to clean and recycle their waste without any problem!”
28.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
PNG mining industry happy with court decision
Papua New Guinea's mining industry has welcomed a court ruling which allows a Chinese mine to dump waste into the sea off Madang province.
This week a national court refused an application by thousands of locals to stop a proposed Deep Sea Tailings Placement System.
The Ramu Nickel Mine can now go ahead and dump up to 5 million tonnes of waste into the Astrolabe and Basamuk bays off Madang.
PNG's Chamber of Mines and Petroleum has welcomed the decision but executive director Greg Anderson says the industry is waiting on an appeal by the landowners.
Presenter: Firmin Nanol Speaker: Greg Anderson, executive director PNG's Chamber of Mines and Petroleum
Andy Whitmore, managing editor of the London based anti-mining homepage minesandcommunities , addressed to ESBC president Axel G. Sturm on Wednesday evening. Mr. Whitmore encouraged Mr. Sturm to enter in an open dialogue with the ESBC. As Mr. Sturm and ESBC vice president Mrs. Corinna Pattijn will be in London in September, Mr. Sturm accepted and proposed Mr. Whitmore a first informal meeting. Please read here what Mr. Witmore wrote to the ESBC:
Dear Mr Sturm
First, apologies for not replying to any previous correspondence. I honestly haven't seen any correspondence from your prior to this message. No doubt you'll choose, not to believe that, but it's also true. I'm glad that you have chosen to publish this correspondence on your home page, and trust you'll publish this reply. We will also ensure that any debate is in public, and intend to write on this issue on our own website. So I am happy, time willing, to exchange with you on this subject, but only in public, where hopefully more of our editors can comment.
You can choose not to believe it, but our not paying for Clive is simply a statement of fact. In our organisational accounts for the last few years we have a travel budget of £100 per annum, which has not been fully spent in any year. I personally support the idea of community activists who might not otherwise be given a voice being allowed to raise those protests around company AGMs, but Mines & Communities does not fund people to do this. Giving such people a voice is not creating community opposition, nor is it 'controlling' it. People who have experience of the problems around large-scale mining do not need 'London masterminds' to control them. Do you think we were responsible for the creation of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army?
You explain why you are pro-mining. It seems you are pro-mining because you will profit from the mining process, which is a clear position. You then claim that the landowners and/or people of Bougainville will also benefit. That claim is based on the promise that the mistakes of the past, that created these so-called "terrorists and killers", will not be repeated. That is the point of argument, over whether the benefits a mine brings can now outweigh the costs. The experience of our international board, many from or representing mines-affected communities themselves, is that in practice they don't. That is an argument about equitable and just sustainable development.
You say we are "the only ones to take real profit of this [support for Clive]". I am interested to know how you think we profit?
Andy Whitmore
27.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Leader calls for action on roads By JOYCE TOHUI
A LEADER in Bougainville, Leo Kehali, is calling on the ABG Government to fast- track the upgrading and maintenance work on the Buka town roads. Mr Kehali explained that the Buka town roads were falling apart and in very bad stages creating huge potholes everywhere in town, affecting the daily activities of businesses operating in town and the people of Bougainville were having difficulty with the road’s current situation. “Many of us have been pointing fingers at the Buka urban council to fix the roads but having been the former town mayor; all the requests and submissions submitted by the town authority to the government seeking funds in the past years have fallen to deaf ears and there was no response to these submissions,’’ said Mr Kehali. He added that the upgrading and maintenance of roads needed a lot of money and the town authority should not be blamed for the roads bad condition as they did not have such money available to carryout the work and they had tried to get the government to fix the roads but this was not easy. ‘’Recently, I heard the ABG Minister for Works, Carolus Ketsimur saying that there were funds available to fix the roads and I am questioning why the work has not started yet and the roads have deteriorated making it difficult for vehicles that commute within the town,’’ added Mr Kehali. Mr Kehali said that he sympathised with businesses operating in Buka Town because they were the ones contributing to the economic recovery of Bougainville and yet the government had overlooked the need for upgrading the roads for a very long time and not even chipping in funds to help fix the roads. ‘’The back road in Buka Town was constructed by the Buka Enterprise with its own money some years back but now it is a government asset because the road is used by the public and the government must have money in the budget to maintain the roads,’’ he said. Mr Kehali added that Buka Town was built with the sweat of the people of Bougainville going into business to develop the town and the government was not doing enough to help the people in the development of this town. However, he challenged the current government to take into account his concerns and act quickly to fix the roads that it will benefit the people.
27.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Use govt funds wisely: Officer By JOYCE TOHUI
BOUGAINVILLE Census Coordinator, Joseph Jeraha highlighted the importance of using government funds appropriately when implementing the Government’s projects. Mr Jereha made these remarks at the planning office conference room yesterday. He said the budget the census team had already used in the census numeration in Bougainville did not exceed the vicinity of K2 million. He said though the National Government budgetted K66 million for the project, it was wise not to exhaust funds carelessly. He said when dealing with government funds, the implementers must always make sure they carry out the job in a manner which would not use up funds. Mr Jeraha said comparing to elections in Bougainville, Electoral Commission used more money and yet they did not do a full coverage of the population unlike the census. He said it was important when carrying out such Government exercises which involve a lot of money to always budget within a reasonable level.
27.07.2011 Source: The National
Arawa expects power to be restored
PNG Power expects to restore power to Arawa town in Bougainville by next week – after a long wait of more than 15 years. The former capital of Bougainville had been without electricity after supply was disrupted during the crisis on the island. Since the Bougainville conflict ended in the early 1990s, power to the town was never fully restored. Many business houses and individuals relied on their own generators for their power supply. While it was expensive to maintain, they had to live with it because there was no alternative source of power. Now residents are excited and can barely contain their joy when PNG Power workers recently visited their streets to make preparations for the restoration of power. The workmen also inspected homes to ensure they were safe before power was restored. The Autonomous Bougainville Government is also negotiating with a Chinese company for a hydro-power station to be built on the Laluai River which is located to the south of the Aropa Airport. The proposed project would be in addition to ones being undertaken by PNG Power and PNGSDP in the Tinputz and Wakunai areas.
27.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
WOMEN MOVE By Aloysius Laukai in Arawa.
The women of Central Bougainville are benefiting from a private initiative to establish a micro finance network in Arawa Central Bougainville. The Bougainville Women’s microfinance established in 2010 has up to 500 members already and according to the Manageress, STELLA TUNIM the membership is increasing. STELLA TUNIM told New Dawn FM that the aim of establishing the scheme was to assist women who get monies from cocoa, copra and the sale of food and vegetable at the markets and do not have a place to save them for future use for school fees, medical expenses and their other daily needs. She said that the registration or membership fees is K20 and K10 for the payment of passbook. She says that since they started last year they have given small loans to members on a one to one basis. MS TUNIM says that currently they are able to sustain their operation but would need some government support to expand their services. New Dawn FM understands that the Community Development Office recently secured several millions of Kina from the World Bank for Bougainville women in similar situations as the women of Central Bougainville.
Pictured are Stella Tunim Manageress(Seated Centre) and Lucy Sipara(Accounts Officer (right) and Naomi Matevai Loans Admin Officer left)
27.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
EIGHT APPOINTED By Aloysius Laukai
Eight people have been appointed to two key decision making bodies within the Strongim Pipol Strongim Nesen Program.
The representatives come from a wide range of civil society and private sector roles. Some will join the existing national government representatives on SPSN’s peak governance body, the Joint Governing Council (JGC), while others will be the first members of SPSN’s newly established National Grants Committee (NGC).
The newly appointed civil society representatives for Joint Governing Council are former Coffee Industries Council CEO Mr Ricky Mitio ML from Eastern Highlands, Ms Rachael Pokesy from Port Moresby, Mrs Cathy Rumints from Hagen and Mr Bonnie Keoka from Lae.
Members appointed to the National Grant Committee are Naomi Yupae from Eastern Highlands, Loa George Kevau from Port Moresby, Wasi Koni from Wewak, and Brian Paiferi from Bulolo.
SPSN Program Director, Peter Aitsi congratulated the appointees, saying their wealth of experience in development and governance is crucial to SPSN and PNG.
“These individuals come from diverse backgrounds and will provide SPSN a strong community based perspective to ensure the program continues to improve service delivery outcomes to bring about meaningful change to the lives of the rural majority.”
“The appointment of civil society representatives will complement the existing expertise provided to the program by its current national government members. Together this committee will ensure SPSN is well placed to bring together civil society, government and key stakeholders through offering resources and support, including grants, capacity building, networking opportunities and research,” said Mr Aitsi.
The members of the JGC will be led by National Planning and Monitoring Acting Secretary, Ruby Zarriga, as Chair, with other representatives including Mollie Willie, Deputy Secretary for Department for Community Development, Simon Kunai, Director for Local Level Government Division at the Department for Provincial and Local Government Affairs, and Kath Taplin, Acting Counsellor Governance, AusAID Port Moresby.
The Joint Governing Council plays a crucial role in strategically guiding SPSN towards its goal of encouraging government to connect with civil society and other development partners to meet PNG communities’ needs. This includes ensuring the program is in line with PNG government’s priorities such as improved health and education outcomes, as well as working as much as possible within PNG Government's own systems. The National Grants Committee is the highest funding decision making body in the SPSN structure, and will ensure that grants and other forms of funding support are provided to credible organisations to deliver real results to communities living in all provinces around PNG. The NGC’s first task will be to select 35 organisations for grant funding from over 250 expressions of interest that were submitted this year for SPSN’s medium and large grants program.
26.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
PNG court reject application for injunction against mine waste disposal
Papua New Guinea's National Court has rejected an application for permanent injunction against the use of deep sea waste disposal by the 1.5 billion dollar Chinese-owned Ramu Nickel mine, near Madang town.
The application was brought by landowners who argued that the waste disposal method would damage the marine resources they rely on for their food and livelihood.
In his ruling, Justice David Cannings, acknowledged the risk of irreversible harm to marine resources but rejected the landowners application.
Justice Cannings took into account the fact that the project was at an advanced stage, and on the basis of its importance to PNG's national economy.
Presenter: Bruce Hill Speaker: PNG Correspondent, Liam Fox
FOX: During much of his lengthy ruling this morning he set out reasons why effectively in support of the landowners case he found that there was a "high likelihood the dumping would cause quote serious environmental harm". But the reasons did not grant a ban against deep-sea tailings disposal, was that deep-sea tailings disposals is not illegal, the mine's plan had been approved by the government and that effectively the landowners had waited too long to seek a permanent injunction. By the time they started getting together and going to court early last year, operations had commenced, that construction work had been underway, the mine was in fact ready to start laying its disposal pipe when the landowners went to court and won a temporary injunction against their plan. Justice Cannings also said that the impact of banning the deep-sea tailings at this stage would adversely effect the mine and its workers, and also have a negative impact on investor confidence in PNG.
HILL: What about the environmental impact? Did the landowners provide evidence about what they said would be the impact on their livelihood from the sea?
FOX: They did, they had a number of scientists and Australian scientists come up from Australia to set out what they believe would be the damage caused by dumping waste into Astrolabe Bay, which is just off Madang, it's considered to be a near pristine marine environment, a biodiversity hotspot. And as Justice David Cannings said in his ruling he recognised that there would be a high likelihood that the dumping is going to cause serious environmental harm, but this was outweighed by the factors I just mentioned.
HILL: Has there been a reaction yet from the company or the PNG government?
FOX: We're still waiting on a statement from Ramu NiCo, they're the operator of the majority Chinese-owned mine. A Brisbane based mining company Highlands Pacific is a minority shareholder in the mine, it owns a eight-point-five per cent stake in the mine. It's put out a statement to the Australian stock exchange welcoming the announcement, calling it the right decision, and its managing director has also urged the landowners not to appeal the decision. I'm just looking at the Australian stock exchange website now and it's actually been a good day for Highlands Pacific, their share price has gone up 13 per cent since the news of the court decision was handed down.
From Ramu NiCo Statement: As a result of today's decision, Ramu NiCo says it can now proceed with the commissioning in order to commence full operation in line with the company's intention that the Project meet best international practice standards in design and operation of its DSTP System.
It says that while the Company is pleased with the outcome and the finding that DSTP is lawful, Ramu NiCo will not be making further comment on the Court's decision until it has reviewed the whole 65 page judgement with its legal advisers.
26.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
PNG landowners shocked by court decision on mine waste disposal
The Ramu landowners in PNG are shocked by Judge David Canning's decision after acknowledging the risk of irreversible harm to marine resources.
They say they are going to appeal against the court decision.
This is in the case of the National Court judge rejecting the application for permanent injunction against deep sea waste disposal by the Chinese-owned Ramu Nickel mine, near Madang town.
Their lawyer, Tiffany Nonggor spoke Pacific Beat shortly after the decision was handed down today.
Presenter: Caroline Tiriman Speaker: Tiffany Nonggor, lawyer for the Ramu landowners in PNG
NONGGOR: Justice Cannings found that the landowners had made out their case, had proved their case for private nuisance and public nuisance, which means that they proved to the court that the environmental consequences of the dumping would be catastrophic, causing irreparable damage to the ecology of the bay, and in the Judge's words seriously harming the lives and future of the plaintiffs and thousands of other coastal people in Madang province. But the judge although he found that they made out their case he said that that doesn't necessarily mean that you should get an injunction. So he looked at factors which determined whether an injunction should be given, and he said that three factors are way in favour of an injunction being given, one that the plaintiffs, the landowners had a genuine interest, two, that they'd actually proven that there was going to be irreparable damage, and three, that it was quite clearly contrary to the national goals and directive principles this dumping. But he said there were three factors weighing against an injunction and one was the delay, that this dumping had been permitted sort of ten years and the mine had been built in reliance on the permits. Secondly he said that the dumping was lawful because they had a permit and thirdly, he said the economic consequences of the injunction, by forcing the mining company to use another method of tailings disposal would cost the company a lot of money and would also cause a great delay in the project, which may affect the economies nationally of PNG and also Madang province. And he also said that the injunction might affect negatively investor confidence. So he said that even though there were three factors both ways, reasons why an injunction should be granted and reasons why an injunction shouldn't be granted, he said it was a borderline case and that it was his decision that an injunction shouldn't be granted because of the cost and the delay. So although finding that the plaintiffs had proved their case, found that he wouldn't however give them the injunction they wanted. He did however make an order that the company and the government have to keep the plaintiffs informed at least every three months for the whole life of the mine as to what's happening with the tailings and the waste and the reports etc., and the monitoring, and he also held that the parties have to bear their own costs. So the reasons he put forward was basically costs to the company and economic consequences for the country. One has to ask well what does that mean economic consequences for the people whose livelihoods and lives are going to be affected on the Madang coast now that it's been proven in court that there will be damage to the people greater than what was predicted by the company. How do you quantify that?
TIRIMAN: Tiffany Nonggor and what did he have to say about the scientific evidence he heard on the expected environmental impact of this waste disposal?
NONGGOR: He said that the plaintiffs had put together, the landowners had a considerable body of evidence from expert scientists that there would be damage. The fact of the matter is, is that the plaintiffs proved their case on scientific basis with experts that there was going to be considerable environmental consequences, and the judge used the word, catastrophic, that's also going to damage the lives of people. I mean the plaintiffs proved that the damage to the environment is going to be catastrophic, and that was on the scientific evidence. But then the judge had decided he would weight it up against the cost of the company and economic to the country. I guess there's a belief that some people's livelihoods can be sacrificed for the greater good.
TIRIMAN: Where does this leave the landowners and what reaction are you seeing from them or you saw from them outside the court?
NONGGOR: They're my clients and they're a little bit in shock because the judgement was read out over three hours and for the first two hours it was clear very much that they had succeeded in their claim, and even for like the first two-and-a-half hours it was clear that the landowners had succeeded in their case, that they've actually proved their interest, they proved the scientific case that it was going to be damaged. So they were quite shocked with the outcome that the court is allowing the damage to occur, which is greater than was predicted. I mean the judge actually highlighted that it appears that the director of environment has approved a very risky project to the detriment of these people. But the question is, he said the landowners have delayed bringing it to court, but it's very difficult with regards to landowners knowing the consequences of things and it's not really until mines get built do they realise that something is actually going on. Whereas the planning for these mines etc., goes on years beforehand. What are they going to do? They're considering appealing the part of the judgement that refused the injunction.
TIRIMAN: Have you seen any reaction yet from the company or the Papua New Guinea government?
NONGGOR: No not yet, we've just got out of court.
TIRIMAN: Tiffany Nonggor just like other big mining companies which have projects on the drawing board in PNG that are planning to use deep-sea disposal, I wonder what this decision means for them?
NONGGOR: Well the judge did say that one of the major factors in not allowing the injunction was the delay, and he said that had this court application been made earlier the result may very well have been different, because it's only that the company has expended a lot of money and completed the mine and apparently three-billion kina they've spent building the mine. Now if other mining companies have this tailings method of disposal on the drawing board, it points to the fact that look it's likely that this sort of dumping will cause a lot of damage, and if the landowners complain early enough to the courts or complain properly then they can stop it. So this decision would be saying to those mining companies that have tailings dumpings into the sea on the drawing board as part of their mine, that perhaps they shouldn't do that because there's quite clearly valid and successful legal challenges open.
@bocandorra - I'm writing as Managing Editor of Mines & Communities to point out that we have not funded Clive, or any person/group re Bougainville. Our website supports mine-affected communities, and allows them space to publish their views (given the industry has plenty of money to publicize theirs). We have a small budget, a board of international editors, and take our lead and positions from affected communities. We do not seek to influence them, and do not finance them. Andy Whitmore
Andy,
thanks for your explanations
Excuse me but I cannot to believe what you wrote!
In fact: it is hard to believe that somebody like Clive Porabou is able to travel 30 hours from Honiara (Solomons) to London without any support from abroad.
Somebody who hasn’t even got the money to visit his family in nearby Bougainville regularly: How is he able to afford spending this amount for a simple appearance on the Rio Tinto AGM? Who provided entrance to him. Is Clive Porabou perhaps a Rio Tinto shareholder? Who provides such expensive technical equipment to him as there are video cam and a powerful computer for editing videos? Who pays the internet access overthere? If it was not you or your friends – who else?
I guess it was you because you are the only ones to take real profit of this!
Sorry, Andy, but your statement is as poor as the reaction of your group to my repeated offers to have an open discusson with you and your friends: you even did not reply!
Yes, Andy, we are pro-mining! But we also stand for environmental caring mining and the honest participation of the indigneous people on the ground – in work and money.
People like Porabou promote highly poisonous alluvial small scale mining on the ground. He does not even mention these high risks. Furthermore: He “lovingly” calls killers and terrorists on the ground “freedom fighters”. Yes, Andy, this is the sad truth believe it or not! And you and your friends you are supporting these outlaws! So DO NOT pretend to be the saviours of a better and ecologic world! Simply tell the people that you are a left-wing group of people who are based on jealousy and hatred. The indigneous people on the ground are only a compliant tool for you – nothing else!
The ESBC works hard to bring progress to the ground in Bougainville. We try to help the people to become independent from foreign aid and to strengthen their self-confidence. The people of Bougainville deserve better friends than you.
You should finally think of abandoning to support non-democratic groups like Me’ekamui or do you want to keep them in the Stone Age? The today’s situation on Bougainville is easy to describe: Young well-educated Bougainvilleans do not return to the island as they do not see any future for them and their families. Is it that what you want?
I believe, once again, I will not receive any reply to this email.
Regards,
Axel G. Sturm Escaldes-Engordany, 26.07.2011
26.07.2011 Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Not Enough Information By MARIA LAUKAI
Mr. Micheal Meuko, a chief from Buin says, majority in Bougainville does not know, what is happening in the region.
Not enough information is reaching the people, especially the rural intuitions and the community at large.
Mr. Meuko believes that, lack of information on development and the status of the Autonomous Bougainville government is the major contribution fact of the fighting in the areas of south Bougainville.
He said, the national radio station, RADIO BOUGAINVILLE could not be heard through- out the region.
In addition, the private run radio station NEW DAWN FM serves the only Buka Island.
Mr Meuko said, early this year, the member for south Bougainville HON STEVEN PIRIKA paid Telekom PNG K7000, 000 kina to increase their service to south Bougainville.
Nevertheless, nothing has eventuated.
Mr. Meuko said, Communication is very important, to disputes the right information from right people, because second hand information is very dangerous in a post conflict situation.
26.07.2011 Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
GOOD NEWS FOR BOUGAINVILLE WOMEN BY MARIA LAUKAI
Bougainville women were recognized by the Bougainville business community in Buka this week.
According to a woman, who wants to remain anonymous, Bougainville business Association must know where, Bougainville women married to expatriates stand in their shares in the their husband’s business.
This is according to the Bougainville commerce and trade policy under the theme “NO STAND ALONE BUSINESS BY EXPARTIATES”
She added that not only expatriate businessman should be checked.
Even the business houses owned by people from other Provinces of PNG need to be checked to find out, how much is owned by the woman and not the husband alone.
26.07.2011 Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BUKA BSP NEEDS CASH By MLAUKAI
Bougainville’s only bank Bank South Pacific based in Buka is constantly running out of cash because not enough business houses and individuals are depositing money back into the bank, says Bougainville provincial census coordinator JOSEPH JERAHA.
Mr. JERAHA said this is the reason why the Bougainville census office is unable to pay its census officers on time.
He said his office has had to wait for more than a week for big business houses like JOMIK trading to make deposits before they can withdraw amounts up to K150,000 which BSP could not earlier withdraw due to shortage of cash.
Mr. JERAHA is urging the people of Bougainville to use the banks to deposit their cash so that there is enough cash being circulated within the island region.
He said the more people depositing cash into the bank, the more cash will be available for the bank to allow large amounts of withdrawal for clients needing urgent cash.
26.07.2011 Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ANOTHER JAILED By Aloysius Laukai in Arawa
The National Court sitting in Arawa yesterday jailed David Opimate aged 60 of Ruesita village Wakunai to six years for sexually penetrating a girl under the age of 15. MR. OPIMATE pleaded guilty to the charge and was jailed by Judge John Kawi yesterday in Arawa. The court ordered that his K300 bail be refunded and also the time he spend in custody be taken off the six years. In sentencing MR. OPIMATE, justice John Kawi said that although there was an agreement between the two to have sex their age difference was also one factor operating against him. He said that the law under criminal code “Sexual offences and crimes against children act 2002 was broken when he had sex with the girl under the age of 15. He said that at that time of the incident, MR. OPIMATE was also a chief who the villagers well respected. And his actions were not good examples of a chief. He will serve his sentence at the Bekut jail on Buka island.
26.07.2011 Source: The National
More info needed on Bougainville agreement by SAMUEL RAITANO
THE rural population in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville have raised the need for more information on the Bougainville Peace Agreement. The Selau constituency in North Bougainville is one of the areas that needed that information, Terry Mose, ABG Member for Selau, said. He said people in his constituency were eager to know more about the peace agreement and the processes taking place. Mose said the information packages distributed by the National Coordination Office for Bougainville Affairs (NCOBA) was received well by the people but there was a need for further explanations to the level of rural people’s understanding. “People must know and understand the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Mose said. NCOBA acting communications manager Terrence Mose said the office was doing its best to inform the community on the issues. The need for simpler information is to enable rural people to understand the pillars of the agreement, the referendum set for 2015 and the weapons disposal plan. Terrence Mose said posters, pamphlets, and T-Shirts would be disseminated to the region and to have the people in an informed position by 2015 for the referendum. NCOBA director Ellison Towallom had been spearheading delegations to the ARB and had done on the ground observation on the welfare of the people there.
26.07.2011 Source: The National
Counting smooth in Bougainville
NATIONAL Census director Hajily Kele said the conduct of the 2011 national population and housing census has shown a shift in the mindset of Bougainvilleans towards development as they embrace autonomy. “One clear demonstration of that is the accessibility to parts of the island which had been ‘no-go zones’ as a result of the conflict,” she said. She said during the enumeration, interviewers and supervisors were allowed into Panguna, Arawa and Kieta and a number of other areas, also considered to be trouble spots, to conduct the census without hindrance and question. “Until then, they were banned to outsiders, including the 2000 census where workers were denied access,” she said. “This is a marked turn-around, where suspicion and rejection would normally await national government workers in all no-go parts of Bougainville.” Kele said in this case, census workers were given clear passage into all local level governments to conduct the census where all the people were said to be supportive and cooperative. Kele, who flew to Bougainville last week to assess census operations, attributed the success to two reasons after meeting with officials on the ground. “One is the realisations by all Bougainvilleans of the significance of the census day in the overall planning for an autonomous Bougainville and the other is the wider publicity initiatives carried out on the ground by provincial census coordinator Joseph Jeraha,” she said. Kele said Bougainville was now mopping up, confirming and re-confirming that all households in the LLGs had been accounted for in this census.
26.07.2011 Source: The National
State happy with tailings disposal option
ENVIRONMENT and Conservation Minister Benny Allan has spoken favourably about the disposal of mining tailings onto the ocean floor. He told the PNG mining and petroleum environment seminar last Tuesday in Port Moresby that this was an alternative to land-based tailings storage. The tailings passed down a deep sea pipeline that discharged well below the maximum depth of the marine mixing zone, generally about 100m deep, the conference was told. “Water below this depth generally remains effectively cut off from the upper waters by the strong temperature and salinity gradients that extend down through the first 100m or so of the water column,” he said. Allan said any discharge below the maximum depth of the mixing zone would generally be trapped there by the layers of water above it. “This method of tailings disposal, referred to as deep sea tailings placement (DSTP) offers an alternative option for mines located in coastal and near-coastal regions,” he said. The Environment and Conservation Department, working with the Minerals Resource Authority, commissioned the Scottish Association of Marine Sciences to conduct comprehensive oceanographic surveys of three DSTP locations in PNG between 2007 and 2009. These studies assessed the environmental risks and impacts that this method of tailings disposal posed. Allan told the seminar that as a result of these studies, the Scottish Association of Marine Sciences had prepared a comprehensive set of environmental guidelines for DSTP in PNG, including the recently completed Ramu NiCo nickel/cobalt mine in Madang. “I would point out that in keeping with the precautionary principle in dealing with environmental risk, my department applies a substantial safety margin to the depth of all operational DSTP outfalls in PNG. “These are located at depths of between 130m and 150m, well below the mixing zone.” He said in the case of the Ramu NiCo, the DSTP outfall discharged at a depth of 150m in the Basamuk canyon. “From there, the tailings continue to flow down the slope of the canyon to its final resting place at approximately 250m deep in the Vitiaz Basin. “At this depth movement of the tailings into the upper mixed water is considered most unlikely and the tailings will be confined to this area as they slowly decompose over the coming decades,” Allan said. He said the disposal of tailings, on land or sea, presented challenging problems in PNG where characteristically high rainfall and geologically active surface formations posed particularly high risks for land-based tailings storage. “The high toxicity of many tailings materials can potentially last for many years and, thus, any land-based storage facility has to remain secure from flooding, over topping from long periods of continuous high rainfall, and from earthquakes and other plate tectonic movement for this length of time. In a high rainfall and geologically active area these risks are heightened and will require the ongoing monitoring and rigorous management long after the mine has closed and the mining company has gone.
nicht nur der Goldmarkt erlebt gerade im Moment eine ungeheure Umwälzung. Und damit meine ich nicht allein den immer weiter steigende Goldpreis, sondern eminent wichtige strukturelle Veränderungen, über die ich meine Premium-Leser in dieser Woche ausführlich informieren werde.
Auch bei Kupfer, dem wichtigsten Industriemetall der Welt, ist der Markt gerade in diesem Jahr enorm in Bewegung gekommen. Hier tut sich mehr, als in jedem anderen Rohstoffsegment. Die Übernahmewelle rollt mit Macht über den gesamten Sektor. Die Großen fressen die Kleinen, denn die großen Minengesellschaften haben Probleme bei der zügigen Ausweitung ihrer Produktion.
Der Kupferabbau und die Erschließung neuer Kupferressourcen sind teuer. In den akuten Krisenjahren 2008 bis 2009, als der Kupferpreis am Boden lag, haben es die Big Player versäumt, in die Ausweitung ihrer Ressourcen zu investieren. Das lag einerseits an den hohen Finanzierungskosten, die während der Kreditklemme nicht leicht zu schultern waren. Das lag aber auch an einer globalen Panikstimmung. Wer hätte gedacht, dass sich die Weltkonjunktur so schnell wieder erholen würde?
Die Konjunktur vor allem in Asien, dem größten Kupferverbraucher der Welt, brummt. Die Kupferproduktion kann mit der steigenden Nachfrage kaum Schritt halten. Rio Tinto erwartet eine Zunahme der Nachfrage für dieses Jahr um 4,5 %. Die Minenproduktion wird aber weltweit nur um 3 % steigen können. Es entsteht ein Nachfrageüberhang. Barclays Capital glaubt, dass er sich gegenüber dem letzten Jahr auf 822.000 metrische Tonnen verdoppeln wird. Deshalb gehen die Rohstoffkonzerne auf Einkaufstour.
Schon im 2010 war eine Rekordjahr für Übernahmen im Kupferbereich. Nach Angaben von PricewaterhouseCoopers lag das Übernahme- und Fusionsvolumen im gesamten Rohstoffbereich weltweit bei US$113 Milliarden. Davon entfielen allein 19 % auf den Kupfersektor. In keinen anderen Sektor drehte sich das Übernahme-Karussell schneller.
2011 könnte ein neues Rekordjahr sein! Schauen wir uns Auszüge aus der aktuellen Einkaufsliste einmal an: Im April 2011 schnappte Barrick Gold das Unternehmen Equinox Minerals den Chinesen Minmetals Resources für US$7,1 Milliarden vor der Nase weg. Der Clou war, dass Equinox zuvor für US$1,8 Milliarden Citadel Resources geschluckt hatte.
Der koreanische Elektronikkonzern LG hat seinen Anteil an Augusta Resources um US$176 Mio. auf 20 % aufgestockt und sich die langfristige Lieferung von ca. einem Drittel der Kupferproduktion gesichert. Im Mai haben die Japaner Sumitomo Cor. und Sumitomo Metal Mining zusammen 45 % von Quadra FNX Mining's Sierra Gorda-Mine in Chile für US$1,2 Milliarden gekauft. Tamsek aus Singapur hat mit Inmet einen US$510-Mio.-Deal unterzeichnet, um Inmets Gold- und Kupferprojekt in Panama zu entwickeln.
Zuletzt hat Atlas Consolidated angekündigt, Carmen Copper für weitere US390 Mio. nun vollständig übernehmen zu wollen.
Wie gesagt, das ist nur ein Auszug aus der Liste. Die könnte im zweiten Halbjahr noch um einiges länger werden, denn China entdeckt gerade erst die Möglichkeiten dieses Übernahmespiels.
Im letzten Jahr haben chinesische Firmen nach Angaben von PricewaterhouseCoopers mit US$12 Milliarden nur einen geringen Teil der weltweiten Übernahmen bestritten. Aber die Zeichen mehren sich, dass China jetzt erst so richtig in das große Übernahmespiel eintreten wird.
Fazit
Gold ist sehr spannend. Keine Frage. Aber die ganz große Übernahmewelle schwappt gerade im Kupferbereich!
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ATOI assured ABG By JOYCE TOHUI
The National Member for North Bougainville, LAUTA ATOI has assured the ABG President, Chief John Momis that he will push for the release of the K15 million restorations and development grant to ABG. He made these remarks at the Buka airport conference room. He said being a responsible National leader he will raise the issue during parliament session in August this year. He said he will make sure Bougainville gets the K15 million as required in the Bougainville Peace Agreement and will fight hard for it before the end of parliament. MR ATOI said the money is for the people of Bougainville and he does not see any reason National government is not releasing it. However, he called on the ABG President, Chief John Momis to make sure advice the Bougainville National MPs on outstanding issues relating to Bougainville so they can be informed and make it known during parliament sessions. MR ATOI said to raise issues during question time in parliament gives opportunity for the media to take heed of it which will put pressure on the National government to release the money. MR ATOI said for these issues to take effect it is very important for the ABG government to work closely with the National MPs and with combined efforts they can tackle these issues for the betterment of Bougainville.
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Use funds wisely By JOYCE TOHUI
The Bougainville Census Coordinator, JOSEPH JEREHA highlighted the importance of using government funds appropriately when implementing government projects. He made these remarks at the Planning office conference room. He said the budget the census team has already used in the census numeration in Bougainville does not exceed the vicinity of K2 million. He added although the National government has budgeted K66 million for the project but it is wise not to exhaust government funds carelessly. He said dealing with government funds the implementers must always make sure they carry out the job in a manner which will not use up funds. MR JERAHA said comparing to elections in Bougainville, Electoral Commission used more money and yet they do not do a full coverage of the population like census do. MR JEREHA added it is very important when carrying out such government exercise which involved a lot of money, always budget within a reasonable label. However, he appealed to the Bougainville Electoral Commission that in order to use less funds they must plan well for future elections.
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
PEA calls former Bougainville public servants
By ML
THE Bougainville Public Employees Association and Bougainville Administration is collecting data on all Bougainville and non Bougainville employees who worked in the public sector on Bougainville between 1990 and 1994.
Bougainville PEA branch secretary Hubert Kimai said they are interested mainly in public servants who served in the Health, Education and Administration divisions in that period.
He said the collection of data is for the purpose of processing their hardship allowances.
Kimai said this exercise is as per the existing Memorandum of Understanding between Bougainville PEA and Bougainville Administration on the payout of retirement benefits to public service employees who served under the then North Solomon provincial administration.
He added that they have a master list of public servants who served in the region, however getting in contact with them was very difficult and appealed to those not yet contacted to contact the Bougainville administration Human Resource division.
Those needing to obtain more information can contact the Bougainville Administration human resource division officers Paddie Tolom and Tommy Samson on 973 9795/ 7 292 6962 / 7 206 0631.
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Selau locals want answers
By ML
THE people of Selau constituency in North Bougainville want answers from the National Government on the delay in sealing of the 20km Selau to Kunua road which would cost taxpayers K20 million.
Member for Selau Terry Mose said since the ground breaking of the project in April by Acting PM Sam Abal in Bougainville, there had not been any indication of work commencing soon after.
Mose said his people had been looking forward to having their travels made easier by the sealing of the 20 km road for years and did not understand the prolonged delay in commencement of the project.
He said his constituents want the national government to come up with clear information on how soon work will commence.
He added that for the sake of transparency, the Department of Works who is facilitating this project must inform the people of Bougainville on what contract company has been awarded the project.
Mr. Mose said Selau is the gateway to Bougainville and the road project is the start to eventually sealing the rest of the highway to Central and South Bougainville.
25.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
Sydney experts talk land owner rights with Melanesia officials
Tensions between mining companies and landowners has been a long running issue in the Pacific.
Governments routinely struggle to balance the economic benefits of mining with the concerns of local landowners.
Academics from the University of Technology in Sydney recently met with senior land officials from Melanesia to propose ways to balance the two.
They want governments to take a bigger role in mediating discussions between mining companies and locals, to make sure all voices are heard.
Presenter: Emma Younger Speaker: Professor Spike Boydell, Sydney University of Technology's Asia-Pacific Centre for complex real property rights
THE first National Mining Safety Week shall be celebrated in March and April 2012 across the entire mining industry in PNG. It was announced at the National Mining Emergency Response Forum in Port Moresby last Wednesday that Barrick Porgera Joint Venture will be hosting this event. The mining industry in PNG, under the auspices of the Office of the Chief Inspector of Mines, organised the First National Mining Emergency Response Challenge in Lae in March, which received excellent response and support from all stakeholders and was hailed a resounding success. At the national Mining Safety Week, all mines would conduct various safety promotional activities at their respective sites during the Safety Week period which would lead up to staging of the Mining Emergency Response Challenge in Port Moresby as a concluding ceremony. The concept was initiated to develop closer partnerships and interaction among the different industry players and to provide an avenue for participants to learn and exchange skills and ideas. This would generate more interest and bigger participation next year. The main purpose of these celebrations is to educate and remind people of the importance of safety at their work places. Speaking at the Forum meeting, PNG’s Chief Inspector of Mines, Mohan Singh thanked Barrick PJV for taking up the challenge and said he had confidence in them to make the 2012 event a grand success.
25.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Govt questioned over K20 million By PETERSON TSERAHA
LEADERS in the northern tip of Bougainville have questioned the National Government on the progress in the administration procedures of tendering the K20 million road upgrade and sealing of the section of the Bougainville trunk road from Kokopau to Siara, since the ground breaking ceremony was conducted with a lot of food and with no sign of a millimetre of work at least being carried out. The same applies to the Siara Korepovi road in which K1 million was allocated. Former ABG vice president Joseph Watawi said: “It is a must because west coast people are the worse off when it comes to suffering.” Mr Watawi was speaking on behalf of the chiefs and ordinary citizens of the Selau Suir district. He said his people and the general pubilc of Bougainville do not deserve lip service. “Bougainville in fact needs a lot of catching up in terms of infrastructure development compared to the rest of the country due to the devastation experienced during the Bougainville crisis,” Mr Watawi said. Mr Watawi, when issuing the challenge, said the National Government should put its money where its mouth is and not to use symbolic groundbreaking ceremonies as part of its 2012 political campaign gimmick as the 2012 next national election is just around the corner. Mr Watawi further stated that the national leaders, who were present at the groundbreaking ceremony, should not be part of the No Action Talk Only alliance (NATO) but they should see themselves as true proactive agents of change or better described as the “AO” team, meaning action only. “I only hope the national politics does not have anything to do with the delay. “I also call on the ABG leadership to apply pressure on the National Government on these commitments in order for our people to realise and benefit from these undertakings at the earliest practicable opportunity,” Mr Watawi said. “The roads and other infrastructure improvement programme should be seen as a necessary tool, which underpins our desire for a speedy economic recovery in the region towards the full realisation of our self government arrangements leading towards the conduct of referendum for independence within the specified time frame in the Bougainville peace agreement.”
25.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Konnou peace mission By GORETHY KENNETH
BOUGAINVILLE’s peace mission into south Bougainville’s Konnou troubled area is near completion and the task force is asking for co-operation, vice chairman David Sisito has appealed. Vice chairman of the Bougainville Peace Mission into the Konnou troubled zone David Sisito, who is also the Veterans Affairs Minister, said the Peace Mission task force has already entered the troubled area and once they are done with their mission, they will advise accordingly. Minister Sisito appealed to all the commanders of Me’ekamui, Wisai liberation front, the police force and other factions to stay out of the troubled area and let the peace mission task force handle the issue. The peace mission task force, which comprises six executives, is headed by vice president Patrick Nisira. Mr Sisito said they have been successful so far and once everything is completed, they will advise the chairman, who is also Bougainville’s vice President Mr Nisira, to announce to the people of Bougainville the outcome of the mission and the meetings they had with the disputing parties.
25.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
ABG faces setback By Gorethy Kenneth
BOUGAINVILLE faces a major problem with its human resource, visiting National Planning officers from Port Moresby have advised. And the newly established autonomous region, which is optimistic that they will gain independence in five years time, faces a setback in its referendum and independence if its leaders do not seriously deal with human resource and capacity building. The visiting officers told the Post - Courier that it is a big worry for the National Government, especially when there is a lot of loopholes in many of the departments or divisions and the Government is doing very little to sort this out. “We have a serious problem, for example, take the Planning office, the chief executive officer knows what he is doing but after him, there is a big gap, officers surrounding him do not know what they have to do,” the officers said. “This is a fact and the Autonomous Bougainville Government seriously needs to spend a lot of time concentrating on training its human resource. “We’ve been here for a week and we see there is a major problem. “Your executives know what to do but those surrounding them need to be trained to race with the present times. “We at the national level can do what we can but the ABG, as the autonomous region, its administration or the divisions responsible, have to recommend to the appropriate departments in Waigani, for example, the National Planning, to tell us what they need to do so we can assist in every way possible. “We cannot just come and say okay you need to do this, you need to do that. No. We have to get the papers from the ABG in order to act on them.” The officers, who left over the weekend, said that it is a big worry for the National Government because many divisions are way behind with their capacity building and they can only do very little depending on recommendation from the ABG, but advised that the National Government stands ready to help in any way possible.
25.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
‘Arawa biodiesel plant not for sale’
THE biodiesel plant in Arawa belongs to the people of Bougainville and is not for sale. Spokesman for Bogenvil Resources Development Corporation (BRDC) Ltd, Ben Rasin, said this in response to rumours that the project is to be sold to interested buyers by international investor Bougainville Investment Corporation. Mr Rasin said the biodiesel plant was established by BRDC to transform raw copra into biodiesel fuel and is one of the impact projects for the Government and people of Bougainville. He said it is a joint venture between BRDC which owns 75 per cent and former stakeholder Invincible Resources Corporations which owned 25 per cent at the time the plant was established from which Bougainville Investment Corporation took over. He said the project is not a stand-alone business as such operations are not allowed in Bougainville by foreign investors. “If Bougainville Investment Corporation has any plans to sell the plant, then it should do so in consultation with BRDC personnel on the ground and should not do it in isolation of BRDC,” Mr Rasin said.
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ARAWA POWER By Aloysius Laukai
PNG POWER linesmen have been very busy since last week wiring new lines to service the former Bougainville capital, Arawa with electricity. Linesmen were seeing in nearly all streets making sure that all lines are connected when they finally switch on the power this week. Since the Bougainville conflict ended Power to Arawa town was never restored fully despite some parts of Arawa used private generators to power their buildings. And many of the old cables were pulled down and sold as scrap to overseas scrap metal buyers. According to one Arawa resident, PNG POWER people have inspected their houses and have recommended that all houses be fully inspected before power is restored to individual houses.
Pictured are Linesmen busy checking power pole at section 15.
25.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ONE SHOT By Aloysius Laukai
Another civilian man was shot and wounded in the Konnou area of Buin South Bougainville yesterday(Sunday)morning. Buin Police Station Commander, SEGEART JOHN POPUI when confirming the incident told New Dawn FM from Buin that MR. PATEI was a civilian and was in his house when DAMIEN KOIKE’s men approached him and shot him on the arm. He is now recovering at the Buin Health Centre. PSC JOHN POPUI said that despite efforts to establish dialogue with MR. KOIKE and his mob the group continue to walk around and attack unarmed villagers. The incident happened at a small hamlet of the main TABAGO village east of the main Tabago Parish. New Dawn FM understands that the former Ex-combatants have been trying to establish dialogue with MR. DAMIAN KOIKE but these disturbances continue to hamper their efforts.
24.07.2011
Source: different sources
New : Interesting Bougainville Maps online !
To find out: click on the maps !
23.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
THE LAST TO LEAVE By Aloysius Laukai in Arawa
Scrap Metal people are dismantling just about anything that they can lay their hands on from the now abandoned Panguna Copper Mine.
An Overseas ship was loading Scrap Metals when Aloysius Laukai happened to pass through the Anewa Bay area yesterday afternoon.
And pictured is what is remaining from the three Fuel Tankers that once supplied fuel to the Loloho Power House.
Plans are already underway to power any mine operation in future using Hydro Power. The ABG is talking with a Chinese Company to look at the LALUAI RIVER just south of the Aropa Airport to built the Hydro Power. Also PNG POWER is already working on the HYDRO POWER at RAMAZON RIVER in Tinputz whilst work on the PNG SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Funded TOGARAU HYDRO in the Wakunai has already.
23.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
IURUN BRIDGE
Pictured is one of the JICA Bridges and this is the IURUN Bridge outside Tinputz Station AL
22.07.2011 Source: ESBC Resarch
Report published on 03 Jan 2010 in YALE environment 360:
Threat of Mercury Poisoning Rises With Gold Mining Boom
by Shefa Siegel
With high gold prices fueling a global gold rush, millions of people in the developing world are turning to small-scale gold mining. In many countries, including Colombia, miners are putting themselves and those who live nearby at risk by using highly toxic mercury in the refining process.
Watch here how simple people defend their unauthorized environmental damaging activities on the ground of the Panguna mine. Their greediness for gold is much bigger than their respect for law and order or environment. After more than twenty years of absence of any revenues through well organized mining by Bougainville Copper Limited; they hardly have another choice to survive.
Good to know: The movie maker, Clive Porabou, is financed and remote controlled by the London based left-wing anti-mining network mines and communities.
It's simply the opposite of what Porabou wants his audience to believe.
Verlogene Anti-Mining Kampagne - die Nächste!
Sehen Sie hier wie einfache Menschen ihre unautorisierten, Umwelt schädigenden Aktivitäten auf dem Gelände der Panguna Mine verteidigen. Ihre Gier nach Gold ist viel größer als ihr Respekt vor Recht und Ordnung oder etwa der Umwelt! Nach mehr als zwanzigjährigem Ausbleiben von jeglichen Einkünften aus gut organisiertem Förderbetrieb durch die Bougainville Copper Limited, bleibt ihnen kaum eine andere Wahl, um zu überleben.
Gut zu wissen, dass der Filmemacher Clive Porabou von der in London beheimateten linksorientierten Gruppe mines and communties finanziert und ferngesteuert wird.
Am 28. June 2011 gab der unabhängige Journalist Brian Thomson dem Hörfunksender ABC Pacific Beat ein aufschlußreiches Interview. Hören Sie hier, was er dem Moderator Cameron Wilson zu berichten wusste: http://www.abc.net.au/ra/pacbeat/stories/m2003986.asx .
Es ist genau das Gegenteil von dem, was Porabou sein Publikum glauben machen möchte.
22.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NET EXPANDS By Aloysius Laukai
The National Court circuit now in Bougainville has widened its net on contempt of court charges to the staff of the National court now to include the EMS Manager for Boroko and two Probation officers in Buka. Under the latest Court Orders, the EMS Manager for Boroko and the Acting Director for the National Court Recording Service, NANADAI GWAIBO have to appear before Justice John Kawi at the Buka National Court sitting next Friday. When the National Court opened in Buka this morning, the public prosecutor, RANGAN LUKARA wanted the contempt of court made to the Director for Courts Recording Service, PAVORA MARUPI changed to the Acting Director of Courts Recording Services, NANADAI as the Director was on leave. Justice JOHN KAWI told the court that he was not happy to get a memo from NANADAI GWAIBO stating that the National Court sitting was supposed to be held in Buka only and not in Tinputz and Arawa. Justice John Kawi said that in 2009 it was Gazetted that Buin, Torokina, Tinputz Buka and Nissan were gazetted as places were the National Court can sit when in Bougainville. He said that it was not proper for the Acting Director of Recording Service to make such comments to the Judge of the National and Supreme Court. Orders for the two Probation officers in Buka is that they travel to Arawa on Saturday and prepare for the Courts on Monday. The National Court in Arawa adjourned and will continue on Monday.
22.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville Planning board sworn-in By JOYCE TOHUI
Bougainville’s Lands Division chief executive officer Andrew Dowaro said he is pleased to see the newly-elected members of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board sworn in. Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony at Hutjena recently, Mr Dowaro said this was a step forward for the lands division since he took office in 2007. He said the Lands Division has plans to set up the Physical Planning Board and the plan has materialised. He said for the board to grow and deliver, it must be fed with good resources so that it can carry out its work effectively and efficiently. Mr Dowaro acknowledged and thanked those who contributed to the setting up of the board ,especially the National Department of Lands and Physical Planning. He said the board would work with other stakeholders to get things moving.
22.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Vets clean up Buka
BUKA Mayor Kaut Kavop has thanked a team of veterinarians who have cleaned up Buka of stray dogs last week. Speaking at a dinner to farewell the vets, Mr Kavop said that after the Bougainville crisis, there were suggestions to set up an RSPCA office in Bougainville because there were a lot of stray dogs within the town boundaries. He thanked the vets for their voluntary service to Bougainville, saying it was an eye-opener. He assured them that with the support from the Buka urban council and the Buka General Hospital, they can work together to map out this service in Bougainville. Mr Kavop said that the presence of the vets in Bougainville is the beginning of a much bigger network in this service as they have just revived RSPCA in Bougainville. But he said that the knowledge that they have left behind will be used and what the vets have started will be a way forward for the Buka urban council.
22.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Mining Act, Mining Safety Act under review
THE Mining Act and Mining Safety Act are currently undergoing review, but not without the input of civil society, landowners, churches and others. Speaking at the PNG Mining and Petroleum Environment Seminar on Tuesday, Secretary for the Department of Mineral Policy and Geohazards Management (DMPGM), Nellie James said the department received comments from a wide range of stakeholders including, politicians, landowners, churches, civil society, the mining industry, the petroleum industry and from within government departments. She said the concerns received from different stakeholders were issues to do with offshore mining, geothermal energy, mine closure and the policy and regulatory framework that dealt with financial provision for mine closure and rehabilitation and others. “In the course of consultation, we invited comments from different stakeholders. So that the department was aware of which people and stakeholders were concerned about mining or wanted to be involved in the review process,” Ms James said. Secretary James said some of the comments from civil society and landowners included compensation for environment impact for mining activities to be addressed by policy and legislation. Civil society and landowners also made comments for environmental damages to be fair, just and equitable to the impacted community and for effective disaster management plans be a precondition under the mineral policy. The department is finalising the review exercise that involves the Mining Act 1992, Mining Safety Act 1997 and the Offshore Mineral Policy and Mine Waste Management Policy Framework.
22.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
‘Pest awareness needed’
COCOA farmers must be educated well about the Cocoa Pod Borer pest (CPB), but most smallholder cocoa growers are still not aware of the seriousness of the damages caused by the CPB. Agriculture and Livestock Minister Philip Kikala, said that cocoa farmers need to be made aware of the pest in terms of its life cycle, the damages it can cause to cocoa beans, how it spreads and the measures they can take to deal with it. “The approach to manage CPB infestation is basically the adoption of good farming practices, including but not limited to the adoption and utilisation of the technology that are currently available,” Mr Kikala said. There are currently eight cocoa producing areas which have the pest CPB. These are Kerevat in East New Britain Province, Poro settlement of Aitape in Sandaun Province, Boroi and Karkar Island in Madang, Maprik and Drekikir in East Sepik Province, Hoskins in West New Britain Province, Namatanai in New Ireland Province and Baluan Island in Manus Province. “There is a need to address the CPB in a more concerted way and ensure that CPB infestation is reduced t less that 10 per cent of production,” Minister Kikala said. He said in 2010, the Cocoa Board received funding of K5 million from the national government to coordinate and facilitate the management of the CPB in East New Britain, Bougainville, New Ireland and West New Britain provinces, although some portion of the funds were provided to the Madang Province for outstanding claims in relation to previous CPB work in the Bogia district. “I have been informed by the PNG Cocoa Coconut Institute Limited during my briefing with heads of commodity agencies a few weeks ago that the agency has developed CPB tolerate hybrid cocoa clones,” Mr Kikala said.
22.07.2011 Source: The National
Bougainville extends census By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
COUNTING in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is expected to end next week, says Bougainville provincial census coordinator Joseph Jeraha. “Overall, we have done well, with 97% of our work completed,” he said. “Statistically, we had 13 districts to cover “And counting at Bana, Siwai, Wisai and Nissan were completed yesterday. “Cooperation from the public has been very good and I would like to especially thank the people of Bana and Siwai for an incident-free counting.” He said officers involved in counting at Torokina have now progressed into “quality checks” on the data collected. Jeraha said his officers were now in the process of collecting data from Panguna, Arawa, Kieta and the atolls districts. They left Buka town yesterday and he expects counting to be completed next week. He also appealed to members of the community who missed out on being counted to go to their nearest census officers so that they are included in the data collection. “It is not too late to be counted. Our aim is to make sure everyone is counted. If you have missed out due to various reasons, please let our officers know so they can count you in,” said Jeraha. Jeraha said ensuring everyone in Bougainville was counted was very important not only for the national government but also for the Autonomous Bougainville Government as it prepared its people for the upcoming vote for referendum of independence or autonomy in 2015. “The data we collate will go a long way in assisting the Bougainville government properly plan and implement its projects in boosting the economy of this region,” said Jeraha. He thanked more than 1000 interviewers and supervisors in Bougainville for their patience and cooperation despite having to deal with issues like difficulty in transporting officers to location on time due to the bad weather and delay in the payment of officials.
22.07.2011 Source: The National
National Court to conduct trials in Tinputz By Aloysius Laukai
THE people of Tinputz in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, charged with serious crimes, will no longer be required to travel long distances to face the National Court. The National Court will in future conduct hearings in Tinputz, Justice John Kawi said on Wednesday. Kawi, who is conducting the first National Court hearing at Tinputz this week, said this was the start of an arrangement to have National Court cases heard in Tinputz. Kawi said Tinputz and Arawa would now be included in the National Court’s calendar. He said cases would be heard in the two centres and in Buka. Kawi told a small crowd during a welcome ceremony that judges would spend a week in each of the centres. After Tinputz, Kawi and his team will move to Arawa next week. He said Buin would be included in the programme once the situation there “is contained”. Tinputz council of elders chairman Peter Reviri said he was pleased the Justice Department had recognised the need to hear National Court cases at Tinputz. Reviri said he first raised the matter with Justice Sao Gabi and was happy that his request had been answered. The National Court sitting in Tinputz is the first for a rural district.
21.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Telecom blackout in Buka
BOUGAINVILLEANS and business entities have been hard hit all through last week and this week because of poor banking, communications and postal services. Bougainville’s only Bank South Pacific, the local Nationwide Microbank and Post PNG and Telikom services, have had very bad and technical problems affecting their banking and operating systems. Thousands of Bougainvilleans, specifically those travelling from outside Buka town, have been badly affected because of banking problems, Telikom problems and postal services problems since last week. A businessman from Arawa told the Post-Courier yesterday that he symphatised with these institutions but advised they had to sort out their problems if they wanted to provide all services to the 200,000 population of Bougainville. “Especially the bank, I am a businessman and I do corporate banking but what about those who use the normal system of banking? ATM, and all those, you see, nowadays its money talks and some of these people who use the ATM for a small amount of fee, they cannot go and do shopping at supermarkets or outlets that have EFTPOS – those shops have also run out of cash,” he said. “I symphatise with my fellow Bougainvilleans and that is not to say I am not affected. At least I run a shop where I have money every day to use on my operations, I do need the bank, Post Office and other services that use communication tools too, like Telikom. These issues must be rectified and cannot be ignored. “Also I hear from BSP that they are affected because of poor services from the Air Niugini airline service bringing in spare parts or other goods to use – their services are also devastating to us ordinary people of Bougainville.”
21.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Awareness on weapons disposal
NATIONAL Coordination Office for Bougainville Affairs is educating the high and secondary school students in Port Moresby on weapon disposal through their information packages. The NCOBA started delivering the information packages through its monthly news magazines and “Brukim Gan” booklet which is in Tok Pisin last week. The booklet contains information on the weapons disposal which is the third pillar of the Bougainville Peace Agreement. The Acting Communications manager, Terence Mose led the team last week to all high and secondary schools and handed out the information packages. The approach they took was to get the message on weapons disposal to young people in the country so that they can understand the current political situation of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. This is also for those Bougainvillians living outside Bougainville to have clear picture of what is happening on the island and what is needed to be done for the people on the ground.
21.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
New Act used
BOUGAINVILLE Police Service officers that deal with children’s cases are now fully equipped to use the Lukautim Pikinini Act as a tool in their everyday investigations and handling of police cases, this was revealed at the closing of one-week Lukautim Pikinini Act awareness workshop at Hutjena recently. The workshop was funded by the UNICEF Bougainville office and facilitated by the Division of Community Development. CEO Mana Kakaroutz told the graduates that her division has organised many such workshops since the new act was passed.
21.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Islanders from Carterets wait By GORETHY KENNETH
CARTERETS Islanders, Bougainville’s forgotten and sinking paradise dwellers, want an update from the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Government on their resettlement program. The islanders, who are happy to have their fresh fish and other seafood every day with whatever starchy and energy food they can find in their low-lying islands of Piul, Han and Iangain, are claiming the rise in sea level is now badly affecting their lifestyle. But despite the setback, several other islanders from that area are saying they have been forgotten by the authorities, specifically their resettlement to Buka Island. “That’s why we are continuing with our daily chores, enjoying our fishing, seafood, breadfruit and despite the food shortage and children not attending classes, life still must go on for us,” the leaders who are in Buka this week told the Post-Courier. “We will move under the resettlement program whenever the governments are ready, in the meantime, we can only spend our days doing what we enjoy daily and that is fishing and children playing, having only two meals a day or for some, one meal a day while others feed on coconuts and sea weed all day.” Yesterday, the ABG advised the Post-Courier the preparation for the resettlement program was nearing completion and that the hiccup was a legal issue with the land at Karoola, northern tip of Buka Island where the bulk of the population will be settled. ABG also advised the Tinputz area under the Catholic Church arrangement is also ready for more families to move in. The National Government allocated K2 million five years ago for the resettlement program. ABG advised funds have been used for scoping, meetings and other related resettlement programs. Some of the funds have also been diverted and should be released once the full program takes effect.
21.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
MP Atoi returns to Buka By Fabian Gatana
Member for North Bougainville Lauta Atoi made his inaugural “return” to Bougainville yesterday after being officially sworn in. He apologised to the people of Bougainville for his delay in getting back to the region. He said that because of his limited time in office, he wished to work closely with the ABG president, the ABG members and the Council of Elders (COE) chairmans to plan and prioritise impact projects and how money would be spent in the region before the next parliamentary sitting on August 2. He said that education for Bougainville will be his main priority for his time in office as he believes that education for Bougainvilleans is important for the region’s prosperity. His other priorities are setting up a disaster and emergency service, food security for the atolls and the purchase of a sea vessel to service the atolls and the island region.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Member wants explanations By JOYCE TOHUI
The ABG Member for SELAU constituency, TERRY MOSE wants explanations as to why there is delay to the KOKOPAU-ARAWA road sealing project. He told New Dawn FM this afternoon that he wants the National MPs and the Works Department to inform the people of Bougainville on the progress and not to leave them in suspense. He said the project was launched in public witnessed by the people and they must know why it has not started yet. MR MOSE said the people of Bougainville are beneficiaries of the project and are left in darkness not even knowing who the contractor is. He added the delay to the project has raised a lot of critics among Bougainvilleans and he understands their frustrations as this has been ongoing practices to projects allocated in Bougainville. Meanwhile, similar sentiments were raised by a Bougainvillean businessman, HENRY ONSA about the similar issue. MR ONSA said he wants answers to this and wants to know where the K20 million allocated purposely for the project is.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Director happy By JOYCE TOHUI
The National Statistical Office Census Director, HAJILY KELE said that she was happy with the progress of the census numeration in Bougainville. She told the media in a press conference in BUKA this morning. She said being the Census Coordinator in the 2000 census in Bougainville; things have changed dramatically which she believed Bougainvilleans are now aware of the importance to be counted in the National census. She added compared to the 2000 census they were not able to cover all the areas in Bougainville due to hiccups but this year census teams are able to do that which is a way forward. MS KELE said the census numeration is a very important project for the National government which will help the government to plan for every citizen of PNG and the big task is the possibility to count everyone. MS KELE is in the region as part of the management monitoring to see how work is being carried out by the census team in Bougainville. However, she is appealing to the people of Bougainville to make sure that they are counted and not being left out.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
ONSA ON PREDICTED DROUGHT BY MARIA LAUKAI
Bougainville is not doing enough to prepare for the predicted drought in 2012, says a businessman in Bougainville, Mr. Henry Onsa. He is blaming the disaster office and the government for not carrying enough awareness to make people aware and be prepared for the disaster. Mr. Onsa said, Bougainville is not doing enough, compared to other provinces in png who are already preparing water and money for food shortage. He has accused authorities in the region to be asleep and not worried about the upcoming disaster. Mr. Onsa said the people of the region are very concerned and wondering what the government’s preparation plans are as food and water shortage will become a very serious problem during the dry weather. Meanwhile, North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi has reassured that food security is still a priority and he has six months to work with local leaders in find a lasting solution to the food security issue. Speaking to New Dawn FM yesterday, Mr. Atoi said he has K3.5 million in which allocation of funds to addressing food security would be included. Attempts to contact the disaster office was unsuccessful
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Village Court officers undergo training By ML
Thirteen village courts officers from around Bougainville today graduated from a three day skills training workshop facilitated by the Division of Local Level Government at Hutjena. LLG Chief Executive Officer HUBERT KIMAI said the training is the first phase of a major project the LLG division in partnership with the Bougainville Law and Justice sector is working on in restructuring the current court system practiced in the region at the village level. He said training has equipped the court officers to conduct proper review of the existing court system and to compile proper reports based on their findings. Following the training, the officers will return to their villages and are expected to conduct wider consultation with their local communities so as to ensure a proper review of the existing court system.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NOT TOO LATE TO BE COUNTED BY ML
Bougainville Provincial Census Coordinator Joseph Jeraha has appealed to members of the community who missed out on being counted to approach their nearest census officers to ensure they are included in the data collection. He said the aim of the census is to make sure everyone is counted and if for any reason, people were not counted, it was not too late to be counted. Jeraha added that ensuring everyone in Bougainville is counted is very important not only for the national government but also for the Autonomous Bougainville Government as it prepares its people for the upcoming vote for referendum of independence or autonomy in 2015. He said the data collected in the region would go along way in assisting the Bougainville government properly plan and implement its projects in boosting the economy in the region.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BOUGAINVILLE CENSUS CONTINUES By ML
COUNTING in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville is expected to end next week says Bougainville provincial census coordinator Joseph Jeraha. Mr Jeraha said overall, Bougainville census team have done well, with 97% of their data collection completed. He said they had 13 districts to cover of which counting at Bana, Siwai, Wisai and Nissan were completed yesterday. He added that cooperation from the public has been very good and he especially thank the people of Bana, Wisai and Siwai for an incident free counting. He added that officers involved in counting at Torokina have now progressed into quality checks on their data collected. Mr. Jeraha also said his officers are now in the process of collecting data from Panguna, Arawa, Kieta and the atolls districts, having left Buka town this afternoon and he anticipates counting to be completed by next week.
21.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
CENSUS PADS ARRIVE ON TIME By ML
Much needed additional census materials were dispatched to areas in South Bougainville and the atolls immediately upon their arrival in Buka, yesterday said Bougainville provincial census coordinator Joseph Jeraha. Jeraha said the materials mostly comprising census pads arrived just in time to be loaded onto vessel MV Andreas that left for the atolls yesterday afternoon on a six day journey carrying on board interviewers and supervisors. The dispatch of materials from Port Moresby were delayed by a day this week when the PNG Defence Force aircraft CASA was directed to offload its cargo at Tokua airport, Rabaul on Tuesday instead of delivering it at Buka airport. The redirecting of the PNG Defence Force aircraft to Bougainville’s nearest airport being Tokua airport, follows the 2003 Bougainville Peace Agreement signed between PNG and Bougainville that included the movement of PNG military into Bougainville. Jeraha who also thanked ABG for its quick directive also assured that the delivery of the census materials a day later would not affect the progress of counting in Bougainville which is likely to end next week.
21.07.2011
Source: ESBC
ESBC Board Meets BCL Chairman Peter R. Taylor in London.
ESBC Vice President Corinna Pattijn und ESBC President Axel G. Sturm will meet Bougainville Copper Chairman Peter R. Taylor and Rio Tinto Copper experts on Monday, September 19th, 2011 at the Rio Tinto Headquarters in London. Axel G. Sturm expects a good in-depth discussion and a fruitful start into a more intensive cooperation with BCL and Rio Tinto in the future.
ESBC Vorstand trifft Bougainville Copper Chef Peter R. Taylor in London.
Am 19, September diesen Jahres werden sich ESBC Vizepräsidentin Corinna Pattijn und ESBC Präsident Axel G. Sturm mit dem Vorstandsvorsitzenden von Bougainville Copper und einigen Experten von Rio Tinto Copper in der Londoner Rio Tinto Konzernzentrale treffen. Axel G. Sturm erwartet von diesem Meeting gute informative Gespräche sowie eine Intensivierung der zukünftigen Zusammenarbeit zwischen Rio Tinto, Bougainville Copper und den ESBC.
21.07.2011 Source: The National
Panguna stakeholders bury hatchet By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
A recent gathering of Panguna stakeholders resolved to establish a binding solution for peace and unity for its people. It ended with participants signing a joint resolution called the Panguna stakeholders’ Hahela understanding. Witnessed by Autonomous Bougainville Government Minister for Peace and Reconciliation Newton Kauva, the resolution covered consensus by all parties to work in partnership through a consultative process to resolve the Panguna conflict, including addressing the issue of compensation and achieving peace, development and security. Among other decisions, the participating stakeholders agreed to recognise and reaffirm all formal resolutions including, Panguna communiqué, Tunuru resolution, Panguna (Ex-combatants/MDF) resolution and Buka Mekamui MoU (2009). The parties to the signing included the Autonomous Bougainville government, the Mekamui government, the Mekamui government of unity, Panguna mine landowners, women in mining affected area, Bougainville Women’s Federation, ex-combatants, the Mekamui Defence Force, the Council of elders, Council of chiefs, Panguna district administration, Buka-based Panguna elites and the constituency members of Ioro, Bolave, Lato, Eivo-Torau, Torokina and Baba.
21.07.2011 Source: The National
Atoi highlights goals to achieve before polls By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
NORTH Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi is focused on fulfilling his planned development priorities in his electorate before the general election next year. Atoi made the reassurance on his arrival at Buka Airport yesterday. Revealing his list of priorities to a small welcome party of Bougainville government ministers, administration officers and chiefs of the North Bougainville council of elders, Atoi said education, food security and development of small community impact projects were at the top of his list. “We should invest a lot into education assistance; there are plenty of donor agencies wanting to help.” “Food security is an issue we need to address. I will work closely with local leaders to establish long-term plans of sustaining our atolls and eradicate the problem of us having to ask for funds every time we need to feed ourselves,” Atoi said. He said he had successfully secured close to K3.5 million which a Joint Budget Planning Committee would be meeting this week in Buka to prioritise allocation of. Other high priority areas the newly-elected MP said included improving health, supporting women, youth and church projects and water and sanitation. “With the water and sanitation project, it is still my highest priority, however the cost of this project is more than the allocated funds I have in my DSIP so I have put through a project submission for direct funding from the supplementary budget,” Atoi said.
20.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
‘Development must not harm environment’ By ESTELLA CHEUNG
DEVELOPMENT does not need to occur at the expense of harming the environment. This was the message in the opening remarks by President of the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum, Dr Ila Temu yesterday at the PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Environment Seminar. Dr Temu said one key issue in terms of the mining and petroleum industry both within PNG and the world over is the challenge between the development needs of a the people of that country and the responsibility associated with making sure that, that is done not at the expense of degrading the environment. “Development does not need to occur at the expense of harming the environment,” Dr Temu said. He said that with today’s technology and available knowledge, there was no need for a ‘zero-sum’ game, but a ‘win-win’ game. “Yes, we can have development and at the same time ensure that the negative impacts that are generated by that development are mitigated to an extent where it becomes a win-win for all the stakeholders. That is the challenge for us as in the industry in this country,” Dr Temu said. The PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum Environment Seminar, was held yesterday at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Port Moresby. More than 100 people from various mining companies, environmental groups, non-governmental groups, landowners and other interested members of the public attended. The seminar opened with various topics including the government’s stance and actions on environment conservation in the country and topics and issues on environment management systems and community consultation. The afternoon sessions focused on agriculture partnerships for sustainable development and rehabilitation and mine closure. Today is the last day of the seminar and topics will include, waste rock and tailings management, river and lake environment studies, offshore studies and others.
20.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
PNG miners will try to minimise environmental impact
Papua New Guinea's mining and petroleum developers say they aim to minimise the negative social and environmental impacts their operations have on the country.
Australian and other foreign companies involved in these resources in PNG, have often been accused of environmentally destructive waste disposal practices they would not do in their own countries.
The Chamber of Mines and Petroleum says any mining or petroleum operation will have a direct environmental impact on people's lives.
Executive Director Greg Anderson says it's in consultation with the government to review the country's Mining Act and the Environmental Policy to suit the changes in the industry.
He says the industry has also agreed in principal with the government to include a Mine Closure Plan as part of the application process before a mining license is granted.
Presenter: Firmin Nanol Speaker: Greg Anderson, Executive Director, PNG Chamber of Mines and Petroleum
ANDERSON: We have a world standard environment act and people are aiming for world class standards in all our projects. It's as you point out there's always some trade off in doing a major development in a country such as PNG which is high rainfall and very steep topography. There's always some impacts when you create or build anything. There's always a certain amount of disturbance and it's very hard to control at 100 per cent. But of courses we strive to maintain the international standards, we strive from one project to do, moving onto the next and the lessons learnt and we're always moving forward. But we are an international industry and we are aim for international standards.
NANOL: At the end of this two day conference or meeting, what is the industry thinking of coming up with as far as their operations are concerned in terms of environmental impacts on environment by the operations of the mining companies?
ANDERSON: The idea wasn't to come out with a manifesto or something on particular environment issues or something. The idea is what you're describing, a cross fertilisation, bringing everybody together to hear how others are dealing with the problems we face, how others have got new initiatives that they're trying or have already got on the ground going that others can learn from and indeed utilise, and there's some wonderful things going, particularly say in agricultural, but in agricultural partnerships and working in social side. There's also mitigation methods that people are using in the physical side that need to be explored and discussed and for people to hear about them, so that's what it's principally about, yes.
NANOL: What is the industry's view on review of the mining laws and in terms in as far as environmental regulations is concerned and also the National Maritime Safety authority's new bill on mining pollution. Is that something the industry had an input in or it's something new and how is that going to have some sort of impact on their operations?
ANDERSON: Yeah well, the National Maritime laws which are bringing us really into parallel with the International Maritime Organisation laws etc. We work very closely with national marine on that and we were very grateful for the consultation process that took place and those laws are completed and now waiting to go before parliament and we very much applaud that initiative. With mining act, there's reviews going on at various mining legislation and we're part of that consultation process too and that has areas bringing our mining laws update, because there are aspects of the mining act, for instance of 1992. It's a good act, but it needs to be updated, because times change, of course, and some of those are environmental issues, so mine closure, which is social and physical matter, so part of its dealt in the mining act part and the environment act part. So these type of initiatives we're in consultation with.
NANOL: The mine closure plan should be part and parcel of the application for a mining permit or license, but is that something new?
ANDERSON: Well, we saw in discussion on that and the idea would be that you'd have conception mine plan in your initial mine plan as you say so that there's a concept at how you're going to close it at the very beginning and some sort of costing on it. So that is a new trend and it is bringing us into line with international situation. Of course, it varies enormously, because some projects can be 30 years life and some can be ten, and so but, of course, all of our current projects are doing mine closure planning and Ok Tedi's done an enormous amount of work and this is another one of the things to bring us in line with all international standing and we applaud that process.
20.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Students learn libraries’ importance
MORE than 4000 schools in Bougainville should at least have in place an established library and resources to cater for its students by end of this year. Staff from the advisory branch of the Office of Libraries and Archives of the National Library Service, recently spent three weeks carrying out awareness throughout the region on the importance of establishing libraries in schools and the need to improve existing libraries. Facilitator Mary Warus, who is also library adviser to the National Library of PNG said the National Library Service (NLS) would also be providing library grants in 2011 under its K11 million Library Development Project allocated by the National Government through the Department of Education.
20.07.2011 Source: The National
City students learn about Bougainville
THE national coordination office for Bougainville Affairs has been distributing information on weapons disposal to schools in Port Moresby since July 11. The delivery of information is to get the younger generation to understand the political situation in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. It is designed to give Bougainvilleans living in the city a clear picture of what is happening on the island. Weapons disposal is the third pillar of the Bougainville Peace Agreement. NCOBA has issued 1,000 copies of its newsletter, Voice of Peace and 2,000 pamphlets titled Brukim Gan. “Caritas Technical Secondary School and Port Moresby National High School were among the schools in the city which gave a positive feedback on the contents of the booklets,” acting communications manager for NCOBA Terrence Mose said. He said the history of Bougainville crisis was a lesson for the younger generation to learn from and to make important decisions in the future for the betterment of civil society.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
EDUCATION TOPS PRIORITY LIST By Tom Kathoa
The Member for North Bougainville, Hon Lauta Atoi has placed the education of children as top priority number one. Speaking to reporters upon his return from attending parliament session, Member Atoi said it is very important that Bougainvillean children get the best education they deserve from the government of the day. He said he has decided to make education his number one priority because it is through and educated population that the region can move forward to achieving its objectives. The member said he would be holding talks with the ABG government, education officials and other stakeholders on how best to achieve this. He said apart from other major impact projects and programs, he rates education as the most important area to address. The Member for North Bougainville said water and sanitation is also high on his agenda.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
HAPPY RETURN By Tom Kathoa
A small crowd of people greeted the arrival of the Member for North Bougainville, Hon Lauta Atoi with a traditional welcome at the Buka Airport this morning. Among the crowd was a one time Member of Parliament, Grand Chief Sir Donatus Mola, ABG Members Hon John Tabinaman and Robert Hamal Sawa, the Chief Administrator, Mr. Lawrence Disin government officials and a number of chiefs and supporters. The return of Mr. Atoi to Bougainville is his first since his by-election victory in June this year. In welcoming Mr. Atoi, ABG Education Minister, Hon John Tabinaman said the people of North Bougainville are waiting to see the member deliver service to them. Mr. Tabinaman has assured the Member that the ABG Government would work closely with him to ensure government services get to the rural majority. Meanwhile, Member Atoi said he would like to as soon as possible get the ball rolling by meeting with the authorities to map out projects to be implemented for the benefit of the voters. This weekend he would be visiting some areas within his electorate starting with Buka District.
Autonomous Bougainville Government ministers John Tabinaman (left) and Robert Sawa ( right) were part of a small crowd of officials to welcome home newly elect North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi (centre).
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Kehali on roads By JOYCE TOHUI
A local businessman in Bougainville, LEO KEHALI is calling on the ABG Government to fast- track the upgrading and maintenance work on the Buka town roads. MR KEHALI said the Buka town roads are falling apart affecting businesses and the people of Bougainville are having difficulty with the roads current situation. He said fingers are pointing to the Buka urban council to fix the roads but having been the former Town Mayor; requests for funds in the past years have fallen to deaf ears. He added the upgrading and maintenance of roads needs a lot of money and the Town Authority should not be blamed for the roads bad condition. He said recently he heard the ABG Minister for works; CAROLUS KETSIMUR said there were funds available to fix the roads and questioned why the work has not started yet. MR KEHALI said he sympathized with businesses operating in Buka Town because the government has overlooked the need of upgrading these roads for a very long time. He also said the back road in Buka Town was constructed by the Buka Enterprise with its own money but now it is a government asset because the road is used by the public. MR KEHALI added Buka Town was built with sweat by Bougainvilleans going into business to develop the town and the government is not doing enough to develop the town. However, he challenged the current government to take into account his concerns and act quickly to fix the roads to benefit the people.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Mayor thanked vets By JOYCE TOHUI
The BUKA Town Mayor, KAUT KAVOP in thanking the vets said that the service they provided within the one week it is one issue that came into light. Speaking at the farewell dinner, MR KAVOP said that after the Bougainville crisis and in the peak of the restoration period, this was one idea to start something like RSPCA in Bougainville because there were a lot of stray dogs within the town boundaries. He thanked the vets for their voluntary service to Bougainville saying it was an eye opener and it is something that will get their minds together as the service is a concerned in Bougainville. He assured them that with the support from the BUKA urban council’s officers and the BUKA hospital, they can work together to map out this kind of program service here in Bougainville. MR KAVOP said that the presence of the vets in Bougainville is the beginning of a much bigger network in this kind of service as they have just revived RSPCA in Bougainville. However the Town Mayor said that the knowledge that they have equipped their staffs will be utilized and what the vets have started will be a way forward for the BUKA urban council to take on this kind of service as they did in ARAWA in the past.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Onsa frustrated By JOYCE TOHUI
A Bougainville Businessman who is very vocal on the developments occurring in Bougainville, HENRY ONSA is frustrated over the slowness to kick start the Kokopau to Arawa road-sealing project. MR ONSA said the National MPs did the ground breaking ceremony at Kokopau and partied over it and yet no work has started. He questioned the delay to the project and wants to know where the K20 million earmarked for this project is. He added there are many projects in Bougainville still hanging loose and yet leaders do not consider these problems. He is calling on the National government and the ABG government to look into these matters and fast-track the situation. MR ONSA said the people of Bougainville are longing for such services and they must not be fooled. He called on the people of Bougainville to speak up for their rights and not let the government walk over them. He said since the ABG government has no oppositions to oppose its decisions, we the people must be the oppositions.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Lauta arrives By JOYCE TOHUI
The newly elected member for North Bougainville, LAUTA ATOI today arrived in Bougainville for its first official appearance as the sworn in Member for North Bougainville in the National parliament. He was met at the Buka airport by the ABG Ministers and members and government officials and was given a traditional welcome by the ieta group. In his welcome remarks, ABG Minister for Education, John Tabinaman assured MR ATOI of the ABG’s government support and urged him to work closely with all the levels of governments in Bougainville. MR TABINAMAN said he believed the people of North Bougainville are happy for him as their representative in the National parliament and requests for MR ATOI to pay visits to constituencies in his electorate. In his response, MR ATOI said he is prepared to visit his constituencies and see his people and gauge their views on the current situations they are faced with. He also requests for his people to be patient and assured them that within the six months period in office they will see some real developments. However, he said that there are long and short term developments to look at and according to funds available he will prioritize what to really benefit his people right now.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BUC Farewells vet By JOYCE TOHUI
An Australian vet, MICHELLE BINGLEY with assistant vet nurse a pathologist, JUSTIN LAUDERDALE were farewelled at a small gathering at HANIS INN. BUKA urban council hosted the farewell dinner to thank the vets for spending time in Bougainville in treating animals and teaching pet owners on ways to take care of their pet animals. MS BINGLEY told the gathering that it was a real eye opener coming here and very challenging to treat animals as animals in Bougainville are treated much differently from Australia. She said about sixty dogs were treated and thanked the people of Bougainville in taking part in the project especially for the good of their pets. She believed in the future more animals will be treated and she will try to get more volunteers from Australia to come and help in order to keep the project going.
20.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NATIONAL COURT ENDS By Aloysius Laukai in Tinputz
The first National Court Sitting in Tinputz today ended in style with the Judge, JUSTICE JOHN KAWI jailing two National Court staff for contempt of Court. Yesterday the court sentenced two men to jail one to TWENTY YEARS whilst the other was sentenced to four years. They will serve their sentence at the BEKUT JAIL outside of Buka town. The sitting this morning ended when the presiding judge, JUSTICE JOHN KAWI found out that the court recorder MR. CHARLIE KOGORA did not arrive in Tinputz with the Court recording equipment. He then ordered that MR. KOGORA be immediately apprehended and jailed at the Bekut jail until he appears before Justice John Kawi at the Buka National Court next Friday for contempt of court. The court also ordered that the director of Court Recording Services, MS PAVORA also appear to JUSTICE JOHN KAWI in Buka next Friday also for contempt of court as her staff did not provide the Recorder to Tinputz on time. The National court sitting resume on Friday in Arawa.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TINPUTZ TOP By Tom Kathoa
Little known Tinputz District in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville was the first district to have established Local Level Government during the colonial era.
Prior to Papua New Guinea gaining independence, the government system in place was the Local Government Councils with their elected leaders known as councilors.
Tinputz C.O.E. Chairman, Peter Reviri said the Tinputz district was the first in the country to have an LLG known as Teop/Tinputz Local Government Council.
At present Tinputz have the largest C.O.E covering two constituencies, Taunita/Tinputz and Taunita/Teop.
All these two COEs are headed by one Chairman who operates out of the Tinputz Office.
Chairman Reviri revealed this during a meeting with a judge of the National Court, Justice John Kawi last night.
Justice Kawi is in Tinputz hearing national court cases there for the first time in the court’s history.
Mr. Reviri told the judge and his party that Tinputz is not that bad as portrayed by the media.
He said law and order has improved very much with the deployment of regular and auxiliary police in the area.
And, he has assured them of a safe stay in the district.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
YOU’RE FRONT LINE By Tom Kathoa
Bougainville police have again been reminded of their responsibility as law enforcers in the community.
They have been told that as front line law enforcers, they must conduct themselves in a manner acceptable to the community.
Visiting National Court Judge, Justice John Kawi told a police guard of honor that police men and women are the front line law officers.
And as such they must be neat, presentable and honest, be punctual and serve the community with honesty.
The courts and the C.I.S officers are the last line of people to carryout and complete the job started by the police in arresting offenders.
Justice Kawi told police men and women that he shares their hardships in terms of proper accommodation, uniform and transport, but the problem is not only confined to the police department.
He said housing is a problem faced by all government departments, but this should not be used as an excuse not to perform their duty to the state.
The judge commended the small police contingent in Tinputz for putting up a good show.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
KOT ENTERS TINPUTZ By Tom Kathoa
People of Tinputz District in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville charged with serious crimes that attract the attention of the national court will not be required to travel long distance to face the courts.
The national court will in future conduct its hearing in Tinputz according to a Judge of the National Court, Justice John Kawi.
Mr. Kawi who is conducting the first National Court hearing at Tinputz this week said this is the start of a lasting arrangement for national court cases to be held at Tinputz.
Judge Kawi said Tinputz and Arawa will now be included in the national court’s calendar allowing judges to conduct court hearing at these two centers including Buka.
Justice Kawi told a small crowd during a welcome ceremony yesterday that judges will spend one week in each of these centers.
After Tinputz, the judge and his team would move to Arawa next week to hear national court matters in that area.
He said Buin would be included in the program once the situation there is contained.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Tinputz C.O.E., Mr. Peter Reviri said he is pleased that the Justice Department has recognized the need to hold national court cases at Tinputz.
Mr. Reviri said he first raised the matter with another judge, Justice Sao Gabi and is happy that his call has been answered.
The national court sitting in Tinputz is the first for a rural district to host a national court hearing.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
CENSUS 2011 BY ALOYSIUS LAUKAI/ML
Censuses in the three wards in the TINPUTZ area have been completed.
MR LAUKAI met the Census Officers in TINPUTZ this morning taking the last names of people in the area.
The Team Supervisor, MR SAMUEL HEPIP told NEW DAWN FM that they have completed the TINPUTZ area.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
PACIFIC TO BENEFIT By Aloysius Laukai
Nine Pacific small island states most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change will benefit from a new climate resilience project (worth €11.4 million) funded by the European Union (EU) and to be implemented by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) over the next four years.
The project, entitled Increasing Climate Resilience of Pacific Small Islands States through the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) will support the governments of nine Pacific countries, namely Cook Islands, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Tonga and Tuvalu, in their efforts to tackle the adverse effects of climate change. These countries have been selected because of their particular vulnerability, linked to their size and geophysical characteristics.
The project will promote the development of long term strategies and approaches to adaptation planning and it will pave the way for more effective and coordinated aid delivery on climate change at the national and regional level.
Pacific small island states presently have limited capacity to clearly articulate detailed adaptation strategies and successfully mainstream climate change aspects into their national and sector response strategies. They also lack the capacity to identify priority investment plans and timelines to respond to projected impacts in the key sectors vulnerable to climate change.
The project will therefore assist countries to develop more detailed climate change response strategies and investment plans and to integrate these into consistent overarching national climate change response frameworks. In addition, the project will also provide assistance to countries to help identify, design and implement practical on-ground climate change adaptation activities, in accordance with their established priorities. At least one concrete adaptation project will be implemented in each of the nine countries.
At regional level, the project will strengthen the capacity of key regional organisations to deliver climate change related scientific, technical and information services to countries (for example, through the development of analytical tools and information exchange mechanisms) and it will reinforce regional mechanisms to better coordinate the flow of climate change funding in the Pacific. The Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) will play an important role in this regard.
The project was officially launched today by Ms Fiona Ramsey, Chargée d'Affaires a.i. of the Delegation of the European Union for the Pacific and SPC Director-General Dr Jimmie Rodgers.
‘With the billions that have been pledged globally for climate change adaptation and mitigation, this project will position Pacific small island states to access these funds and use them to ensure outcomes that meet their people’s needs,’ said Dr Rodgers.
‘The project will help countries put in place climate change programmes and management arrangements that enable them to effectively absorb the increased flows of climate change finance that will be required to meet the future adaptation challenges they face.’
The project is funded in the framework of the Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA). The project will also help translate into action and take forward the objectives of the Pacific-EU Joint Initiative on Climate Change.
This Pacific-EU Joint Initiative on Climate Change aims to enhance the political dialogue on climate change between the EU and the Pacific region, in view of developing common understanding and joint responses in the international debate whenever possible. It also aims to improve the effectiveness of cooperation on climate change issues in the Pacific region and mobilise funding from the EU and other international partners for climate change response in Pacific Island countries.
The project is consistent with the objectives of the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC).
EU is made up of 27 member states who have decided to gradually link together their know-how, resources and destinies. Together, during a period of enlargement of 50 years, they have built a zone of stability, democracy and sustainable development whilst maintaining cultural diversity, tolerance and individual freedoms. The European Union is committed to sharing its achievements and its values with countries and peoples beyond its borders.
SPC is a Pacific-based intergovernmental organisation that assists the Pacific Island countries and territories by delivering a wide range of technical, research, educational and planning services. It has 26 members comprising 22 Pacific Island countries and territories and four metropolitan members: Australia, France, New Zealand and the United States of America.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TOTOBU ON CULTURE By Aloysius Laukai
A cultural group leader from Kupon in Nagovis says that revitalization of cultural music and dances was good for Bougainville’s identity.
MR. MICHAEL TOTOBU who led a team from Nagovis to the REEDS FESTIVAL in Kieta told New Dawn FM from Nagovis that it was good to teach the young generations to practice these music and dances.
He said that the people of Nagovis would be organizing a similar festival for their district in two months time in preparation for another festival that would be held in the Wakunai district later this year.
MR. TOTOBU said that those selected from the Nagovis festival would then represent the people of Nagovis at the Wakunai festival.
The Nagovis group acted a traditional wedding ceremony continuing to a final feast to end mourning for a death.
New Dawn FM has documented this year’s Reeds Festival on DVD for the Reeds Festival Committee.
19.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NATIONAL COURT IN TINPUTZ By Aloysius Laukai
The National Court will for the first time have one of its court circuits in Tinputz starting tomorrow.
Justice JOHN KAWI will hear four cases in Tinputz starting tomorrow and will continue to Arawa on Friday.
He will hear National Court cases in Arawa starting Monday next week.
Justice John Kawi last year heard cases for the first time in Arawa which has also paved the way for more National court circuits to be heard in Arawa and mainland Bougainville as a whole.
The cases in Arawa were long time and outstanding cases all the way from Buin and Siwai in South Bougainville.
Witnesses told New Dawn FM news in Arawa, that it was easy for the National Court to hear cases in places like Arawa as the people from Buin in South Bougainville usually find it difficult to go all the way to Buka.
Also this also helped the Police personnel in transporting remandees and witnesses to the National Court in Buka.
19.07.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
TINPUTZ CONVICTED By Aloysius Laukai
The National Court sitting for the first time in Tinputz district, Bougainville has today sentenced BENSON SIVORO of VANAGU village Tinputz to twenty years with hard labour for sexually penetrating a young girl under the age of sixteen years. In announcing the sentence, presiding Judge, JUSTICE JOHN KAWI suspended four years taking into account, the mitigating factors operating in his favour. He will now serve 16 years jail at the Bekut Jail outside Buka town. The court heard that the accused had sexual intercourse with his 15 year old step daughter who was aged about 16 years. In making his judgement, Justice John Kawi said that the offence of sexual penetration of a girl under the age of 16 years committed by a 40 years old man constitutes to a serious breach of trust authority and dependency that it calls for an immediate deterrent custodial sentence. The National Court sitting in Tinputz today heard four cases all involving sexual penetration of minors by more older men in the communities.
Picture of the temporary National Court House in Tinputz Pictured is Judge John Kawi and Associate Boskey Horta
Picture of Judge John Kawi inspecting Tinputz Police Guard of Honour this morning. Pictures: Aloysius Laukai in Tinputz
Picture of Tinputz Police at this mornings parade
19.07.2011
Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Census 2011 By Aloysius Laukai in Tinputz
Census update in three wards in the Tinputz area have been completed. I met Census officers in Tinputz this morning taking the last names of people in the area. Team Supervisor Samuel Hepip (centre) told New Dawn FM that they have completed Tinputz. He is pictured here with Interviewers,Lynna Vaeviri (left) and Titus Laman
19.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville inter-district reconciliation set
Central and South Bougainville to bury the past in island’s first peace ceremony involving two districts
By PETERSON TSERAHA
THE first ever inter-district reconciliation is now set, between central and South Bougainville, particularly Koianu in central and Oria in South. The two areas share the border of central and south Bougainville on the east coast of the island, in which fierce fighting took place during the crisis. Fear still grips them up to this day, especially mothers are not free to walk around even today. The plans for the proposed reconciliation came about when the Central Bougainville parliamentary select committee carried out an awareness campaign in the Koianu area last month. Last week Tuesday, the committee went back to meet with the community up in Beresinau village. The team was led again by chairman and member for Eivo/Torau Melchior Dare, and was made up of his deputy and member for South Nasioi John Ken, regional peace reconciliation and weapons disposal officer Jude Arriss, projects officer Dorcas Awasi and consultant for the peace office Aaron Peter, veterans officer Atua Tehana, Kieta District executive manager Lucy Traverts and the Koianu peace liaison officer Tony Bovora . The delegation went in to assess the impact of the awareness and to meet with the Koianu peace committee. Mr Ken stressed the importance of the reconciliation, and said he was happy with the initiative of the people of Koianu about their desire for lasting peace, especially with the people of Oria. The whole Koianu community was present, including former combatants (veterans) peace stee-ring committee, women, chief youths and church elders. The meeting was a success and was applauded by all who attended. The Autonomous Bougainville Government was challenged by the Koianu peace steering committee chairman Moses Siparu to continue to support with funds. The meeting resolved that both sides are ready for the long awaited peace for Koianu and Oria. The next stage of the process will involve a meeting between the Koianu and Oria peace committees to work on cases to prepare both sides to get ready and both communities to prepare cultural obligations towards the peace and reconciliation.
18.07.2011 Source: ESBC
Schreiben der ESBC an die deutsche Zentralstaatsanwaltschaft für Wirtschaftsdelikte
An die Abteilung für Wirtschaftskriminalität Staatsanwaltschaft Mannheim
Betr.: Verdacht auf fortgesetzte organisierte strafbare Handlungen nach §263 StGB in Zusammenhang mit dem Handel von Aktien der Bougainville Copper Limited (ISIN : PG0008526520)
Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren,
als Präsident der European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper vertrete ich eine große Anzahl von Aktionären aus Deutschland. Insgesamt vertrete ich 14 Millionen von insgesamt etwas über 400 Millionen Aktien.
In den letzten Jahren haben einige unserer Mitglieder versucht, so auch ich, einen Eintrag in das Aktionärsregister unseres Unternehmens zu erwirken. Bedauerlicherweise fast in allen Fällen ohne Erfolg. Hintergrund unserer Bemühungen ist es, auf diesem Wege zu verhindern, dass unsere Aktien von den Lagerstellen, bzw. Nominee-Banken an Leerverkäufer verliehen werden.
Unser Begehren wurde seitens der die Depots haltenden Institute stets mit dem Hinweis, dies sei nicht möglich, abschlägig beschieden.
Erstaunlicherweise ist es kürzlich einem Mitaktionär dennoch gelungen, seine Aktien gegen den Widerstand seiner Bank in das Aktionärsregister der Bougainville Copper Limited (Heimatbörse Sydney) eintragen zu lassen. Dies legt den dringenden Verdacht nahe, dass deutsche Banken diese Dienstleistung verweigern, um in Kooperation mit den Lagerstellen bzw. Nomineebanken ein einträgliches Zusatzgeschäft zu generieren, an dem sie die Aktienbesitzer nicht teilhaben lassen wollen.
Diese Vermutung liegt nahe, da nämlich unlängst einem unserer Mitglieder – vollkommen korrekt - angetragen wurde, seine Aktien zum Verleih freizugeben, wobei ihm eine Rendite von 2% per Anno in Aussicht gestellt wurde.
Sollte es sich bewahrheiten, dass die Depot haltenden Banken ihren Kunden mögliche Erträge, die durch den Verleih der jeweiligen Aktien generiert werden können oder sogar tatsächlich generiert werden, vorenthalten werden, ist meines Erachtens nach der in § 263 StGB beschriebene Tatbestand erfüllt.
Dies gilt umso mehr, wie in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, vor vielen Jahren ein sogenanntes American Deposit Receipt (ADR) emittiert wurde, das vertraulichen Informationen zufolge widerrechtlich nur zu etwa 30% mit Aktien unterlegt war. Die ADR Richtlinien sehen indes vor, dass für jedes ADR auch eine Aktie hinterlegt sein muss. Beteiligt an der Emission dieser ADRs waren nach unseren Informationen die Bank of New York Mellon, die Citibank, J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, eventuell Lehman Bros. und als einzige europäische Bank: die Deutsche Bank AG. Im Sommer 2009 wurde das ADR Programm in Bougainville Copper quasi über Nacht eingestellt. Vorhandene Restaktienbestände wurden ab Frühjahr 2010 in den Markt ab verkauft, was einen empfindlichen Kurseinbruch bei Bougainville Copper Aktien zur Folge hatte.
Derzeit sehen wir uns trotz hervorragender Nachrichten zu unserem Unternehmen wieder einmal massiven Marktmanipulationen ausgesetzt, die vor allem in Sydney, auf algorithmischem Aktienhandel basieren. Dies ist allerdings nur dann möglich, wenn große Aktienpakete Marktteilnehmern zur Ausleihe zur Verfügung gestellt werden, um damit quasi Leerverkäufe zu ermöglichen. Es ist wohl auszuschließen, dass einer der beiden Hauptaktionäre, Rio Tinto oder der Staat Papua Neuguinea, den Verleihemarkt befeuern. Verbleiben also nur noch die Nomineebanken bzw. die großen Lagerstellen wie etwa Computershare Australia, die Bank of New York Mellon oder aber die Tochter der Deutsche Börse AG, Clearstream, als Initiatoren dieses Schattengeschäfts.
Wir gehen davon aus, dass dies sehr wohl mit Wissen und im Auftrag der Depots haltenden Institute geschieht.
Unser Unternehmen, die Bougainville Copper Limited, ist mit etwa 400 Millionen Aktien ein kleiner Fisch. Sollte sich aber unser Verdacht erhärten und sollten weitere Anleger in anderen Unternehmen ebenfalls von solchen Geschäften betroffen sein, bei denen ihre Aktien ohne ihr Wissen und/oder ohne ihre ausdrückliche Zustimmung verliehen werden, sodann eröffnet sich ein ganz anderes Bild: Unseres Erachtens nach wäre das ein gigantischer Betrug am ahnungslosen Privatinvestor.
Bitte, teilen Sie mir mit, ob Sie sich dieser Angelegenheit annehmen können und – wenn ja – mit welchen Informationen ich Ihnen hilfreich sein kann.
Zusätzlich finden Sie auf unserer Homepage www.bougainville-copper.eu eine Fülle von Dokumenten zu unserem Unternehmen.
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Axel G. Sturm Präsident ESBC
Escaldes-Engordany, 18.07.2011
18.07.2011 Source: Islands Business
Battle intensifies over Bougainville copper
Claims that Rio Tinto funded the civil war and fostered atrocities on Bougainville are being resurrected as a hurdle to the reopening there of the copper mine, whose proven reserves are worth at least $50 billion.
BUKA, PNG (THE AUSTRALIAN) ----- Claims that Rio Tinto funded the civil war and fostered atrocities on Bougainville are being resurrected as a hurdle to the reopening there of the copper mine, whose proven reserves are worth at least $50 billion. Today the opposition to the mine is strongest overseas, especially among Australia's trade unions and non-government organisations. The Australian Greens have also joined the attacks. This is happening just as the reopening, after a full renegotiation of the terms, is winning overwhelming support on impoverished Bougainville; more than 97 per cent support it, according to Bougainville president John Momis. The day after SBS One's Dateline program about Bougainville was broadcast on June 26, the Bougainville Copper Ltd share price slumped 18 per cent. German investor Axel Sturm, possibly the company's largest individual shareholder, said "confidence in BCL, which is equated with confidence in Bougainville and its people, has been severely damaged. Months of re-polishing Bougainville's image [have] been spoiled within a few hours." The program hinged on a 10-year-old affidavit signed while he was in opposition by Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister Michael Somare, whose family announced this week that he will retire because he is seriously ill in a Singapore hospital. Somare, who was foreign minister as Bougainville lurched into civil war, signed the affidavit that claimed “the actions taken by PNG to reopen the mine were not done for any public benefit except derivatively as the money the government made in its joint venture with BCL would trickle down to benefit the PNG citizenry”. The mine provided the PNG government with about 20 per cent of its annual income when it was forced to close 22 years ago. Somare signed the affidavit that said that Rio "controlled the government" of which he was a part. It said: “BCL was directly involved in the military operations on Bougainville, and it played an active part. It supplied helicopters, which were used as gunships, the pilots, troop transportation, fuel, and troop barracks. It knew bloodshed was likely to occur because it instructed the government of PNG to reopen the mine 'by whatever means necessary'.” It said that although BCL participated in “the atrocities”, “no provision in the peace agreement addresses or resolves any civil liability or international law claim, which I understand are the issues in this litigation”. However, Rabbie Namaliu, the prime minister during the first four years of the conflict, told Inquirer that the Iroquois helicopters used by the PNG army were deployed under an agreement he signed with Australia's then-prime minister Bob Hawke in Canberra. Nicole Allmann, now living in Queensland and who watched the SBS program, said: “The four Iroquois helicopters that were given to the PNG Defence Force by Australia were operated, maintained and crewed by Heli Bougainville for the PNGDF. “I worked for Heli Bougainville during the crisis and did all of the invoicing. I invoiced the PNG Defence Force for this and not BCL.” Namaliu said that “under the state of emergency laws, the controller can command access to any logistics support he requires”. By the time the government deployed troops, BCL's staff had left Bougainville leaving vehicles behind, some of which were commandeered. “To suggest that Rio did it deliberately is factually wrong. When I heard about those claims, I thought the whole thing was rather unfair. And Sir Michael is not in a position to make any response.” But after the SBS program Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam demanded: “Rio Tinto must reveal the full extent of its involvement in the Bougainville war. And the Australian government must also explain its own role, and what it knew about the role of BCL. It's time for the whole truth behind it to be known.” Ludlam claimed that the war drove half of the population from their homes, and that “the conflict claimed 15,000 lives”. This total remains guesswork, although many did die who would have survived sickness before the war. Many additional deaths also occurred on mainland PNG because of the impact on health care of the sudden loss of government income. A report in Socialist Alternative earlier this year said “it is a sign of the madness of capitalism that Rio Tinto did not close down BCL”. The publication praised union efforts at the Rio Tinto annual meeting in Melbourne last year to oppose the mine's reopening. The union members included “a delegation of miners from Hunter Valley, maritime workers from the Victorian branch of the MUA”, and the CFMEU (Mining and Energy section). It said that “if you wondered why socialists say Australia is the major imperialist power in this region, here's your answer”, the Bougainville conflict. The BCL executive chairman Peter Taylor, who is also now president of the Australia PNG Business Council, denied the allegations made in the affidavit signed by Somare. He recently led a business delegation to Bougainville, in what was the first visit to the island by a BCL chairman for more than 20 years. Somare's affidavit is being used in a class action initiated a decade ago in California, being conducted by the famous contingency fee lawyer Steve Berman. This action, another barrier to reopening the mine, has already been struck out once, but has been reintroduced because it has become a crucial test case for the extraterritorial reach of US courts. Its original US connection was that it was backed by Alexis Holyweek Sarei, a former Catholic priest and diplomat who married an American former nun, Claire. He said that if he returned to PNG from California, where he was living, he risked "grave harm". But he did return, and a year ago was elected to the Bougainville parliament, which strongly backs the reopening. He is one of the 20 people named in the action. Lawrence Daveona, an executive member of the Panguna Landowners Association that represents the people who own the mine site, has declared the association's full support of the moves to renegotiate the Bougainville Copper Agreement, and its opposition to the court case. The case, which accuses Rio Tinto -- 53.58 per cent owner of BCL, with 19.06 per cent owned by the PNG government and 27.36 per cent by other shareholders -- of war crimes, was set up by US lawyer Paul Stocker, now 87, a friend of Somare who once lived in PNG. Stocker has said: “I can't think of anything (Rio) did that wouldn't make Adolf Hitler happy.” The case claims Bougainvilleans who worked for the mine, “all of whom were black”, operated in “slave-like” conditions. Mekere Morauta, PNG prime minister when the class action was filed, said at the time that even if successful if would not be enforceable in PNG because of the Compensation Act there. Bougainvilleans will vote within four years on whether they want to split from PNG. This heightens the stakes for the reopening of the mine, with Bougainville wishing to secure the lion's share of the revenues, and also possibly some or all of PNG's equity. The determination of BCL to reopen the mine itself, underlined by chairman Taylor, creates a formidable obstacle to potential competitors. China is the likely buyer of most of the mine product, and Chinese interests have been associated with Bougainville. Momis was formerly PNG's ambassador to China. But last weekend a group of Chinese businesspeople who had expressed an interest in investing in real estate on Bougainville were barred by landowners from visiting the mine site at Panguna. One landowner, former combatant Chris Uma, said: “We did not fight for the Chinese to come over”.
18.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Doctor urges ABG to educate people By FABIAN HAKALITS
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has been challenged to invest in education for greater autonomy developments. Dr Jerome Semos - a social scientist and Divine Word University’s Head of PNG Studies Department said this at the recent sixth ABG Day celebrations in Madang. He said education and literacy are the vehicles that would drive development in the autonomous region. “Tangible investments in education and high literacy have been the drivers of Bougainville’s successes and quality achievements in the past. Before the crisis, Bougainville had one of the highest indicators of education and literacy in PNG and Melanesia at 97 per cent,” Dr Semoso said. “By making education and literacy universal for all Bougainville children and young people; we will achieve our dream. We should do this now and leap forward with the rest of PNG and the Pacific region.” Dr Semos also said the biggest challenge for Bougainville is the rebels’ gun culture in parts of Bougainville, which must be eliminated and neutralised. He said compliance with BPA and the Rule of Law and Bougainville/PNG Constitutions by ALL Bougainvilleans, including the rebels and “criminals” should be absolute or referendum will not be conducted. He said under BPA binding requirements, PNG and international partners will not allow a referendum to be conducted in a region still ravaged by the gun-violence culture. He said Bougainville has been undermined and weakened by a so-called “small but very alarming rebel-gun culture” in small tribal/ethnic areas of South Bougainville. He said the universal efforts of peace-building and community security in North, Central and South Bougainville have been showing positive and confident signs, the long-term sustainability and efficacy of a “NO GUNS”. Dr Semos said: “The challenge of making greater autonomy to actually work starts in the hearts and minds of Bougainvilleans. “Greater autonomy starts with you and me; here and now; making things happen; helping yourselves, other people and organisations; become autonomous and self-reliant here and now. “Greater Autonomy and Self-Governance will not happen from 2015 or thereafter, that are just symbolic.” Dr Semos said that the ABG has achieved the unique greater autonomy status in PNG, encapsulated in the Bougainville Constitution. “We have achieved an efficient legislative, executive and judicial governance system based on principles and practices of transparency, accountability, good governance and the rule of law. “The Bougainville-wide peace and security and conducting a referendum from 2015 to decide whether to remain part of PNG or political independence. “Because of these successes and achievements, small-to-medium socio-economic and business activities, social services and industries are great potentials attracting huge foreign investment in a number of strategic resource sectors,” Dr Semos said. Dr Semos said BPA is a Bilateral as well as a Multilateral Agreement which Bougainville has to comply with and committed to for sustainability and efficacy. He added that national, regional and global actors are watching the Bougainville case with more than great interest.
16.07.2011 Source: Lawrence Daveona
STATEMENT REFERRING TO ROWAN CALLICKS ARTICLE IN "THE AUSTRALIAN"
by Mr. Lawrence Daveona
Secretary of the Board of the Panguna Landowner Association
I also need to support Nicole Allman's statement that "Heli Bougainville" chopper pilots were use to fly these Iroquois helicopters that were supplied by Australian Government. Heli Bougainville was a subsidiary company of Bougainville Development Corporation (BDC) the very company I was also a subsidiary company manager of another one of its companies namely, Wear Resistant Material (PNG) Pty. Ltd at the start of the crisis in 1988. We the employees of BDC at that time knew this and it was business as usual for BDC. Provide service for PNG Government raise an invoice and get paid and there was nothing that we could do under the emergency laws that were applied on the island by PNG Government.
If our Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare as an Opposition Leader at that time knew about Rio Tinto's involvement why did he not voice his concern in 1989-1991? For our PM to come up with an AFFIDAVIT in 2001 after Mr Paul Stocker had approached him to support the Class case in the US is unthinkable. Paul Stocker approached my immediate family members through his lawyer representative, Mr. Camillus Narakobi as we are principle Panguna Landowners of the Panguna mine pit area, but we refused to sign as we knew all the facts as to why the Landowner's crisis started. The whole Class case in the US Courts should be thrown out the window as far as we the Panguna Landowners are concern as it serves no purpose and for all we know it will achieved nothing and above all "Panguna Landowners are not part of it. I know where this all class case started from and to confirm this, the whole thing began as a result of a letter written to me as the Company Secretary to Panguna Landowner's company, RMTL by our company lawyers-Warner Shand Lawyers. If it was not for this letter which I gave to my cousin Francis Ona in 1997 (as a result of me being interrogated at home in Guava) when I visited him upon his request to talk about family reconciliation, this whole Class case would not have been initiated.
I know the whole story but my family and I and the majority of Panguna Landowners never supported this Class case and still NOT support it TODAY. We are sick and tired of foreigners using us for their own end while our people are still suffering. We want to move on and help our people the best way we can.
16.07.2011 Source: MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES
Returning to Bougainville's Neglected South After a Decade-long Absence
After a ten year absence, the international medical-humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has returned to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea, to assist in delivering much-needed healthcare in the remote southern region of Buin.
Since April this year, a small MSF team has been working in Buin Health Centre in southern Bougainville. Ten years after the signing of the peace agreement following what has become known as the ‘Bougainville Crisis’, the situation in terms of access to healthcare remains dire.
The crisis, a civil war beginning in 1988 and lasting ten years, caused the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of people, and also left the region’s infrastructure in tatters. Health services were severely limited, and today there is only one functioning hospital for a population of around 200,000.
Although relatively peaceful now, and despite rebuilding efforts that have taken place since the end of the conflict, the southern area of the island continues to be neglected and access to quality healthcare for the population poses substantial issues.
“If the people living in Buin need to go to a hospital, they have six hours to travel, if they are lucky. Sometimes it can take anywhere up to ten hours or more. The only hospital is in the north, on Buka Island, and to get there, it’s necessary to cross about 15 rivers and travel on roads which are not in good condition,” said Patricia Convent, Head of Mission for Médecins Sans Frontières. “There are only ten qualified doctors in the whole of Bougainville, and eight of them are in Buka. People who cannot get to this area easily are therefore left without adequate medical assistance. In an area where malaria is endemic, and where maternal mortality rates are some of the highest in the Asia Pacific region, we saw that we needed to come back.”
MSF is currently the only international NGO based permanently in this remote southern region of Bougainville. In Buin Health centre, the MSF team is working alongside the Division of Health to rehabilitate the facility, and to provide medical assistance in the outpatient, inpatient and maternity departments and laboratory, as well as improving the quality of antenatal and postnatal care. The team also works to improve the hygiene situation in the health centre, through the provision of clean water and better waste management. Due to the lack of qualified medical staff throughout Bougainville, staff training across all departments will also be a core component of the work.
The state of care for pregnant women will be one of the biggest priorities for MSF in Buin. In May, for example, approximately one in four pregnant women was classified as an emergency case.
“We received one woman from a nearby village, who was having seizures during her labour,” said Convent. “She delivered a stillborn baby and stayed two days in a coma. We are so thankful that the woman survived, but without adequate intervention, she would certainly have died. Complications arising during delivery are common in this region, mainly because of the distances women have to travel to get to a clinic.
“For this reason, we are going to be developing a ‘maternity waiting home’ so women can plan to be close to the health centre before they go into labour, instead of having to travel the long distances that they normally would. In June, we had two women who delivered on their way to the health centre, simply because they could not make it in time.”
Since teams began work in April, the number of patients coming to the health centre has increased significantly. In May alone, the medical team saw 741 patients, compared to 1,110 patients in the first three months of the year.
“These figures reflect the need for our return to Bougainville,” noted Convent. “We’ve been told by a lot of patients that they remember us from previous years, and they are happy to have us here working alongside the Division of Health to improve the healthcare situation.”
As part of its intervention in Bougainville, MSF intends to further evaluate the local health needs by conducting assessments throughout other areas in the southern region, and adapt the program to meet these needs accordingly. The team will be looking at how diseases such as tuberculosis are managed in the region, and whether the organisation can offer assistance in addressing these issues.
MSF will also maintain the capacity to respond to medical emergencies in the region, such as disease outbreaks and natural disasters. Already this year, teams were able to assist in responding to Bougainville’s first ever cholera outbreak. The outbreak, confined to Buka Island, saw 521 cases in eight weeks. MSF worked alongside the local health authorities for six weeks, setting up a ten bed cholera treatment centre and two posts to provide oral rehydration salts in Lemanmanu, one and half hours' drive north of Buka Town.
MSF first began working in Bougainville in 1992. After an intervention of approximately six months , teams returned following the Bougainville Crisis from 1998 until 2001. Following assessments carried out in 2010 which found considerable gaps in the healthcare system, the decision was made to return in 2011. In May and June, teams have carried out 1576 outpatient consultations, admitted 153 patients to the inpatient department, and delivered 48 babies.
Elsewhere in Papua New Guinea, MSF is also working In the city of Lae in Morobe province, and Tari, in the Southern Highlands province. Teams are providing care for the medical and psychological consequences of sexual and domestic violence, and also carry out trauma surgery.
16.07.2011 Source: The Australian
Battle intensifies over Bougainville copper by Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor
CLAIMS that Rio Tinto funded the civil war and fostered atrocities on Bougainville are being resurrected as a hurdle to the reopening there of the copper mine, whose proven reserves are worth at least $50 billion.
Today the opposition to the mine is strongest overseas, especially among Australia's trade unions and non-government organisations. The Australian Greens have also joined the attacks. This is happening just as the reopening, after a full renegotiation of the terms, is winning overwhelming support on impoverished Bougainville; more than 97 per cent support it, according to Bougainville president John Momis.
The day after SBS One's Dateline program about Bougainville was broadcast on June 26, the Bougainville Copper Ltd share price slumped 18 per cent.
German investor Axel Sturm, possibly the company's largest individual shareholder, said "confidence in BCL, which is equated with confidence in Bougainville and its people, has been severely damaged. Months of re-polishing Bougainville's image [have] been spoiled within a few hours."
The program hinged on a 10-year-old affidavit signed while he was in opposition by Papua New Guinea's prime minister Michael Somare, whose family announced this week that he will retire because he is seriously ill in a Singapore hospital.
Somare, who was foreign minister as Bougainville lurched into civil war, signed the affidavit that claimed "the actions taken by PNG to reopen the mine were not done for any public benefit except derivatively as the money the government made in its joint venture with BCL would trickle down to benefit the PNG citizenry".
The mine provided the PNG government with about 20 per cent of its annual income when it was forced to close 22 years ago.
Somare signed the affidavit that said that Rio "controlled the government" of which he was a part.
It said: "BCL was directly involved in the military operations on Bougainville, and it played an active part. It supplied helicopters, which were used as gunships, the pilots, troop transportation, fuel, and troop barracks. It knew bloodshed was likely to occur because it instructed the government of PNG to reopen the mine 'by whatever means necessary'."
It said that although BCL participated in "the atrocities", "no provision in the peace agreement addresses or resolves any civil liability or international law claim, which I understand are the issues in this litigation".
However, Rabbie Namaliu, the prime minister during the first four years of the conflict, told Inquirer that the Iroquois helicopters used by the PNG army were deployed under an agreement he signed with Australia's then-prime minister Bob Hawke in Canberra.
Nicole Allmann, now living in Queensland and who watched the SBS program, said: "The four Iroquois helicopters that were given to the PNG Defence Force by Australia were operated, maintained and crewed by Heli Bougainville for the PNGDF.
"I worked for Heli Bougainville during the crisis and did all of the invoicing. I invoiced the PNG Defence Force for this and not BCL."
Namaliu said that "under the state of emergency laws, the controller can command access to any logistics support he requires".
By the time the government deployed troops, BCL's staff had left Bougainville leaving vehicles behind, some of which were commandeered. "To suggest that Rio did it deliberately is factually wrong. When I heard about those claims, I thought the whole thing was rather unfair. And Sir Michael is not in a position to make any response." But after the SBS program Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam demanded: "Rio Tinto must reveal the full extent of its involvement in the Bougainville war. And the Australian government must also explain its own role, and what it knew about the role of BCL. It's time for the whole truth behind it to be known."
Ludlam claimed that the war drove half of the population from their homes, and that "the conflict claimed 15,000 lives". This total remains guesswork, although many did die who would have survived sickness before the war. Many additional deaths also occurred on mainland PNG because of the impact on health care of the sudden loss of government income.
A report in Socialist Alternative earlier this year said "it is a sign of the madness of capitalism that Rio Tinto did not close down BCL".
The publication praised union efforts at the Rio Tinto annual meeting in Melbourne last year to oppose the mine's reopening. The union members included "a delegation of miners from Hunter Valley, maritime workers from the Victorian branch of the MUA", and the CFMEU (Mining and Energy section). It said that "if you wondered why socialists say Australia is the major imperialist power in this region, here's your answer", the Bougainville conflict.
The BCL executive chairman Peter Taylor, who is also now president of the Australia PNG Business Council, denied the allegations made in the affidavit signed by Somare. He recently led a business delegation to Bougainville, in what was the first visit to the island by a BCL chairman for more than 20 years.
Somare's affidavit is being used in a class action initiated a decade ago in California, being conducted by the famous contingency fee lawyer Steve Berman.
This action, another barrier to reopening the mine, has already been struck out once, but has been reintroduced because it has become a crucial test case for the extraterritorial reach of US courts.
Its original US connection was that it was backed by Alexis Holyweek Sarei, a former Catholic priest and diplomat who married an American former nun, Claire. He said that if he returned to PNG from California, where he was living, he risked "grave harm".
But he did return, and a year ago was elected to the Bougainville parliament, which strongly backs the reopening. He is one of the 20 people named in the action.
Lawrence Daveona, an executive member of the Panguna Landowners Association that represents the people who own the mine site, has declared the association's full support of the moves to renegotiate the Bougainville Copper Agreement, and its opposition to the court case. The case, which accuses Rio Tinto -- 53.58 per cent owner of BCL, with 19.06 per cent owned by the PNG government and 27.36 per cent by other shareholders -- of war crimes, was set up by US lawyer Paul Stocker, now 87, a friend of Somare who once lived in PNG.
Stocker has said: "I can't think of anything (Rio) did that wouldn't make Adolf Hitler happy."
The case claims Bougainvilleans who worked for the mine, "all of whom were black", operated in "slave-like" conditions.
Mekere Morauta, PNG prime minister when the class action was filed, said at the time that even if successful if would not be enforceable in PNG because of the Compensation Act there.
Bougainvilleans will vote within four years on whether they want to split from PNG. This heightens the stakes for the reopening of the mine, with Bougainville wishing to secure the lion's share of the revenues, and also possibly some or all of PNG's equity.
The determination of BCL to reopen the mine itself, underlined by chairman Taylor, creates a formidable obstacle to potential competitors. China is the likely buyer of most of the mine product, and Chinese interests have been associated with Bougainville.
Momis was formerly PNG's ambassador to China.
But last weekend a group of Chinese businesspeople who had expressed an interest in investing in real estate on Bougainville were barred by landowners from visiting the mine site at Panguna.
One landowner, former combatant Chris Uma, said: "We did not fight for the Chinese to come over."
15.07.2011 Source: ESBC Research
Short sellers and security lenders should be careful now!
Unauthorzied security lending by nomminee banks made Bougainville Copper shares drop 50 percent within the last few weeks. Short seller dominated the market and traded bearish. This slump might now come to an sudden end as the more and more investors intend to sell their BOC securities at the Fair Value price level. The actual market depth references share prices up to AUD 40! The ESBC advises its members to put sell orders on a very high level. As nominee banks only can lend shares which are not for sale, it might happen that short sellers and market participants who lended shares may have to close their positions to avoid major losses or even bankruptcy."If all our members who own round about 14 million shares offer their shares for sale the lending market in Bougainville Copper shares will dry out easily!" says ESBC President Axel G. Sturm.
Leerverkäufer und Aktienverleiher sollten jetzt auf der Hut sein!
Der Markt für unautorisierte Aktienverleiher und Leerverkäufer beginnt enger zu werden.
Hier ein Blick auf das heutige Orderbuch in Sydney, das - wie Nekro formulieren würde - eine Reihe von Eisberg-Verkaufsorders enthält. Noch weigert sich der Marketmaker in Frankfurt Verkaufsorders, die weit über dem derzeitigen Kursniveau liegen, ins Orderbuch einzustellen. Ob er das noch lange durchhalten kann ist fraglich.
"Wenn nun alle ESBC Mitglieder ihre Aktien zu Phantasiepreisen zum Verkauf einstellen würden, könnte es für die Herrschaften, die uns seit langem mit ihren Spielchen ärgern, eng werden," sagt ESBC Präsident Axel G. Sturm. Allein die ESBC Mitglieder repräsentieren mehr als 14 Millionen Aktien. Das sind Dreiviertel des BOC Umsatzes weltweit im ersten halben Jahr. Bougainville Copper Investoren sehen spannenden Zeiten entgegen.
Market Depth for BOUGAINVILLE COPPER as at 10:01:09 AM Friday, July 15, 2011
BOUGAINVILLE COPPER Trade Summary - Status Last Change % Volume Trades Open High Low 1.005 0.000 0.00 0 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 Last Traded 0 @ 0 - No trades today
Nisira denies news report By FABIAN HAKALITS and Fabian Ghatana
THE vice president of Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) Patrick Nisira has denied a Post-Courier report that ABG had sold the Kopra Indastri Koporesin (KIK) owned Buka copra shed for more than K2 million to a foreign company, Pristine 101. The foreign company is interested to invest in Bougainville on downstream copra processing. Mr Nisira clarified that the shed was initially owned by the Copra Marketing Board (CMB), which changed to a new business entity-KIK. KIK however, transferred the shed to Pristine 101 Limited Copra Mill. He said the shed was bought from KIK, who before the sale, sub leased it to Coconut Products Limited (CPL). “When CPLs lease expired, the company did not want to renew its lease. KIK then put the sale of the shed on open market which Pristine 101 Limited purchased,” he said. Mr Nisira said this arrangement is legally in order with the shed now the legal property of Pristine 101 Limited. In 2006, the ABG through its former Commerce Minister, Joseph Watawi, said Mr Nisira made several attempts writing to KIK to transfer the shed ownership to the Bougainville Growers Association, however KIK never responded. He said KIK, during this period, sold a number of its properties to the Growers Association in Lae and Kavieng. “Upon learning about the sales, the Minister at that time directed the Bougainville Administration to request for the Buka copra shed to be taken over by the Bougainville Grower Association,” he said. “How can you sell a property that is not yours? The Post-Courier report does not make sense,” Mr Nisira said. He said CPL has since refused to vacate the property and the case is presently before the courts. Meanwhile, Mr Nisira said Pristine 101 Limited have offered to give shares to the people of Bougainville, especially the copra producers in the villages and their council of elders, once it is being established. He said the company recognises the ABG’s position that no investors are allowed to operate in Bougainville as a stand-alone entity. He said ABG is quite satisfied with the company’s offer, which would add value to copra and bring more money to the pockets of the village farmers. The Government however, understands that the former Leitana Council of Elders of Buka Island in 2003 also bid for ownership of the AusAID built copra shed. Moreover, the councils of elders are active partners in developing the copra and cocoa industry in the region. Mr Nisira called on this paper to check facts and do more research before publishing its stories. He has also urged Pristine 101 to clarify its position on the matter.
14.07.2011
Source: ESBC Research / Tom0001
Neck to Neck!
Australia and Germany are the leading stock markets to trade Bougainville Copper shares. While Sydney's ASX faces major problems due to aggressive algorithmic trading practices, it seems that Germany's markets are yet to be infected.
Although the ESBC repeatedly has asked the ASX to stop fraudulent market behavior, the Australian Securities Exchange seems unable or even not willing to provide regular service.
This surprises even more as Frankfurt was the major market of the fraudulent American Deposit Receipt scheme (ADR) in the past. Since this ADR scheme had been cancelled in 2009, the German stock exchange enjoys increasing turn-over in the original Bougainville Copper securities.
Except few trading days, Germany delivers a better price performance than Australia.
TURN-OVER
in Bougainville Copper Limited Securities
from January 3rd to July 14th, 2011
Stock Exchange
Quantity
Australia: Sydney (ASX)
9,412,359
Germany: Frankfurt
7,731,064
Germany: Berlin
304,170
Germany: Stuttgart
698,669
Germany: Munich
267,506
Germany: Tradegate
1,452,609
Germany (all markets):
10,454,018
Australia + Germany Total:
19,866,377
Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) securities are not traded in London and Port Moresby.
Turn-over over BCL shares in New York is irrelevant as it is too small.
14.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BDA PRAISED By Aloysius Laukai
The ABG Minister for Education, JOHN TABINAMAN has praised the National Government for creating the Border Development Authority (BDA) to improve the people’s daily livelihoods in isolated border areas. Minister John Tabinaman said that yesterday from Buka I after returning from a two weeks trip to the Atolls. “On behalf of the atoll’s people and ABG I want to thank the National Government for BDA. They (BDA) have swiftly responded to the Atoll’s people’s cries for much needed government assistance during this prolonged four month drought period. BDA were able donate K100,000 by providing their barge MV Andreas with relief supplies such as food(over 500 bags of rice and garden food such as kaukau, taro and bananas), water containers, medical and education supplies .” Mr Tabinaman added that,” we now see that BDA can come and help us within a short notice. Many times no ship in the past and the Atolls people suffer. Teachers, Health and Government Officers do not arrive in time and mobility was a problem. There was no help to ship cargos. Now people can see the Government’s hands through BDA. The people were relieved to see the barge.” Mr Tabinaman said that before ABG had to charter private ships and it was expensive. “Those ships had to meet up to their tight schedule runs and we had to cut short some of our trips. It was hard to do awareness and get to know the people’s real conditions. Besides the ships allocated were small and did not have facilities like a health room on the ship. But now with this barge we have a medical bay with medical supplies on board.” Mr Tabinaman who led an ABG team to the atolls comprising of officers from Health, Agriculture, Education, North Bougainville MP’s Office and ABG Administrations said that the people from the border areas can now have access to Government services through BDA. “Apart from delivery of these supplies, the Team also conducted medical checks and awareness on food security, disaster preparation and management etc. BDA officers also conduct awareness on the role of BDA and the people overwhelmingly heaped praises on the National Government for creating BDA.” BDA had responded after North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi appealed for assistance in the National Parliament last month saying that about 15,000 people on Nissan , Pinapel , Mortlock, Tasman , Fead and Cateret islands needed immediate relief supplies due to the drought. Meanwhile BDA shipping officers have departed for Jayapura yesterday to take delivery of the latest BDA barge MV Bougainville Atolls. This barge will be used in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. BDA already has MV Muntai, MV Ulayut, MV Manus Atolls, MV Andreas, MV Milne bay Atolls, MV Gloucester. BDA has also assisted many communities on Bougainville with fully drawn loans for Sawmills to build better houses.
14.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NISIRA ON COPRA SHED By Aloysius Laukai
ABG Vice President, PATRICK NISIRA TODAY DENIED A Post Courier report that the ABG had sold the KIK owned Buka Copra Shed for more than TWO MILLION KINA to a foreign company, PRISTINE 101 an investor interested to invest in Bougainville on downstream processing of Copra.
He said that the shed was initially owned by then COPRA MARKETING BOARD(CMB) which was changed to a new Business entity the KOPRA INSDASTRI KOPORESIN(KIK).
The Vice President said that previously KIK leased the Shed to Coconut Products Limited (CPL) but when their lease period expired the company did not renew the lease but put the shed for sale on the open market resulting in the sale to Pristine 101.
He says that the arrangement is legally in order.
MR. NISIRA further explained the ABG in 2006 through the former Minister for Commerce and Industry, JOSEPH WATAWI did make several attempts in writing to KIK to transfer ownership of the Shed to the Bougainville Growers Association but KIK never responded.
He said that KIK during this period sold a number of its properties to Growers Associations in Lae and Kavieng.
The ABG Vice President said that the ABG as a Government had nothing to do with the sale as it was a normal business transaction between KIK and Pristine 101.
He questioned how can you sell a property that is not even yours and that the Post Courier report does not make sense.
14.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
ABG cabinet approves deal JOYCE TOHUI
THE establishment of the Bougainville-China Cooperation Committee (BCCC) which was approved by the Bougainville Executive Council (BEC) was announced recently to the Bougainville House of Representatives by the ABG president chief John Momis. The committee’s responsibility in Bougainville is to support and facilitate Chinese investments in the Autonomous region of Bougainville, which followed the signing of the seven Memorandums of Understandings (MOU) between the ABG and the Shangai Chamber of Commerce, Minqing Chamber of Commerce and other companies in China last year. The Bougainville – China Cooperation (BCCC) will focus on: n developing an all round strategic partnership with China to attract Chinese investors to invest in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville on large scale and quantity basis n source and secure foreign aid from the Chinese Government n develop and facilitate social, economic, cultural and technical exchange programs between Bougainville and China npromote mutual understanding, support and friendship between the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and the Republic of China. ABG Vice President, Patrick Nisira will head the BCCC as chairman and would have a cross representation from the Bougainville community including women, former combatants and the business sector in Bougainville. The Bougainville Cabinet has directed its administration to source K300,000.00 for the initial funding of the committee. Mr Momis also said his cabinet has approved the establishment of a Bougainville import and export wholesale company to be responsible for the direct importing of goods from China and exporting of agriculture, marine and other produce from Bougainville.
14.07.2011 Source: Island Business
Bougainville’s foreign investor worry
Autonomous Bougainville Government leadership has lost touch with reality, especially when dealing with foreign investor issues in the region, Bougainville Affairs Minister Fidelis Semoso, said. Because of this, a recent business meeting chaired by Semoso agreed in principle that beginning June 8, no more foreign businesses will be allowed to operate in Buka, Bougainville, in areas like retail, transport and agriculture, wholesale, tourism and hospitality, and other reserved lists of activities. This has been endorsed by the Bougainville Executive Council. “I want to warn businesshouses who use locals as fronts to sell their stocks, that they will be dealt with. I will not allow or want to see mistakes repeated in PNG where foreigners have gone as far as selling ‘buai’ or smoke, taking away the livelihood of some 25,000 lives. Not under my leadership. We need to get our leadership right,” he said.
13.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Watawi: No ‘influence’ in sale of copra shed By GORETHY KENNETH
THE sale of the former Copra Marketing Board property in Buka was never influenced by the 2009 or former Autonomous Bougainville Government, former trade minister Joseph Watawi said. This is the copra shed and its controversial issues, published in the newspaper yesterday, which was bought by Pristine 101 co. Ltd. In response to an article in the Post-Courier yesterday, Mr Watawi accused and raised concerns in the manner in which CPL continued to block or deny copra producers of north Bougainville the opportunity to enjoy value addition on the copra commodity which for many years was neglected. “Pristine was invited by the former ABG in 2009 through the BEC decision to come and set up a copra crushing mill in Buka or somewhere in north Bougainville as there was already a government decision as well to establish a bio diesel plant in Arawa, central Bougainville,” Mr Watawi said. “Upon that invitation, Pristine Co. Ltd positively responded to the ABG invitation to come and establish the copra crushing plant and also on that note they made an offer to KIK to purchase the property for the purpose of establishing the copra mill here in Buka,” Mr Watawi said. “Pristine currently has a seven per cent PNG national ownership and was willing to offer shares to ABG however, due to lack of funds ABG was not able to buy shares in the business. The company has indicated its willingness to offer shares to the ABG and the people as part of its long term investment in Bougainville. “Pristine Co Ltd now being the legal owner and in honouring the former ABG decision in inviting them to come and set up the copra mill in Buka will go ahead and build the copra mill for the producers in north Bougainville which is likely to be commissioned next year. “Where as with CPL a 100 per cent foreign owned company listed and controlled in Malaysia does not seem to offer any other direct or indirect monetary benefits to the ABG the growers, or copra producers in north Bougainville except for dry copra buying from either licenced or unlicenced copra buyers,” Mr Watawi said.
13.07.2011 Source: The National
Border unit assists Bougainville folks
THE Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has praised the national government for creating the Border Development Authority (BDA) to improve people’s lives in isolated areas. A relieved ABG education minister John Tabinaman said yesterday from Buka, Bougainville, after returning from a two-week trip to the Atolls: “On behalf of the atolls people and ABG, I want to thank the national government for the BDA. “They (BDA) have swiftly responded to the Atolls people’s cries for much needed government assistance during this prolonged four-month drought period. “The BDA was able to donate K100,000 by providing the barge mv Andreas and relief supplies such as food (over 500 bags of rice and garden food such as kaukau, taro and bananas), water containers, medical and education supplies. “Teachers, health and government officers do not arrive in time and mobility is a problem.” Tabinaman said the ABG used to charter private ships which was an expensive exercise. “Those ships had to meet their scheduled runs and we had to cut short some of our trips. “It was hard to do awareness and get to know the real conditions people faced. “But now with this barge we have a medical bay with medical supplies on board.” Tabinaman, who led an ABG team comprising officers from health, agriculture, education, North Bougainville MP’s Office and ABG administrations to the atolls, said the people from the border areas could now have access to government services through the BDA. “Apart from delivery of these supplies, the team conducted medical checks and awareness on food security, disaster preparation and management.” The BDA responded after North Bougainville MP Lauta Atoi appealed for help in Parliament for the drought-stricken islanders. BDA shipping officers left yesterday for Jayapura, in Indonesia, to take delivery of the latest BDA barge mv Bougainville Atolls.
12.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Rebels run away By GORETHY KENNETH
POLICE are still investigating unconfirmed reports of two Me’ekamui soldiers shot in south Bougainville – one instantly dead and another seriously wounded. Reports reaching the Post-Courier detailed the shooting was done by disgruntled freedom fighters, however police reported that no confirmed reports have been received from the south. Meanwhile, a group of rebels associated with south Bougainville notorious Me’ekamui gang leader Damien Koike who ran away from the trouble seeking refuge are in Buka and have nowhere to go. The rebel hardliners said there are some in other parts of the north seeking refuge while others are in Panguna – claiming they do not want to be part of the fighting in south Bougainville. They told the Post-Courier yesterday that they wanted to seek help from the Autonomous Bougainville Government in Buka and any other non-government organisations but were advised to wait for the ex-combatant group to come back from the south so that they would be dealt with. But ABG yesterday advised they were not aware of these people but stressed that they should make their presence known so that they could be assisted. The runaway hardliners told the paper they are scared of being referred to the hands of the law and arrested and charged.
12.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Panguna LO teams up By MOHAMMAD BASHIR
A PRINCIPAL landowner leader of the Panguna mine has opted to team up with the newly established Papa Mama Graun Pati and apply the production sharing concept being propagated by the party’s president and prominent lawyer Peter Donigi. Peter Kove, whose father Mathew Kove was killed by his uncle the late Francis Ona on suspicion the former was siding with CRA, said no amount of money would fix the psychological damage done to his people. Mr Donigi’s concept of 49 per cent for land-rights holders and 51 per cent for developers concept would settle the differences among his people. “I have come to Port Moresby because I have heard so much about Peter Donigi and wanted to meet him and learn from him how we could move forward. I am looking for solutions for my people. So far, no one has come up with commitment on behalf of my people. Mr Donigi has opened my eyes to many possibilities and I think now we can move on,” he said. Mr Kove said the law must be changed before locals do business with foreign businesses. “The Donigi Plan is the only way forward. The land right holders must have 49 per cent production sharing or there will be no project. With the 49 per cent, we can settle our differences between ourselves so that we can move forward with the project. We do not have to wait for the government or foreign companies to contribute to peace making, we will settle our differences and the foreign investor must be one that is willing to enter into a production sharing contract with us, If not, we are not interested in doing any deals,” he said.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
SPEECH By Aloysius Laukai
President of the Christensen Foundation, DIANE CHRISTENSEN speaking at the ceremony yesterday. The Melanesian Program Officer Catherine Sparks watching.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
VANUATU HERE By Aloysius Laukai
A Parliamentary member and Minister for Justice in Vanuatu, RALPH REGENVENU says that Melanesia is the last frontier that the world is looking to for natural scenery and resources.
He was speaking as one of the speakers at the Reeds festival yesterday.
Minister Ralph called on the people of Bougainville to protect their land, culture and resources from foreign explotation.
He said that Melanesia like Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Solomon islands are the last places on earth were the people still have land at their own hands.
The minister said that because of their land they do not need money to buy food as these food and proteins are readily available to them.
He said this is not so in other places who have to buy for everything including water and food.
Pictured is the Minister being carried by a Wakunai Kaur group.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
MINISTER CONTRIBUTES By Aloysius Laukai
The ABG Minister for Tourism JOE EGILIO contributed ONE THOUSAND KINA to the REEDS Festival through his Ministerial staff JASON MONSON.
The minister who is receiving medical attention in Port Moresby was able to assist through his staff and also his prepared speech was read by his staff.
He said that he supported the work the late WILLIAM TAKAKU has started and it is now up to the people to continue and upgrade into a full Bougainville festival.
The Minister said that his office is pleased to support such activities that promote cultural activities and the preservation so that our future generations can also benefit from.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
REEDS A SUCCESS By Aloysius Laukai
The two-day Reeds festival that was held at Tubiana near Arawa was described as a success.
Meekamui chief CHRIS UMA said that he was happy that the celebration conclude without incident.
He told New Dawn FM that this was the main aim of the Bougainville struggle to promote the identity of Bougainville and the festival has just achieved that.
MR. UMA thanked all the people that had attended the festival and hopes to see much bigger festival in the future.
New Dawn FM estimates that more than five thousand people including the participants attended the ceremony.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
REEDS ENDS By Aloysius Laukai
The two-days Reeds festival ended just after lunch with all participants sharing 8 pigs and all the food that was hanging on the food stall since the start of the festival. According to Chief PETER GARUAI the two-day ceremony attracted seventeen groups from Inus down to Bana district.
He was speaking at the end of the celebrations this afternoon. Chief Garuai said that the first Reeds festival in 2009 attracted 13 groups and this year the numbers have increased.
MR. GARUAI also thanked all the people including overseas friends that have gathered for the festival.
The Christensen fund team returned by road to Buka where they boarded a chartered plane to Port Moresby.
MR. GARUAI urged the people to remain united and return for the next show in 2013.
Background is the Picture of the Food Stall with 8 Pigs to be shared with all participants.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Opening of huge Bougainville mine off agenda until Panguna re-united
A road map has been developed to bring reconciliation and development to the Panguna district in the central part of the main island of Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville.
It was the key outcome of a workshop in Buka last week which aimed to resolve outstanding issues around the huge Panguna copper and gold mine, which has lain idle since the start of the civil war 22 years ago.
There’s a push to re-open the mine but the workshop made clear that this question can’t be considered until the region is unified.
Former Bougainville cabinet minister, Madeleine Toroansi, says the key is bringing the various village communities together so they form a united voice.
“So the first part of that is getting the unification of Panguna landowners and those that are affected in relation to Panguna and getting them through the process of rehabilitation, through the process of reconciliation.”
Former Bougainville cabinet minister, Madeleine Toroansi.
12.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
REEDS FESTIVAL OPENS IN STYLE By Aloysius Laukai in Arawa
The second REEDS Festival started in style this morning with all participants lining up in their traditional attires to allow the sponsors of the event President of the US based Christensen Foundation, DIANE Christensen her husband and daughter plus Board members of the Foundation to walk in the middle to the stage. This was the second Reeds Festival since the first festival was held in 2009. The festival was started by the late WILLIAM TAKAKU with funding support from Christensen funds. Speakers at the Opening ceremony spoke highly of the vision the Late William had to resurrect dying cultures due to modern influences. The late Takaku wanted the Reeds festival as a mark of Bougainville’s unique style in making music with the Bamboo (kaur). The show of Bougainville’s unique styles were then displayed until late in the afternoon.
Groups stood in two lines in full traditional gear whilst the main Sponsors walked to the stage.
Picture of a Dance group ready to perform at the ceremony
11.07.2011 Source: The National
Chinese delegation visits Panguna By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
A seven-man delegation of Chinese investors visited the Panguna mine site last Wednesday. Bougainville government officials said contrary to a Post-Courier report they had not been chased away from the mine. The officials said there had been a misunderstanding with a former combatant commander that nearly led to the investors being turned away from entering the mine site. Another ex-combatant commander, Ishmael Toroama, on hearing of the delegation’s dilemma, travelled to Panguna and ensure that the investors visit was not disrupted. Toroama, in a recent ex-combatant commander’s meeting, had on behalf of former commanders in the region, expressed support for economic initiatives taken by the Autonomous Bougainville Government and had assured that the former combatants would be working in unity to boost economic growth in the region. The Bougainville government officials said the recent lot of Chinese investors were mainly interested in mining investment opportunities in the region. Another group of investors from China are expected on Wednesday, to look at investment opportunities on hydro energy resources. Their visit this week will bring close to 30 Chinese investors who have visited the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in the past two months.
11.07.2011 Source: The National
Momis predicts bright future for Bougainville By JACOB POK
PRESIDENT of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville John Momis has assured his people that Bougainville would be economically independent in the next five to six years. He said during the sixth anniversary celebration of the Autonomous Bougainville Government in Port Moresby that dependency had affected the people and urged them to work hard to achieve positive economical benefits in the region. He said Bougainville’s economy had suffered during the crisis from 1988 to 1997, the “terrible years of violence and conflict”. Momis said despite their suffering, peace was finally reached. He said the peace process was successful unlike other countries where peace processes often failed and turned into violence. He said the ABG aimed to fully revive the economy of Bougainville with equal distribution of services to all people. Momis said the people would manage their own affairs to ensure good governance prevailed in the region. He said nepotism and corruption would be eradicated. He said foreigners who conducted business dealing with a few landowners for self-gain would be discouraged and would also be kicked out of Bougainville. Momis said the ABG had plans for securing and creating employment opportunities for youths in the region. He said because many youths were unemployed, they turned to illegal activities which caused conflicts. He said the PNG government was to commit K500 million to assist Bougainville in its socio-economic recovery. The celebration was to mark Bougainville’s autonomy, which it received on June 16, 2005, from the PNG government.
10.07.2011 Source: ESBC
Sudden mysterious US interest in Bougainville
As the re-opening of the giant Panguna mine is only a few steps away, the island of Bougainville faces an up-rising interest by US based groups as the so called "Tall J Foundation" or the "Christensen Fund". Tall J seems to be some disguised company that is alledgedly interested in stealing gold from the Panguna lower tailings. However, Christensen's background is not really clear as well: Founded by a former president of Utha mining, Allen D. Christensen, the Christensen Fund today supports cultural projects and "biodiversity". It cannot be excluded that the fund might have strong hidden financial interest behind its grandmother-like president Diane Christensen and her "mission & vision". All information about possible economic interest of both groups are very welcome and will be published here. It seems interesting to the ESBC that these foundations appear on scene when half way of the road to the re-opening of the Panguna mine. It also seems quite remarkable that an official Chinese delegation had been refused to access the Panguna mine area one week ago while "grandma" Mrs. Christensen enjoyed a warm welcome on the mine site this weekend. Furthermore it is also remarkable that nobody ever heard of these groups during late Joseph Kabui's or James Tanis' presidency. Therefore the ESBC asks: Are they these "the carpetbaggars who are running around misleading ignorant people" as President John Momis stated recently?
10.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Christensen Fund Team on Bougainville Pictures by Aloysius Laukai
The team were able to visit the closed Panguna mine.
They are pictured with Panguna Chief PHILIP TAKAUNG at the mine pit.
Diane (right) and Catherine welcomed in Arawa by a cultural group.
Picture of the team ready for lunch at the Cateret Resettlement Project in Tinputz on their way to Arawa.
10.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Christensen Fund Team in Bougainville By Aloysius Laukai
The Christensen family and Board members of the Christensen Fund are in Bougainville for the biannual two-day Rheeds festival that is starting tomorrow at Tubiana. The festival started by the late William Takaku with assistance from the fund starts tomorrow with participants arriving in Arawa yesterday and today for the event. The team arrived in Buka on Saturday and went straight to Tinputz and had lunch at the Cateret Resettlement Project in which the funds also assisted in the past. The team arrived in Arawa just after 5pm to a welcome ceremony at section 10 Arawa.
On Sunday the team visited the closed Panguna mine site also saw the tailings site before visiting the mine site. They later went to PIDIA village the home of the late William Takaku and visited his grave. They had lunch at Pidia village before going for a swim at AROVO island. They will attend the Rheeds Festival today and tomorrow before returning on Tuesday.
When last we checked in on Bougainville’s Panguna copper mine, there was considerable talk of reopening the long-shuttered operation—much to the consternation of indigenous groups who have long fought for a more equitable distribution of the proceeds. Now comes word that a few Americans might be sticking their nose in the island’s business, thereby threatening Panguna’s future:
The president of autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, John Momis, says a shadowy American group, with links to a militant rebel group, is de-stablising his government.
The rebel group calling itself the Me’ekamui Tribal Nation, which refuses to acknowledge the government’s legitimacy, reportedly has the backing of the so-called Tall J Foundation.
Mr Momis says he’s met the Americans who he understands want to begin extracting alluvial gold in Bougainville.
“I don’t know very much about them. All I know is that they’re a menace. They are trying to sabotage all our efforts to create unity and a sense of responsibility, to get ourselves prepared for re-opening of the [Panguna] mine. They are more or less carpetbaggers, running around misleading ignorant people.”
Okay, then, so what is the Tall J Foundation? Records are spotty, indeed—I couldn’t find a corporate listing in the United States. This forum post from 2010 suggests that Tall J has been soliciting investors for some time now, with a fantastic promise of 500 percent returns. If the poster is to be believed, the company’s director is one Stephen M. Strauss, with addresses in both Texas and Olive Branch, Mississippi. I got another pop on that exact name through a recent SEC case, in which a Stephen M. Strauss stands accused of orchestrating a pump-and-dump stock scheme while head of the Chilmark Entertainment Group. (One of the press releases alleged to have played a role in that scheme can be read here.)
Coincidence? Well, Chilmark was headquartered in Southhaven, Miss., just a stone’s throw from Olive Branch, so I’m thinking the answer is “no.”
The only other easily accessible trace of Tall J is this LinkedIn listing for one James Blackmore. But I can find no connection between Blackmore and Strauss—at least not yet.
The bottom line is that it seems that a tiny, shady-seeming investment concern actually appears to be wreaking genuine havoc on the Bougainville peace process. That immediately made me think of such infamous 19th-century filibusters as William Walker, who fomented great chaos in Latin America in the service of making fortunes. This is why private interests really shouldn’t be permitted to assume roles that might destabilize shaky governments; corporate self-interest is typically more at odds with international order than diplomatic self-interest.
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
WORKSHOP CLOSE By Aloysius Laukai
ABG Finance Minister, MR. ALBERT PUNGHAU says Bougainville needs to unite and create good governance, rule of law and remove weapons to attract investors into the region.
He says although Bougainville is rich with Natural Resources we do not have the capacity the technical know how and the funds to develop these resources.
And for these to become a reality Bougainvilleans need to unite forget the past and work together to achieve what Bougainville has been dreaming of.
MR. PUNGHAU made these remarks in his capacity as the Acting President at the closing of the Panguna Stakeholders meeting tonight.
He officially closed the workshop tonight.
ANGELA KAVARUI President of the Panguna Women's Federation SIGNING the Joint Resolution at Hahela on Buka island. Picture by Aloysius Laukai
Pictures of the Signing of the Joint Resolution tonight at Hahela Buka Island. Pictured is Meekamui's Chief Administrator, LORD WILLIAM MUNGTA Picture by Aloysius Laukai
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville’s Panguna workshop lays out strategy before any mining
A workshop involving communities around Panguna in Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville has concluded there’ll be no green light for more mining until there’s been reconciliation and development in the villages around the mine.
A week long workshop, orchestrated by the mining minister in the autonomous Bougainville Government, Michael Oni, aimed to resolve outstanding issues ahead of a possible mine re-opening.
A former cabinet minister, Madeleine Toroansi, who’s from near Panguna, says they’ve developed a strategy and have called for the ABG to create a timetable for it.
“The first is the unification of the factions in Panguna itself and the next phase will involve the mediation team for structural reforms, for an administration structure that will work in Panguna to make sure the message of this workshop goes down, so the message of peace and the process of peace is understood by the people of Panguna.”
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Panguna meet ends by Aloysius Laukai
The weeklong Panguna Stakeholders meeting ended this evening with the group signing a Resolution on the Progress of Peace and unity for the people of Panguna. Please note attached is the joint resolution released tonight from the Hahela Conference Room.
MR. PARIU in his closing remarks said that the people of Panguna are united to move forward with the ABG to develop Panguna and Bougainville as a whole. See attachment
PANGUNA STAKEHOLDERS’ HAHELA UNDERSTANDING
1. The Autonomous Bougainville Government, the People of Panguna; the Meekamui Government, the Meekamui Government of Unity, the Panguna Mine Landowners, the Women In Mining Affected Area, the Bougainville Women’s Federation, the Ex-Combatants, the Meekamui Defence Force, the Council of Elders, Council of Chiefs, the Panguna District Administration, the Buka based Panguna Elites, and the Constituency Members of Ioro, Bolave, Lato, Eivo/Torau, Torokina, Baba, and thereafter referred to as the “PARTIES” having met at Hahela YC Conference Hall for the first time from 4th – 8th July 2011 acknowledged and appreciated;
a) Each other’s individual and collective peace building efforts, the Autonomous Bougainville Government, AUSAID SPSN Programme, the Catholic Diocese of Bougainville and the Facilitators for their support and commitment in the overall Peace-building Process and more specifically for convening the Week-long Hahela Consensus Building Workshop.
2. The Parties had deliberations and reached a general consensus;
a) To strive to work in partnership through a participatory and consultative process to resolve the Panguna conflict including addressing issue of compensation and achieve Peace, Development and Security.
b) To seek the relevant support of the Autonomous Bougainville Government to pursue the Panguna Peace and Development Process towards a Culture of Peace and Prosperity.
c) To recognize and reaffirm all formal resolutions including; Panguna Communiqué, Tunuru Resolution, Panguna (Ex-Combatants/MDF) Resolution, Buka Meekamui MOU ( 2009), and further agree that a review process shall be undertaken to align and mainstream these resolutions and agree and resolve;
i. To strengthen and empower the established peace-building and development initiatives that include the Meekamui Unification Process, the Panguna Mine Landowner Process, the Ex-Combatant & Meekamui Defence Force Process, the review and strengthening process of the Panguna District Administration and Local Governance, the establishment of the Panguna Police Station and all other economic developments and social services, programs and projects;
ii. To explore an inclusive Management and Coordination Options that is appropriate to the aspirations of the people of Panguna in partnership with the current political, administration and development partners to implement peace-building and development initiatives.
iii. In the interim the Ministry for Natural Resources to take lead in maintaining constant consultation with stakeholders and resource personnel in Panguna (and throughout Bougainville) and inform on process to date.
iv. To request and receive Funding from the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the Government of Papua New Guinea and Development Partners including AUSAID for the continuation of ongoing peace-building activities and to implement other formalized programmes and projects.
d) The above clauses (i, ii & iii) will commence within three months as of the date of the signing of this understanding.
3. The Parties certify that the Panguna Stakeholders’ Hahela Understanding is a true record of the general understanding arising from their Hahela Consensus Building Workshop and that amendment, omissions and any changes are restricted to the Parties in a formal Meeting convened for such.
4. Signed this day, Friday 08th July 2011 at YC Conference Hall, Hahela Catholic Mission Station of Buka District, Autonomous Region of Bougainville.
Signed;
Panguna Stakeholders
William Mungta Benedict Ienu Noah Doko Meekamui Government Meekamui Government of Unity Meekamui Defence Force
Boniface Arunara Martin Musimuko Angela Kabarui Ex-Combatants Council of Elders Womens’ Representative
Tony Pungpara Paul Lundoi Albert Kaliana Coastal Corridor LOA Fish Owners’ Association Lower Tailings LOA
Paul Tabuio Michael Parui Francis Kabarui Middle Tailings LOA Upper Tailings LOA Special Mining Lease LOA
Peter Miriona Theresa Jaingtong Jude Genu Port-Mine-Access LOA Arawa Siokate LOA Uruawa LOA
Scholly Meuka Dr. Cyril Imako Blaise Iruinu Women in Mining Panguna Buka Based Elites Council of Chiefs
ABG Constituency Members;
Hon. M Oni Hon. M Dare Hon. S Suako Ioro Eivo/Torau Torokina
Hon. L Uakai Hon. W Lawabua Hon. W Silamai Bolave Lato Baba
ABG Administration
Mr. Lawrence Disin Chief Administrator
Witnessed By:
Hon. Newton Kauva Minister for Peace and Reconciliations
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
CEO happy By JOYCE TOHUI
Chief Executive Officer for the Lands Division in Bougainville, ANDREW DOWARO was happy to see the newly elected members of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board sworn in yesterday at HUTJENA.
Speaking at the ceremony, MR DOWARO said that this was a step forward for the lands division since he took office in 2007.
He said that his division has plans to set up the Physical Planning Board and now it has been realized.
He added that for the Board to grow and deliver it must be fed with good resources so that it can carry out its work effectively and efficiently.
MR DOWARO acknowledged and thanked those who contributed to the setting up of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board ,especially the National Department of Lands and Physical Planning and he believed that they will work together to get things moving.
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BEC commended By JOYCE TOHUI
The Deputy Secretary for the Department of Lands and Physical Planning, OSWEL TOLOPA thanked the Bougainville Executive Council for a very important and milestone appointment for the establishment of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board.
He made these remarks during the swearing in ceremony of the Board members at HUTJENA yesterday.
MR TOLOPA said that it is very important for planning to come through and this was the result of their office working together with the Lands Division here.
He said that this was one of the department’s roles in rolling out powers and functions to various boards in provinces including Bougainville.
He added that it is an equal important under the National constitution’s commitment with National Government and ABG that it is imminent for Bougainville to have its own Board which cannot be avoided.
MR TOLOPA said that it was a milestone for the ABG to recognize the important functions of Physical Planning.
Speaking on behalf of his minister, he said that the establishment of the board will pave the way forward for development in the region.
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Director on Board By JOYCE TOHUI
The Deputy Director for Urbanization, ELIAS MASTA took the opportunity yesterday to briefly explain on the roles and functions of the Physical Planning Board at the swearing in of the Board members at HUTJENA.
He said that the role of the Board is to make sure that there is development plans in the province.
He added that there are four types of development plans, provincial, urban, local and subject development plan.
MR MASTA said that the Autonomous region of Bougainville itself will have one provincial development plan, three local plans and urban development plans.
He explained that under the urban development plans it will have its own local plans and currently there are three urban areas which are BUKA TOWN, HUTJENA and KOKOPAU.
MR MASTA said that this was up to the Board members to look at it later.
However he said that 90% of the Board’s work is to assess and control developments that will occur according to this plan.
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Parents warned By Aloysius Laukai
Parents who do not send their children to school could be arrested and charged under the LukautimPikinini Act starting next year. This was revealed by the CEO for education on Bougainville,BRUNO BABATO today. MR. BABATO was speaking at the closing of the LukautimPikinini Act awareness workshop for the Bougainville Police Service Personnel atHutjena this afternoon. He said that starting next year, the education department will implement a policy that states that Education for a child would start at the age of 6. MR. BABATO said that this means that the Education Department can use the LPA to charge parents who do not let their children to school for violating the Right of the child to School.
08.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
PROTECT CHILD By Aloysius Laukai
Bougainville Police Service officers that deal with Children’s cases are now fully equipped to use the LukautimPikinini Act as a tool in their everyday investigations and handling of Police cases. This was revealed at the closing of a one-week LukautimPikinini Act awareness workshop at Hutjena this afternoon. The workshop was funded by UNICEF Bougainville office and facilitated by the Division of Community Development. The CEO for the division, MRS.MANA KAKAROUTZ told the graduants that her division has organized many such workshops since the new act was passed by the National Parliament in 2009. She said that the new law supersedes the Welfare act which is a colonial law and does not really address issues affecting PNG today. The CEO for Community Development said that the new LPA concentrates on the protection of a child. She said that although the division has no funds under ABG, they are able to run these programs with funds from donors such as UNICEF and also under the Law and Justice Sector.
08.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville teachers end training By PETERSON TSERAHA
PANGUNA has made history again by hosting a six weeks long course for elementary school teachers, mainly from south and central Bougainville. Ever since after the Panguna Communiqué signing, this was the first time something regarding education has happened in Panguna. The trainer directed training was sponsored by the Bougainville Copper Foundation (BCF) and the PNG Sustainable Development. All trainees graduated last week Thursday at the Panguna Primary School and were challenged to uphold the importance of education in Bougainville. Chairman of Ioro 1 Council of elders, Martin Misimoko told the graduates that their main aim is to eliminate illiteracy. “I challenge every one of you here that you have one specific aim and that is to fight against illiteracy and make every Bougainvillean know how to read and write,” Mr Misimoko said. Mr Misimoko said a lot of teachers in Bougainville have been committing a big sin by running away from classes, most of the times during their fortnight day, saying that they often go drinking around in town, especially in the main centres like Buin Arawa and Buka. “You have to portray your professionalism at all costs for the sake of the future of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville,” he said.
08.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacific Beat
Bougainville landowners work towards united postion on mine re-opening
Moves are afoot on Bougainville to set up organisations to represent landowners in negotiations on the possible re-opening of the Rio-Tinto owned Panguna Copper Mine.
The mine was closed in 1989 after it sparked a bloody civil war and its re-opening is still opposed by some members the rebel Me'ekamui group .
Bougainville President John Momis sees it as the way to give Bougainville the financial self-relaince it needs to make a real choice in a planned referendum on independence.
Landowners would have to approve any re-opening of Panguna, but at the moment they have no voice because there's no organisation to represent them.
Australian National University lawyer, Anthony Regan, is working for the Bougainville Autonomous government, assisting landowners to set up their representative bodies.
Presenter: Jemima Garrett Speaker: Anthony Regan, Research Fellow, Australian National Univeristy
The Panguna unification Stakeholders meeting is progressing very well with final presentations to be made tomorrow morning.
So far all parties in and around Panguna have voiced their views for the first time at this forum.
Representatives include former Panguna Land Owner Association members, New Panguna Landowners Association members, both the Mekamui factions of Origional Mekamui and Mekamui Unity government and leaders from the Panguna District Administration, and some leaders around the Panguna area.
The workshop will end with a joint declaration on the way forward for PANGUNA and Bougainville as a whole.
New Dawn FM understands that this is the first forum in which all stakeholders are free to talk on issues which is affecting the people of Panguna and surrounding villages.
07.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
NEW BOARD By Aloysius Laukai
Bougainville for the first time sworn in its first Board members of the Physical Planning Board which will plan and approve infrastructures in the towns throughout Bougainville.
The members were sworn in after completing a weeklong training in Buka this afternoon. The training was facilitated by officers from the National Department of Land and Physical Planning.
The Board would be chaired by the Bougainville Chief Administrator, LAWRENCE DISING.
Other members are the CEO for Lands, Andrew Dowaro, Civil Works Engineer, SEMION ITAMAI, Surveyor CLEMENT SIPARA, Business Representative, THOMAS RABAN and the only woman member representing South Bougainville, AGNES NARA.
In his remarks this afternoon, the ABG minister for Lands, MICHAEL ONI said that this was a sign of progress towards draw down of Lands powers to Bougainville from the National Government.
Minister Oni said that the establishment of the Physical Planning Board would oversee the development of Cities and Towns throughout Bougainville.
And that this was the first step towards achieving some planning within our Towns.
He said whilst the ABG was talking about development in the districts the establishment of the Board was timely.
07.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Momis thanks PNG for return of Correctional Services By JOYCE TOHUI
Autonomous Bougainville Government PRESIDENT John Momis has expressed heartfelt gratitude to PNG Government for the return of Correctional Institutional Services (CS) to Bougainville. President Momis made these remarks at the passing out of the 25 new graduates from a training organised at the Hutjena Training School recently in Buka. He thanked CS Minister Tony Aimo for his commitment over a long period of time to see that the vision was realised. Mr Momis said the ABG government and its people are grateful for this help from the PNG government and hoped for a bright future. He also paid tribute to CS officers who lost their lives at Kuveria on the cause of their duties at the start of the Bougainville conflict and praised them for their service and commitment they had for Bougainville. He said that there was a reason to celebrate the event, seeing the importance and presence of law and order in society as without Police and CS services, Bougainville cannot build the harmonious society it preaches about. ‘’All of us have come out of ashes and we all must collaborate with everyone on Bougainville to develop the region and I thanked the people of Bekut for allowing their land to be used for this project,’’ said Mr Momis. Meanwhile, the CS Minister, in responding to this remarks, said that peace was finally returning to Bougainville, thus making it possible for CS to return to Bougainville after 22 years of absence. ‘’We were trying to come back to Bougainville but due to land problems, we could not make it earlier,’’ explained Mr Aimo. Mr Aimo thanked AusAID and ABG for securing the land at Bekut and further thanked AusAID for funding the project at the cost of K4.5 million. He also thanked the ABG for contributing it share of funds for the project.
07.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Eluh: Law and order will be restored
BOUGAINVILLE Police Chief Thomas Eluh has assured Bougainvilleans that law and order will be restored in the south. The Assistant Commissioner, ACP Eluh said the attack on his policemen recently will not stop him putting more police work into the areas of South Bougainville. Mr Eluh said he will not be deterred and called on police to do their work to protect people and property in those areas. He said the communities will ask why there is no police presence if the killings continue and he is determined to put a stop to that. Police Chief Eluh said that he cannot sit around relaxing when many innocent people have died and still many people’s lives are at risk and living in fear. “I will encourage my men to continue more police work into the areas as part of their duty to enforce law and order in the communities to look after the people,’’ said Mr Eluh. ‘’Killings in South Bougainville are ongoing and those involved must be apprehended to face the full force of law.’’ He strongly urged the people of Bougainville to unite and put an end to the vicious killings and work with the police to track down those involved as this was an ongoing problem, especially in South Bougainville and it must not be tolerated anymore. ‘’I believed that the people of Bougainville are tired of such cruel behaviours and long to see an ending to these inhuman activities,’’ ACP Eluh said.
07.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Red Cross doing a lot in Bougainville By JOYCE TOHUI
BOUGAINVILLE Red Cross chairperson, Aida Kenneth, said that the Red Cross branch has been carrying out a lot of positive programs in communities. She said that one of the programs which they are trying to promote and implement is a youth program called youth’s as agents of behavioural change (YABC). She added that the YABC training program is to try and help youths in all districts in Bougainville but awareness must be carried out. Ms Kenneth said that the awareness has started already with help from National Youth Coordinator from the head office in Port Moresby who visited a few weeks ago. She also said the National Youth Coordinator started the awareness with the urban youths in town who were interested in the program. Ms Kenneth explained that there are seven steps to the program but the first is to help them set up the groups and their aims and objectives of what they want to do. ‘’The youths will be assisted in developing their youth constitution in order to look after their groups,’’ said Ms Kenneth. The Red Cross chairperson said these are some steps involved in this training, however, there are more.
06.07.2011 Source: PNG Industry News
Quick end to Panguna sightseeing trip
A CHINESE delegation was reportedly “chased out” of the Panguna mine on Bougainville Island by Me’ekamui Defence Force soldiers.
The Chinese visitors were on a “sightseeing” visit of the old suspended mine and were invited to the island by the Autonomous Bougainville government, according to the Post-Courier.
The newspaper further reported the Chinese delegation was part of a group of businessmen who signed seven memorandum of understanding agreements in China earlier this year to develop Bougainville in partnership with the ABG.
As cash copper prices could be back on the road to $US10,000 a tonne, deposits of the magnitude of Panguna will be in even stronger demand.
However, visiting the mine remains a dangerous exercise.
MDF commander Chris Uma reportedly said they did not fight for the Chinese to come over.
“We are still in the negotiating process so let the landowners and Bougainvilleans decide,” he told the Post-Courier.
Panguna was the world’s fourth largest copper mine in the months before it closed in 1989 and had produced 9 million ounces of gold and 3 million tonnes of copper from 1972.
The civil war is long over and Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper is making steady progress to reopen the mine.
In May BCL executive chairman Peter Taylor told the Australia PNG Business Council the reconciliation process on Bougainville was generally “going very well”, while a timeframe for a possible return to mining might be around three to five years.
The ABG is set to vote for full independence from Papua New Guinea in 2015.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Calls for MPs to honour promises By AL
Michael Pariu
Chairman of Panguna Landowners Association Michael Pariu has called on Bougainville regional member Fidelis Semoso and national member for Central Jimmy Mirintoro to honour their commitment to fund reconciliation processes in Panguna. Mr Pariu raised this concern today to ABG minister for veterans affairs David Sisito after hearing from the minister that the state had released Bougainville’s K15 million restoration and development grant. He said early this year, the regional member Mr Semoso had pledged K300,000 towards the reconciliation of Panguna landowners whilst Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Mirintoro had pledged K400,000 towards the same cause. According to Mr Pariu, the ABG through vice president Patrick Nisira had also pledged another K300,000 which the Panguna landowners are now waiting to receive. He added that the people of Panguna are prepared and waiting for the funds to host their final reconciliation ceremonies.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Bougainville receives K15 million By AL
The National Government this week granted Bougainville’s Restoration and Development grant of K15 million for this year. This was announced by ABG Minister for Veterans Affairs David Sisito this morning at the Panguna stakeholders consultative workshop currently being held at Hahela, Buka. Mr Sisito also warned on the proper use of the money and appealed to especially the Bougainville national members of parliament to stop giving cash to former combatant commanders at Panguna. He cautioned that such actions would only prolong the process of reconciliation in the area.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Lands minister swears in Board By AL
National minister Lands and Physical Planning Lucas Dekena will tomorrow swear in newly elected members of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board in Buka. Bougainville minister for Natural Resources Michael Oni said the inauguration of the board is another step towards autonomy for Bougainville. He said through the board, Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) can make planning decisions with regard to Physical Planning areas in Bougainville. Oni added that in line with the delegation of powers, the department of Lands and Physical planning conducted an induction workshop for the board in the last two days. The workshop, hosted at the Bougainville administration conference room, focused on training the elected members on their roles and responsibilities. It also emphasized on good governance based on transparency and accountability of the board. The appointment of the Bougainville Physical Planning Board is in line with conditions set in a memorandum of understanding signed between the National Department of Lands and Physical Planning and ABG’s division of Lands and Physical Planning. The Lands and Physical Planning MOU was part of eight other MOUs signed on the handing down of delegated powers from the National Government to the Autonomous Bougainville Government during a Joint Supervisory Body meeting on Feb 17 in Port Moresby.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Elementary teachers certified By AL
Thirty-three elementary teachers in the Panguna district last Friday received certificates after completing six weeks of training hosted at the Panguna Primary School. The training is part of a three year course towards attaining a certificate in elementary teacher training. Of the 33, 20 teachers were from Catholic run agency schools and 13 were from Seventh Day Adventist schools. The event was witnessed by members of the community and representatives of PNG Sustainable Development Program or PNGSDP who were co-funders of the project. PNGSDP chief programme officer Camillus Midire said PNGSDP had contributed K22, 184 with co-funding support from the Bougainville Copper Fund. Mr Midire said it was fitting for PNGSDP to be assisting the people of Panguna in recognition of Panguna mine’s contribution to the economy of PNG in the past. He acknowledged the other partners that took the lead in developing the program especially the PNG Education Institute, Marist Project Sankamap, Catholic Agency and Bougainville Copper Fund.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
KAMMA IS SOUTH BOUGAINVILLE MP By AL
After a hard fought battle starting straight after national elections in November 2007 with former contestant Micheal Laimo, the Supreme Court last Friday ruled Steven Pirika Kamma as the duly elected national member of Parliament for South Bougainville. Following the 2007 national elections, Mr Kamma, who was runner-up by 17 votes filed an election petition challenging Mr Laimo’s win. The National Court in February 2008 declared the election of Mr Laimo null and void and ordered a recount of all ballot papers. In October 2008, Mr Kamma was declared as duly elected following the recount of votes. Both the PNG Electoral Commission and Mr Laimo then filed for reviews on the National Court decision which were rejected by the court. When the last of these applications for leave were dismissed by Chief Justice Salamo Injia in June 2009, the applicants in one last move to oust Kamma, applied to the Supreme Court for a review of the National Court judgment. A three man bench of Justices Salatiel Lenalia, David Cannings and John Kawi ruled last Friday than none of the alleged mistakes by the National Court amounted to errors of law and therefore dismissed case. Mr Kamma has 13 months remaining before the next general elections to complete implementation of all planned projects for South Bougainville.
06.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville workshop ponders Panguna reopening
Landowners and ex-combatants from around the huge Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville have presented their concerns at a workshop in Buka.
The week long meeting, called by the Autonomous Bougainville Government’s ministry of natural resources, aims to resolve outstanding issues ahead of a possible re-opening of the mine.
Don Wiseman reports:
“The Panguna Landowner Association’s deputy chair, Michael Pariu, says both his group and the ex-combatants say it’s critical they be involved in any negotiations to re-open the mine. He says they have a right to be heard at the negotiating table with the mine’s owner, Bougainville Copper Ltd. Mr Pariu says his organisation backs the re-opening of Panguna, but any negotiations would have to include agreement on a compensation package for the damage caused by the mine. He says there would also need to be a roadmap laying out how the villages around Panguna can be rehabilitated and developed. The workshop was also told that the ABG would provide more than 400,000 US dollars to assist the reconciliation process among the Panguna communities.”
06.07.2011 Source: The National
Former soldiers call for peace By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
FORMER combatants in Bougainville have ordered fighting factions in the Konnou constituency of South Bougainville to a ceasefire immediately to allow peace talks in the area to proceed. The 110 former commanders who met last week at Tsiroge Catholic health centre to address the ongoing local conflict in the Konnou area resolved to give all factions until September to address the issue. In a motion moved by former commander Damien Kora and seconded by Peter Naguo, the ex-combatants consultative meeting resolved to: * Dispatch a high-powered unarmed delegation comprising of selected ex-combatants representatives of the North, South and Central veterans on a Konnou Peace Mission to open dialogue with the Damien Koike faction, Mongai Home Guards, WILMO faction, Konnou Freedom Fighters and Struggling for Peace faction; * The Autonomous Bougainville Government make available funding and facilitate the logistics required to facilitate the Konnou peace mission delegation; * See that by the end of this year, a series of reconciliation ceremonies arranged, organised and held between the ex-combatant factions, groups, communities and individuals throughout the region to foster peace efforts and weapons disposal preparations, paving the way towards the referendum on independence; and, * Ensure the Konnou peace mission delegation make its report available by September. The ex-combatants agreed to three other resolutions including support for economic activities initiated by the ABG and the reopening of the Panguna mine.
05.07.2011 Source: Islands Business
Chinese tycoons chased out of Panguna
A Group of Chinese tycoons invited by the Autonomous Bougainville Government were “chased out” of Panguna and denied access to the mine site over the weekend by the self-styled Me’ekamui Defence Force soldiers.
BUKA, PNG (POST COURIER/RNZI) ----- A Group of Chinese tycoons invited by the Autonomous Bougainville Government were “chased out” of Panguna and denied access to the mine site over the weekend by the self-styled Me’ekamui Defence Force soldiers. Chris Uma, Me’ekamui Defence Force commander, told the Post-Courier from Arawa that the time was not right for outsiders to visit the mine, especially the Chinese. “We did not fight for the Chinese to come over,” Uma said. “We are still in the negotiating process so let the landowners and Bougainvilleans decide.” The ABG leaders refused to comment yesterday and the Chinese delegation, accommodated at a guesthouse in Buka, also refused to comment. But ABG Parliament officials said the issue was being politicised and resulted in the Chinese being locked out or chased out of Panguna when they went for a sightseeing visit. The group arrived in Buka on Saturday and travelled to Arawa with the hope of “sightseeing” on the Panguna mine. These are the group that are part of the business tycoons chain that signed part of the seven MOUs in China early this year to come and develop Bougainville in partnership with the ABG. Meanwhile, the president of autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, John Momis, says a shadowy American group, with links to a militant rebel group, is de-stablising his government. The rebel group calling itself the Me’ekamui Tribal Nation, which refuses to acknowledge the government’s legitimacy, reportedly has the backing of the so-called Tall J Foundation. Momis said he met the Americans who he understands want to begin extracting alluvial gold in Bougainville. He called them carpetbaggers. “I don’t know very much about them. All I know is that they’re a menace. They are trying to sabotage all our efforts to create unity and a sense of responsibility, to get ourselves prepared for re-opening of the [Panguna] mine. They are more or less carpetbaggers, you know, running around misleading ignorant people,” President Momis told Radio New Zealand International A spokesperson for the Me’ekamui Tribal Nation says it has no links with the Tall J Foundation. Last month, the Tribal Nation failed in its attempts to set up a conference at the Hilton Hotel in Cairns to canvas issues it says are hampering a resumption of mining at the huge Panguna site.
05.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville leader says American group destabilises government
The president of autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, John Momis, says a shadowy American group, with links to a militant rebel group, is de-stablising his government.
The rebel group calling itself the Me’ekamui Tribal Nation, which refuses to acknowledge the government’s legitimacy, reportedly has the backing of the so-called Tall J Foundation.
Mr Momis says he’s met the Americans who he understands want to begin extracting alluvial gold in Bougainville.
“I don’t know very much about them. All I know is that they’re a menace. They are trying to sabotage all our efforts to create unity and a sense of responsibility, to get ourselves prepared for re-opening of the [Panguna] mine. They are more or less carpetbaggers, running around misleading ignorant people.” John Momis.
A spokesperson for the Me’ekamui Tribal Nation says it has no links with the Tall J Foundation.
Last month, the Tribal Nation failed in its attempts to set up a conference at the Hilton Hotel in Cairns to canvas issues it says are hampering a resumption of mining at the huge Panguna site.
The ESBC already reported on May 9th, 2011 on these ongoing activities and pointed out that this might cause problems in the future! Find out more in the News 05.2011 !
05.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Chinese tycoons chased out of Panguna
A GROUP of Chinese tycoons invited by the Autonomous Bougainville Government were “chased out” of Panguna and denied access to the mine site over the weekend by the self-styled Me’ekamui Defence Force soldiers. Chris Uma, Me’ekamui Defence Force commander, told the Post-Courier from Arawa that the time was not right for outsiders to visit the mine, especially the Chinese. “We did not fight for the Chinese to come over,” Uma said. “We are still in the negotiating process so let the landowners and Bougainvilleans decide.” The ABG leaders refused to comment yesterday and the Chinese delegation, accommodated at a guesthouse in Buka, also refused to comment. But ABG Parliament officials said the issue was being politicised and resulted in the Chinese being locked out or chased out of Panguna when they went for a sightseeing visit. The group arrived in Buka on Saturday and travelled to Arawa with the hope of “sightseeing” on the Panguna mine. These are the group that are part of the business tycoons chain that signed part of the seven MOUs in China early this year to come and develop Bougainville in partnership with the ABG.
05.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Bougainville cops dispel ‘arms’ talks By Fabian Gatana
SPECULATIONS that Bougainville police will be re-arming themselves to tackle lawlessness by criminal Damien Koike and his faction in South Bougainville are not true. Rumours have been circulating that Bougainville police were planning to arm themselves for the first time since the peace agreement was signed, banning police from carrying firearms. Central Bougainville police station commander Sergeant Herman Birenka said that these rumours were not true and that directives had to come from the National Government in order for police personnel to carry arms to conduct their duties. He said police personnel in South Bougainville have been merely monitoring the situation closely and reporting back to headquarters He said police are not directly involving themselves in the armed conflict and have no plans to arm themselves and get involved unless orders are issued directly from the National Government. He said to do so would be in breach of the Peace Agreement and would also paint a bad picture about the Bougainville Police Service. Meanwhile, a group of ex-combatants who want to see that Bougainville gains independence, have taken it upon themselves to resolve the situation in south Bougainville, particularly Konnou and Sininai. The group have taken up arms and hope to resolve the situation as soon as possible.
05.07.2011 Source: The National
Court: Kamma is South Bougainville MP
THE Supreme Court last Friday unanimously dismissed two applications to review the decisions of the national court on the election of Steven Pirika Kamma for South Bougainville. After a hard-fought battle starting straight after elections in November 2007, with Kamma in the runner-up position contesting the election of Michael Laimo, the former has come a full circle and comprehensively seized the job as MP, just 13 months shy of the next general elections. Following the elections, Kamma, who was runner-up by 17 votes filed an election petition challenging Laimo’s win. The National Court in February 2008 declared the election of Laimo null and void and ordered a recount of all ballot papers but excluding one contentious box. In October 2008, Kamma was declared as duly elected following a recount of votes. Both the electoral commission and Laimo filed for reviews of the National Court decisions arriving at the overturning of Laimo’s win, all of which were rejected at every turn by the court. When the last of these applications for leave were dismissed by Chief Justice Salamo Injia in June 2009, the applicants sought one final recourse which was to apply to the Supreme Court for a review of the judgment based on the slip rule raising nine points. Slip rule applications are a legal avenue available to aggrieved parties to apply to the Supreme Court to correct mistakes or slips in a judgement that are not attributable to the conduct of a party or its lawyer. It is a slip by the judge. The three-man bench of Justices Salatiel Lenalia, David Cannings and John Kawi ruled last Friday that none of the nine alleged mistakes or slips brought before the court for adjudication “amount to errors of law, let alone glaring mistakes or errors” and struck out all nine. The court further ruled that some of the alleged mistakes were a rehash of arguments already made before the judge who dismissed the leave applications and so the applications before it were likewise dismissed. “None of the arguments about alleged errors or slips or mistakes on the part of the chief justice as a single judge of the Supreme Court in his decision of June 5, 2009 have merit. The slip rule applications must fail.” Costs were awarded against the parties who made or supported the applications. The judges were of the opinion that if any slip rule application has been “defeated as comprehensively as the two before us, it may be difficult to avoid the conclusion that the application has been an abuse of process. “In our view, too many unmeritorious slip rule applications are being made. “The fairest way of reducing the amount of court time wasted may be to award costs…”
05.07.2011 Source: The National
Rio Tinto urged to come clean on Bougainville
MINING giant Rio Tinto must reveal the full extent of its involvement in the Bougainville war, the Australian Greens said yesterday. It comes in the wake of revelations by SBS television that Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare had given evidence under oath on the decisive role of the company’s subsidiary in the conflict. Greens Senator Scott Ludlam said in a media statement in Canberra that the Australian government must also explain its own role in the war, and what it knew about the role of Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd in the conflict. “The outgoing prime minister of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, while leader of the opposition in 2001, stated in a sworn affidavit that BCL was the driving force behind the military action in Bougainville, and the blockade of the island, to re-open the copper mine. “His view has been backed by the former head of PNG Defence Force Major-Gen Jerry Singirok. “In light of these revelations, as BCL’s parent company, Rio Tinto must come clean on Bougainville,” Ludlam said. Sir Michael’s evidence, by way of an affidavit, was part of an ongoing class action in the US against Rio Tinto which started in 2001, brought by victims of the conflict. “Sir Michael has said under oath that Rio Tinto demanded the blockade of Bougainville and military action, and that BCL provided helicopters, transport, fuel, barracks and pilots for the PNG government’s war against the Bougainville rebels. “If this is found to be true, will Rio Tinto compensate the victims of this war? “And what was the involvement of our own government in this?” Ludlam said the BCL copper mine at Panguna provided the PNG government with about 20% of its revenue while the Bougainville locals’ gain from the mine was a derisory amount of income and a ruined environment. This led to local resistance and the PNG government responded with a brutal crack-down. “This war drove half the population of Bougainville from their homes. “By 1995, 64,000 people were in refugee camps and 10% of the population died. “The Australian government was supplying weapons and training to the PNG army while the PNG government vowed to kill anyone who broke a blockade on the island, a blockade that kept out medical supplies. “This was a horrendous, bloody war on our own doorstep. It’s time for the whole truth behind it to be known,” Ludlam said.
05.07.2011 Source: New Dawn on Bougainville
Panguna stakeholders meet By AL
A weeklong consultative workshop for Panguna stakeholders starts tomorrow at the Bougainville Diocesan centre in Hahela, Buka Island. The workshop will involve stakeholders of the Panguna area, political leaders, administration officers, ex-combatants and representatives from the church, companies, landowners, women and council of elders. It is being facilitated by the Autonomous Bougainville Government ministry of Natural Resource. According to minister for natural resources Michael Oni, the workshop aims to identify a coordinated approach to resolving outstanding issues in Panguna district and Ioro constituency. Mr Oni said the consultative workshop is a vital activity also aimed at supporting the overall peace, reconciliation and unification programs and developments in other parts of Bougainville as well. According to the program, tomorrow’s presentations will be made on the current status of peace building in Panguna by ABG, Me’ekamui factions, Catholic church and UNDP. Wednesday’s program will look at developing a consensus of peace and development in Panguna leading to the drafting of a strategy to strengthening peace in Panguna on Thursday. The workshop will end on Friday with proposing the way forward for Panguna.
Panguna stakeholder meeting in Hahela, Buka Island
05.07.2011 Source: New Dawn on Bougainville
Konnou cease fire By AL
Fighting factions in the Konnou Constituency have been ordered to cease fire and to allow for peace talks to be initiated in the area. This was the order issued by 110 Ex-commanders from the North, Central and South of Bougainville last week at the Ex-combatants consultative meeting held at Tsiroge Catholic Health Centre. The former commanders have given all factions involved in the Konnou conflict until September to address the Konnou conflict. In a motion moved by former commander Damien Kora and seconded by Peter Naguo, the ex-combatants consultative meeting resolved to; * dispatch a high powered unarmed delegation comprised of selected ex-combatants representatives of the North, South and Central veterans on a Konnou Peace Mission to open dialogue with Damien Koike faction, Mongai Home Guards, WILMO faction, Konnou Freedom Fighters and Struggling for Peace faction. * that the ABG make available funding and facilitate the logistics required to facilitate the Konnou Peace Mission delegation, * that by the end of this year, a series of reconciliation ceremonies be arranged, organized and held between the ex-combatant factions, groups, communities and individuals throughout the region to foster peace efforts and weapons disposal preparations, paving way towards referendum of independence and * that the Konnou Peace Mission delegation to make its report available by September this year. The ex-combatants also agreed on three other resolutions including support for economic activities initiated by the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the re-opening of Panguna mine.
05.07.2011 Source: New Dawn on Bougainville
Dog catching deadline By AL
All residents of Buka town who have dogs are being urged to register their dogs with the Buka Urban Council before Thursday or risk having their dogs caught and medically killed by Buka Urban Council. This is because starting tomorrow, Buka Urban Council officers will be on patrol to catch stray dogs who have been tearing up rubbish around town which is posing a health risk for residents in town and nearby villages. Buka Urban Council officer Lawrencia Kumis says the stray dogs caught will be medically killed by a visiting vet from Australia who arrives in Buka on Wednesday. Apart from providing this service, the vet, Dr Michelle Bingly, will also provide medical treatment and minor operations on registered pets needing medical assistance. Ms Kumis says registration of pets is K5 and K20 for any pet needing medical operation. All medical treatment is free. She thanks the people of Australia, especially Australia non government organization Animal Liberation, RSPCA and a few Australian families for their kind donation of more than K6000 in enabling the visit of the Australian vet to Bougainville. Ms Kumis says the vet’s visit from June 7 to 12, will be a first for the region.
04.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Nisiria challenges former combatants
BOUGAINVILLEANS have been asked if they are ready and prepared for Independence. Autonomous Bougainville Government vice President Patrick Nisira posed the question while speaking to former ex-combatants at Tsiroge. They were preparing for their mission to Konnou and Sininai to try and solve the law and order problems. Mr Nisiria spoke about the significance of timing to prepare for Bougainville’s economic prosperity and fiscal self-reliance. “Are you ready for Independence? Are you prepared to take no for an answer if the result of the referendum was not in your favour? Will you respect the popular choice of the majority of people?” Mr Nisira yelled at the ex-combatants. “I am saying this because I would like to move this peace process from its present status of fixing the pains of conflict to a more economic development oriented process that will lay the foundation for Bougainville’s referendum and possible independence. “We need only to do four important things collectively to achieve a better and wealthier Bougainville for us and for the future Bougainville generation,” he said. These are: • Unification for all Bougainvilleans; • Economic development to enable Bougainville to reach fiscal self-reliance by 2015 (the year for the wakeup call for Bougainville’s referendum for independence); • Rid Bougainville of all weapons of war; and • Respect for the rule of law. “Taking this into consideration, we the former combatants should again restate our goals, which to me, is none other than independence. “This is our peace process. Time has come for us to participate more meaningfully in the process that we started in 1997 in Burnham and Lincoln and the Bougainville Peace Agreement that we, together with our political leaders, successfully negotiated with GoPNG and signed on August 30, 2001. “Independence will not be decided until the ABG and the GoPNG are satisfied that the requirement of the Peace Agreement and the laws that implement the Agreement had been adhered to,” he said.
04.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
ABG pins hopes on 7 deals
BOUGAINVILLE has high hopes the seven Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) signed in China would help the region prepare for its economic prosperity and fiscal self- reliance. And the ABG is also optimistic these MOUs signed with multi-billion business houses of China will enhance and help Bougainville prosper through to referendum and economic independence. ABG vice President Patrick Nisira said this in his address to ex-combatants during their meeting and preparation to move into Konnou and Sininai to sort out the law and order situation in south Bougainville. “The Government of China, the various Chambers of Commerce in China and the businesses that have prudent records in China have signed seven MOUs with us,” he said. “The Chinese are ready and willing to invest huge amounts of money in Bougainville, not only for their benefit, but also for us in Bougainville. Their government is aware of the situation we are placed in. China has also experienced the pains that we have gone through – maybe worse. They are genuine. They understand fully well the ABG’s policy in the “no standalone” business in Bougainville. All foreign investments in the region must be through partnership with Bougainvilleans. “The first investment opportunity that is on offer is the declaration of the Kokopau township into a special economic zone which in turn will deliver a new multi-billion dollar “harmonious town”. “This is the arrangement that ABG has gainfully engaged in besides talking to other potential investors, both within PNG and abroad. “We do not have the luxury of time, as I have often quoted, we only have four years to 2015 and nine years to 2020. We must provide the environment that would be conducive for change. We cannot forever sit back and accept the way things are. We need change, change for the better welfare of our families and our future generation and we have to create change now,” Mr Nisiria said.
04.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Somare, Pruaitch out
By PETER KORUGL
TWO senior ministers facing leadership tribunals were suspended from office last Friday by operation of a Supreme Court ruling that leaders referred to a tribunal must step down from office with immediate effect. Public Enterprises Minister Arthur Somare and Finance and Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch, both facing separate leadership tribunals over misconduct charges, were automatically suspended from office by a three-member Supreme Court bench. The leadership tribunal investigating Mr Somare’s alleged misconduct in office charges starts today while Mr Pruaitch’s case is pending before a National Court. The Supreme Court also ruled that any move to take out court injunctions against leadership tribunal proceedings are viewed as abuse of process and should be declined without exception. And if the Minister for Bougainville Affairs, Fidelis Semoso, is also referred to a Leadership Tribunal by the Public Prosecutor, he will also be suspended from office. The Supreme Court decision last Friday clarified that the Constitution was specific that all public office holders except for the Prime Minister and a few others, are automatically suspended from office when they are referred to a leadership tribunal. The Ombudsman Commission and the Public Prosecutor’s Office are expected to write to the two MPs to inform them of the judgement today and its effect. Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika, Justice Nicholas Kirriwom and Justice Ambeng Kandakasi clarified the operations of the law on the suspension of leaders facing misconduct charges when dismissing the constitutional reference filed by Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare on the powers of the Ombudsman Commission to investigate and refer leaders in April this year. In its deliberations, the Supreme Court reviewed two earlier decisions it made in the Patrick Pruaitch case, in which in the earlier decision, the same court suspended Pruaitch but this was overturned in the second judgement when the same matter returned to the same court. “In developed democracies, people who hold public office, who become the subject of allegations and investigations for any misconduct in office, readily either resign or step aside to allow for the investigations and the due process of the law to take its course. They do this out of respect for themselves, the integrity of the office they hold and respect for the due process of law,” the Supreme Court ruled. The court ruled that the tradition of voluntary stepping down in the light of allegations and accusations of misconduct in office or criminal conduct of a public office holder became part of PNG’s democracy and tradition. It cited two cases involving sitting MPs stepping aside, the first being Opai Kunangel and then Sir Julius Chan. “It is becoming a norm for most leaders in PNG who are subject of allegations and investigations for misconduct in office or criminal offences to continue to occupy their offices and are readily applying for injunctive orders,” the court ruled. “Some of them are interfering into the proper conduct of investigations. Others are doing everything they possibly can to remain in office, continue to function and in most instances are either committing more misconduct in office from tampering with evidence, interfering with witnesses, swindling of funds or abusing their powers knowing that they may not last long in those offices.” The court touched on the first case involving Pruaitch and reaffirmed what the first judgment highlighted about duly appointed tribunals being left frustrated and unable to perform. “This will make a mockery of the Leadership Code, particularly the work of the Ombudsman Commission in enforcing the Leadership Code. The inquiries will continue to be stalled and the leaders whose integrities are already called into question will continue to discharge leadership responsibilities,” the court ruled. The three-man bench upheld the ruling in the first Pruaitch case that a leader who is referred to a leadership tribunal is automatically suspended from office if the leader had not already stood down voluntary. The court stated that the decision in the second Pruaitch case did not refer to any authorities in the way the decision in Pruaitch case No. 1 did and arrived at the view that, the question of suspension does not arise until the charges and statement of reasons are presented to the leadership tribunal. It observed that Pruaitch case No. 2 did not refer, discuss and demonstrate how various authorities and provisions of the Constitution and the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leaders Decision No. 1 referred to and relied upon, were wrong and therefore no good law for them to follow. The court also ruled that Pruaitch case No. 2 failed to note that the Constitution provides for automatic suspension of leaders that were subject of investigations and referred to a leadership tribunal except for the Prime Minister and others covered under specific provisions, given the importance of the office they held.
04.07.2011 Source: Post-Courier
Cult groups on the surge
BOUGAINVILLE police are battling an increasing number of cargo cult groups springing up throughout the region and many are getting out of hand. There is one in North Bougainville, two in Central Bougainville and two others in south. Police yesterday told the Post-Courier that they are having difficulties trying to stop them from their sexual and other demonic activities. Police cannot arrests the cargo cult groups and their leaders – the kings and queens. The public is also concerned about these worldly activities and are calling on authorities including police to step in and arrest the culprits. In Central Bougainville, police have been called on to investigate the activities of a certain cult group operating in the Aita area, Wakunai District. Wakunai Police Station Commander, Sgt Oscar Tugein, recently said that concerns have been raised by various church leaders, village chiefs, school management boards and others in the Aita and surrounding areas for police to immediately move in and arrest the cult leaders who are alleged to have been misleading the local people for years. Those involved in the bizarre cult movement are ex- followers of two mainstream churches located in the Aita area. Police intelligence reports from the “fertile marijuana cultivating Aita zone” revealed that the cult group, has already cleared a pathway leading from its “headquarters” near Kukuavo Village to a location adjacent to Turima Primary School and the Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF) run Aita Grammar School, in preparation for the arrival of “the black king” whom they believe will bring them goods (cargo) and other free services. The cult members have stopped their children from attending school from fear that the children might be brainwashed with “worldly education system.”
04.07.2011 Source: ABC Radio Australia - Pacfic Beat
Bougainville proposes two funds for economic development
Bougainville's Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry has proposed the creation of two funds to help the autonomous PNG region's economic development.
They are the endowment fund and a business development fund.
The ministry's CEO, Albert Kinani says the business development fund is aimed at helping Bougainvilleans set up small to medium-sized businesses or improve existing ones.
Mr Kainani says the endowment fund is a future fund concept to allow the government to invest revenues from natural resources developments.
He says he's confident the Autonomous Bougainville Government cabinet will approve the proposals.
Presenter:John Papik Speaker:Albert Kinani, CEO, Bougainville's Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry
03.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville police armed for first time
Police in the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville are to carry guns for the first time, as the province struggles to overcome a militant faction in the south of the main island.
Last week a group of former combatants were dispatched to Konnou to speak with Damian Koike who leads a rebel group blamed for dozens of killings and other crimes over the past five years.
The former combatants will call on Mr Koike to give himself up but if this doesn’t work the ABG president, John Momis, says force may have to be used and this could mean dispatching armed police.
“We are now arming our police as police can’t be unarmed so I think once you have armed police, not that they will go out and willy nilly attack people, but police must be armed to deal with an armed confrontation.” John Momis says police will not carry guns in the course of their regular duties.
He says there is now just a remote possibility his government will seek the return of international peacekeepers.
02.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Birds Eye view of the PROPOSED Mega City on Bonus Plantation
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville secures release of promised PNG funds
The president of the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, John Momis, has won a commitment from the national government that funds due under the peace agreement will be transferred promptly.
Mr Momis has been in Port Moresby for talks with the acting prime minister, Sam Abal, and the new finance minister, Patrick Pruaitch.
He says Bougainville is badly in need of the 15 million kina, or 6.5 million US dollars, that is guaranteed to the province on an annual basis, but the allocation for the current year is still to come through.
Mr Momis says he’s very happy with the outcome of the meetings and says he expects the money to be released over the weekend.
“We need every toia that we can get in order to deal with the landowners, you know, the landowner groups around Panguna to prepare them for us to look at the review of the Bougainville copper agreement, to talk to the national government, to talk with BCL, to deal with the lack of development around Panguna.” Bougainville president, John Momis.
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Free from Dependency syndrome By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI
In order to build peace through economic prosperity, we must first free our self from the dependency syndrome, advised Bougainville President Chief John Momis. Highlighting Bougainville’s economic progress recently, Mr Momis said the time for change is now and all Bougainvilleans must work to spread economic development widely and fairly based on the good foundations established in the early stages of the Bougainville peace process. He said Bougainville has grown in development since the main Bougainville conflict ended 14 years ago. This, he said is indicated by the region’s economy that was almost dead in 1997 but has now burst into life. Indicating some of these positive developments, Mr Momis said Cocoa and copra dominate in Buka and the North while Gold production contributes in Central and South. These commodities he added is the lifeblood of PMV’s, stores, building and earth moving and many other businesses. He assured that working for peace based on equitable economic development is the direction for Bougainville but cautioned that it is one that will take time to bring the benefits.
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Nisira calls for support By ALOYSIUS LAUKAI
Bougainville vice president Patrick Nisira has called on all ex-combatants throughout Bougainville to once again participate more meaningfully to paving the way for referendum for independence set for 2015. He said this can be done by all former combatants ensuring all requirements of the Bougainville Peace Agreement is achieved. Speaking to the former combatants at Tsiroge Catholic Health Centre yesterday, Mr Nisira said that the time had come for all former combatants to once again participate in the peace process like they did in 1997 which lead to the successful negotiation and signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001. He advised that by working together with the people of Bougainville and the ABG, all stakeholders needed only to do four important things to achieve a better and wealthier Bougainville for the current and future generations. These were, Unification of all Bougainvilleans,Economic development to enable Bougainville to reach financial self reliance by 2015,Total removal of all weapons of war and Respect for the rule of law. Mr. Nisira urged that the former combatants uphold peace through peaceful means for the common good of the people of Bougainville.
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
BBA supports trade with China BY ALOYSIUS LAUKAI
Bougainville business Association or BBA supports the joint venture opportunities presented by China and Bougainville governments to directly import and export goods from China and Bougainville, BBA executive committee director Thomas Rabanz stated yesterday. He said as mandated by the business community, the Bougainville government’s responsibility is to skillfully negotiate for the best deal. Mr Rabanz said the importing of goods direct from China based wholesalers and exporting Bougainville produce like Cocoa and Copra to China will benefit everyone including those buying shares in the joint venture deal. He said the deal is 60 percent Bougainville own and 40 percent Chinese to which ABG, BBA, Women organizations, veteran affairs, youth groups and New Bougainville Party have been invited to buy shares in. Mr Rabanz said the import and export business would enable businesses from PNG and other Pacific nations to shop in Bougainville rather than go all the way to China. In addition, he said Bougainville is the centre of the Pacific and closer to China which geographically is viable to trade without the use of middle man to do business.
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville
Australian vet to visit Bougainville By JOYCE TOHUI
An Australian vet, Doctor MICHELLE BINGLEY will arrive in Bougainville next Wednesday and will be in the region for a week. MARILYN HAVINI told New Dawn FM’s talk show yesterday that Dr BINGLEY is a very experienced vet and will be in Bougainville to treat animal’s especially dogs. She said that Dr BINGLEY will help the BUKA urban council’s health division to collect stray diseased dogs and give them injection to put them out of suffering. She added that these stray animals will be captured using special noose by the Town Council’s workers. MRS HAVINI said that she will also help Bougainvilleans to control the breeding of these animals. She called on Bougainvilleans who wants to stop their dogs from breeding to bring them along for operation either male or female. She said that there are also other treatments that will be provided for the pets to ensure they are healthy to keep at homes. She also said that the project is for the urban areas but interested persons who love animals especially their pets can also bring them for treatment. MRS HAVINI stated that if we take ownership of our animal pets these will help the BUKA urban council in keeping our towns clean, healthy and free of disease.
01.07.2011 Source: Radio New Zealand International
Bougainville secures release of promised PNG funds
The president of the autonomous Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, John Momis, has won a commitment from the national government that funds due under the peace agreement will be transferred promptly.
Mr Momis has been in Port Moresby for talks with the acting prime minister, Sam Abal, and the new finance minister, Patrick Pruaitch.
He says Bougainville is badly in need of the 15 million kina, or 6.5 million US dollars, that is guaranteed to the province on an annual basis, but the allocation for the current year is still to come through.
Mr Momis says he’s very happy with the outcome of the meetings and says he expects the money to be released over the weekend.
“We need every toia that we can get in order to deal with the landowners, you know, the landowner groups around Panguna to prepare them for us to look at the review of the Bougainville copper agreement, to talk to the national government, to talk with BCL, to deal with the lack of development around Panguna.” Bougainville president, John Momis.
The European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC) info@bougainville-copper.eu
