News 10.2012

31.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

FULL SUPPORT

By Aloysius Laukai

Prime Minister PETER O'NEILL says that the national government will fully support the Autonomous Bougainville Government with funding to come out from its financial problems it is facing today.

He said that the O'NEILL/DION government was committed to the peace process on Bougainville and has already released the much talked about ONE MILLION KINA for Bougainville.

The Prime Minister made these comments when answering to a series of questions raised by the newly elected Regional member for Bougainville, HON JOE LERA who wanted to know if Export levies for Bougainville currently collected by East New Britain province through exports of Bougainville's Cocoa and Copra can be paid back to Bougainville.

MR.LERA said that Bougainville's sweat were not being felt on Bougainville because all these exports were done in East New Britain Province.

He said every week 50 to 100 Bougainville Businessmen travel to Rabaul to do shopping at the Hardwares and Wholesales as Bougainville still has to develop these infrastructures.

The member said that all Bougainville monies end up to places like RABAUL.LAE and PORT MORESBY in this way.

Prime Minister in his response said that he would he would be talking with the Minister for Treasury and would respond to him in writing.

He stressed the need for Bougainville to be supported by the government.

31.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Officials at the Sandline Inquiry  

by EPHATA SAMUEL

The Sandline Inquiry continues from last week

On Monday April 28, 1997, Cabinet secretary Peter Eka, Prime Minister’s department secretary Noel Levi and Defence secretary James Melegepa appeared before the Sandline Inquiry to give evidence.

Cabinet Secretary Peter Eka said that sacked commander Jerry Singirok had complained it was taking “far too much time” in finalising the Sandline contract.

Mr Eka told the inquiry General Singirok had visited unheralded and complained about State Solicitor Zachery Gelu taking too long to clear the Sandline contract.

This was a few days before the contract was finalised and signed on January 31.

Mr Eka said during that visit General Singirok was also worried about the Rimbink Pato case and the safety and security of documents and asked him where he kept his.

“I sort of showed him to the safe that contained those documents and I took it from that, it was the reason why he came to see me,” he said.

General Singirok delivered a letter calling for an urgent meeting including with Internal Revenue collections director, Controller of Customs and Foreign Affairs officials.

The meeting would cover exemption of communications and military hardware, entry visas and the employment of trainer and consultants.

“As a matter of urgency I need to clear some communications equipment held up at customs and immigration while other items coming in need to be allowed entry without delay… I am willing to brief the key players and wish to commence without delay,” the January 20, 1997 letter by General Singirok read.

Mr Eka said he had no prior knowledge of Sandline until a January 15 National Security Council meeting and had gone ahead then to call a meeting between Attorney General Sao Gabi, acting Finance chief James Loko and Transport and Works Secretary Miria Ume.

The meeting was to tell them of the Security Council decision to engage Sandline and that they had a part each in implementing it. He said Mr Ume was called so he could be shown the decision that tender procedures had been waived.

Internal Revenue Commission chief David Sode was also phoned and referred to a Singirok letter asking for a tax clearance certificate on communications hardware, ammunition, explosive, planes and other military accessories.

The inquiry also heard that Mr Eka had signed a letter drafted by PM’s Department Deputy Secretary Nau Badu to General Singirok outlining Sir Julius‘intentions about the special force unit.

He also swore he had never met, spoken with or seen Tim Spice and was never aware of the setting up of a palace guard.

He said General Singiork had never expressed opposition against Sandline or mentioned his intended actions of protest.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister’s Department Secretary Noel Levi said that the British High Commissioner in Port Moresby had told him he “should not touch Plaza 107” (or Sandline International).

He told the Sandline commission that he made inquiries in July last year after receiving a fax from Plaza 107 offering their services to help stop the Bougainville conflict.

He asked the British High Commissioner if he knew anything about Plaza 107, and received the cautionary response without anything else being said and no explanation as to why he should “not touch” Plaza 107.

He said a London barrister had been asked to check on Plaza 107 and had provided information over the telephone. Mr Levi said he had known the barrister during his days as PNG’s High Commissioner in London, but he did not want to say his name and instead wrote it on a piece of paper for the inquiry team only.He said Plaza 107’s fax was the third private offer after the Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan had rejected two earlier offers by an organisation from Russia and an Australian expatriate who was living in the country but had since left.

The information supplied by the barrister on Plaza 107 was submitted to Sir Julius and no-one else.

Mr Levi said he had no prior knowledge of Plaza 107, Sandline or Sandline executive Tim Spicer, and was only making inquiries on behalf to the Prime Minister as his job required.

Sir Julius had handwritten “reject” and “File Bougainville” on the information about Plaza 107 supplied by Mr Levi.

Mr Levi said he was on leave from December 18 to February 2, and the next he heard of Sandline was when he was briefed on February 3 by Peter Eka and Defence Secretary James Malegepa, and told that the Government was engaging the British military consultancy company.

He said he was not surprised that the Government had engaged Sandline after rejecting Plaza 107 (the same organisation), and had simply accepted it as something the Government had decided.

Also, he said, it had never been pointed out to Sir Julius that Plaza 107 and Sandline were the same organisation and no further inquiries were made.

“I did not see any need for it because the decision had been taken,” he said. “My job was to implement it.”

Defence Secretary James Melegepa told the Sandline Inquiry that he and several other government officials had negotiated the contract without having previous documents or the proposal by Sandline International.

Mr Melegepa agreed that this type of negotiating was “quite unusual.”

He also agreed that “it was not normal”, especially when they were negotiating something for which there was a fixed decision from which people could not retract.

“The other party (Sandline) cannot retract from that so therefore it was not a negotiation at all,” he said.

The negotiating team included Mr Melegepa, Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok, Deputy Finance Secretary Vele Iamo and State Solicitor Zachary Gelu.

Mr Melegepa said Rupert McCowan (Jardine Fleming’s Hong Kong based officer), who was earlier in the negotiating room at a Finance Department office, had been asked by Deputy Prime Minister Chris Haiveta to help and had said he would speed up the contract processing.

The negotiation was done through a long distance telephone call – a conference all – with a director of Sandline, a Mr Grunberg.

Mr Gelu had been emphatic that the contract should be for 12 months and not three months, to allow for the transfer of technology, training pilots and so on.

Other concerns raised at the negotiation and later presented to Mr Haiveta included the contract period of three months being too short, logistical support in terms of fuel, oil and lubricants and who should pay for those things, and sustainability and maintenance costs and “that the second payment is not linked to the achievement of the objective of the contract”.

Mr Haiveta was informed of the concerns, which he noted.

Mr Melegepa said General Singirok was the only one among them who had possession or had seen a copy of the proposal.

He said the commander did not raise any objections at the negotiations because, as he understood it, it had been put already to the General Singirok that he needed a contract at any payment, even for the State to make payments for anything.

The Defence Secretary said he was never happy with the contents of the proposed contract.

“I still held the view that it (contract) was too expensive and we still not had enough time to have a look at other options,” he said.

More on the Sandline Inquiry next week. 

31.10.2012

Source: The National

O’Neill: Movement of Bougainville people needs controlling 

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says the movement and activities of people in Bougainville need to be controlled.

After receiving reports that private planes were using the Aropa airport and other abandoned airstrips in Bougainville, he said the Autonomous Government of Bougainville needed to work with the Airport Corporation to fix the airport and monitor movement of people and illegal activities in the area.

He said an uncontrolled movement of people would breed more illegal activities and cause major problems for the government.

Speaking during question time in parliament yesterday, he said the ABG also needed to improve other infrastructure using funds from the government allocation.

O’Neill said the government had dispatched K100 million of the annual funding to the ABG and another K15 million was given to upgrade  infrastructure such as the Aropa airport, Arawa town and its infrastructure, the Buka ring road and other roads such as  the Buin highway.

He said his government was committed to assisting the people of Bougainville on the restoration of service.

Since Bougainville is a largest cocoa producing province in the country, it will benefit from the government subsidy for cocoa and copra,” O’Neill said.

He said the government would subsidise the prices of cocoa and copra  farmers and a similar scheme would be extended to other cash crops such as coffee and oil palm.

30.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ABG strategise on security, arms

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) now has a peace, security and weapons disposal strategy to address a key pillar of the Bougainville Peace Agreement on Autonomy Implementation and Weapons Disposal.

This is the first time since the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001 that the ABG has in place a plan to address the disposing of firearms used during the Bougainville conflict — spanning over a decade that claimed more than 15,000 lives.

The strategy will guide all stakeholders towards achieving the Bougainville Peace Agreement requirement to dispose of allegedly more than two thousand firearms that are believed to still be in the possession of former combatants.

Vice President of the ABG, Patrick Nisira who provides leadership to the initiative expressed his appreciation for the commitment shown by the various levels of Government to contribute to the operation of the strategy to rid the communities of the growing threats of arms. “We have come a long way consolidating this mechanism; it is the outcome of wider consultations, and a new focus on community-driven approach to peace with security and arms disposal enforcement”. 

Nisira said the Peace and Security and Weapons Disposal strategy grants ownership of the Peace Building Process to the local communities and encourages an all-inclusive participatory concept to the process.

Weapon removal in Torokina in 2010

The plan also ensures that the weapons issue is approached through co-ordinated and elective integration programmes devised to empower community confidence with a more interactive and systematic approach to fostering and sustaining development. 

“In the past we have lacked a structure to guide the overall implementation of the Peace Process. With the new structure, the ABG will manage these implementation activities within a guided process,” he said.

“This strategy is action oriented to mitigate increased crime, carry out a government and community joint strategy on weapons disposal and effectively address weaknesses that may be identified in long term security and law and order enforcement mechanisms.”

Nisira added that the new strategy is more integrated — capturing peace building, socio-economic and political integration, resource governance and more importantly the security and elimination of arms from the region.

The new approach is community-driven. It promotes collective responsibility (Government and citizens) for security, with relevant institutional and legislative backing provided by the autonomous government. 

Nisira acknowledged all stakeholders who had assisted in the development of the strategy and urged that they contribute to the implementation of the guidelines set out.

This strategic approach encourages equal participation from all levels of Government; the ABG, National Government, ex-combatants, donor partners and the civil society,” he said.

He especially thanked United Nations Development Program Bougainville mission for playing an instrumental role in the design of the strategy and urged that they continue to support in maintaining regular technical assistance for the full implementation and actualisation of the strategy.

30.10.2012

Source: The National

Somare, Chan pay respect 

TWO former prime ministers and founding fathers of the nation, Sir Julius Chan and Sir Michael Somare, paid their respects at a state funeral for the late Sir Donatus Mola at the Hahela Catholic church in Buka last Friday.

Sir Donatus was described as a lifetime friend and a colleague to both men who shared vast experience and collaboration in pre-independence Papua New Guinea.

Along with the two knights was Parliament Speaker Theo Zurenuoc.

All three arrived from Port Moresby to attend the requiem mass for the late Sir Donatus and personally share their condolences with the family and the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (AROB).

Members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government led by yet another founding father, President John Momis, attended the mass as well.

30.10.2012

Source: The National

Sir Donatus loved people, leaves behind a legacy, says Chan 

FORMER prime minister, Peoples Progress Party founder and New Ireland Governor Sir Julius Chan conveyed his condolences to the family and people of Bougainville on the death of party co-founder and life member, Sir Donatus Mola. 

Sir Julius described the late Sir Donatus as “a man genuinely in unison with the people he loved and represented, leaving behind a legacy that is shared with only a few pioneer politicians including Sir Michael Somare, Sir John Guise, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, Sir Barry Holloway and Sir Peter Lus, to name a few”. 

He said the late Sir Donatus lived a distinguished life as the first North Bougainville MP and the country’s first information and extension (communication) minister and commerce and business development and health minister.

He said as communication minister in 1974, Sir Donatus launched the NBC New Ireland, originally known as Maus blong Solwara Antap.

“He was instrumental in the selection of the PNG flag and the designing of the national crest as a member of the Second House of Assembly Select Committee on Constitutional Development in late 1970, along with Sir Matiabe Yuwi, Ross Johnson Wally Lussick, Mat Toliman, John Middleton, Alan Kerr, Sinake Giregire, Tei Abal, Geoff Littler, Paulus Arek and Tom Leahy.

“This was a man with vision that together with those who have left us and those still surviving sat down in the early years of a young nation of PNG to deliberate and convince our people that PNG was ready for independence 37 years ago.”

Sir Julius said the immediate family had lost a loving father and grandfather, a man with staunch beliefs in democracy and self-governance for his country.

“The passing of Sir Donatus leaves only three of the original founders of the People’s Progress Party, Warren Dutton, Daniel Bokap and myself.

“We shall miss him as we continue with the PPP vision,” Sir Julius said.

He said Sir Donatus showed commitment to the PPP at its inception in 1968.

On behalf of his government, and party president Brown Sinamoi, ministers Ben Micah and Byron Chan, Speaker Theo Zurenuoc and supporters of PPP throughout the country, Sir Julius thanked the family for the wonderful and matchless contribution Sir Donatus made to his country. 

“Sir Donatus was a rare and valuable colleague and friend.

“We shall all miss him.”

29.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ABG’s plan to open mine criticised

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government’s mission to fast-track the re-opening of the Panguna Mine in Central Bougainville is now drawing criticisms from many people on the island.

One of those who have always been vocal about the issue on the mine’s reopening is the former Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) general commander Sam Kauona. 

He said the ABG was now planning of amending this Mineral Rights law so that all minerals will become the property of the State. 

He claimed that an “Australian sponsored lawyer” (name) had already conducted a three-day comprehensive workshop with President John Momis and his Cabinet at the ABG Parliament House about a fortnight ago. 

Mr Kauona said their main focus of discussion was about the new Mining Laws and who should hold the title for the Mineral Rights. 

He said this lawyer had emphasised that minerals were not owned by the people, adding that their only right was for gardening and living on those resources. 

This lawyer had stressed that the people who claimed that they owned the minerals did not know what was underground or their value so the State had the power as it governed both the land and people. 

Mr Kauona claimed that this lawyer was able to convince the ABG Cabinet and had put the ABG in a position to have Section 23 changed so that the ABG would take ownership of these minerals.

“I’m going to tell (this lawyer) and President Momis that I fought the foreign “inserted concept” (Law) and got rid of it. I’m here to write new laws governing my land, my resources and paramount of all, my people,” Mr Kauona said. 

He said the old laws were gone and he was here to change, especially resource laws, whether it was the fish, timber, minerals or hydrocarbon laws. 

Mr Kauona was also asked by this reporter to comment on the recent statement made by President Momis during the recently held JSB meeting in Kokopo, regarding the ABG’s move to fast track the reopening of the Panguna.

Mr Kauona gave a big laugh and said he had waited almost a year for his exploration licence but the Government had directed all its focus on the Panguna issue. 

He said he would not comment on that but wanted the ABG President to reply to the petition which they had presented to him a few weeks ago.

Meanwhile, a two-day mining workshop was currently underway in Arawa.

The workshop, which started yesterday, was to get views from all stakeholders to legislate a temporary Mining Policy which would be presented in the next ABG parliament sitting scheduled to be held in December.

Mr Kauona, who is also the vice chairman of the Isina Resources Holdings Ltd is attending the worshop, along with five other landowner companies that have registered for mineral exploration licences.

ESBC: Sam Kauona is the Bougainville spearhead of notorious conman and backdoor player Lindsay Semple and his Canadian MORUMBI Inc. gang !   Find out more here!

29.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Dare sets to work in new portfolio

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

MEMBER for Eivo/Torau in the Bougainville House of Representatives Melchior Dare can now perform his duties as the new Minister for Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches.

Mr Dare takes over the ministerial responsibilities from his predecessor during a handover-takeover ceremony which was held last Wednesday in Buka.

Former Minister for Community Development and South Bougainville women’s representative in the Bougainville House of Representatives Rose Pihei has now been moved to the Ministry for Culture and Tourism. 

Mrs Pihei, before handing over the portfolio to Mr Dare, said she was very happy with the outcomes achieved during her term as the minister.

She said after assessing all her achievements, she concluded that she was only able to achieve 30 per cent of her aims and plans.

Mrs Pihei, however, challenged Mr Dare to continue on from where she had left. She also offered her support to Mr Dare.

29.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Former PM’s arrive in Buka

By Tapo Tovilu

Former PNG Prime Ministers: Sir Julius Chan

and Sir Michael Somare

Two former Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea Sir Julius Chan and father of the Nation Sir Michael Somare arrived last Friday in Buka.

Their trip was to attend the funeral service of Late Member for North Bougainville in the Pre Independence National Parliament, Sir Donatus Mola who died last week.

Present at the airport to receive both members was ABG president Dr John Momis and his cabinet.

While giving his welcome Momis said that another former member who helped to build Papua New Guinea and Bougainville had passed.

He said the late Donatus was a colleague and a friend to all and his passing was a loss to Bougainville.

The two former members departed at 2pm after the funeral service held at Hahela Parish.

29.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ABG education division on track 

THE education division in the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) is successfully implementing transferred powers and functions from the National Department of Education (NDoE) and Teaching Service Commission (TSC), chief executive officer Bruno Babato said.

He said the NDoE had already transferred 63 powers and functions to ABG and the TSC had transferred 39 powers and

functions.

“It is pleasing to state that transferred powers and functions are being implemented successfully,” he said.

“Additional powers and functions will be transferred depending on the capacity of Autonomous Bougainville

Government.”

Babato said two memorandums of understanding were signed on Feb 17 last year between the NDoE and ABG; and TSC and ABG.

“Since then the National Education Board had approved the establishment of a joint implementation group (JIG) in its first meeting of 2011 after the signing of the MoUs.

The JIG membership comprises the Department of Education, Teaching Services Commission and Autonomous Bougainville Government.”

He said the roles and functions of JIG were to draw up policy guidelines on implementation of transferred powers and functions, supervise the implementation of transferred powers and functions to ABG, assess the progress of the implementation of transferred powers and functions to ABG and report on the implementation of transferred powers and functions to appropriate authorities in the ABG and the national government.

He said the Bougainville Desk was established in November 2011 at National Department of Education.

Babato said curriculum and legislation sub-committees were established and workshops held for the sub-committees to discuss and develop the action plan for ABG curriculum, while the legislation committee was to prepare drafting instructions for Bougainville Education Bill.

“However for ABG to fully realise the aims and objectives of autonomy in terms of providing education services, adequate funding is a vital factor that must be seriously addressed as sufficient funding is needed to effectively implement the MOUs,” Babato said.

“Some of the transferred powers and functions including school registration, development of curriculum in elementary and the technical vocational education sectors, operational costs for standard officers and the ALESCO payroll are national functions that have not been performed by the ABG division of education before.

“As such, these will require their inclusion in the annual budget for these powers and functions to be performed.”

28.10.2012

Source: SCOOP 

New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs McCully to visit Papua New Guinea

The meetings will include discussions on Asia-Pacific regional issues, trade and investment links, aid, and political and economic developments in Papua New Guinea and  Bougainville.

Following the meetings in Port Moresby, Mr McCully will travel to the Highlands region with Mr Pato for a first-hand look at economic development, agriculture and energy opportunities.

"This visit comes at an important juncture in the relationship between Papua New Guinea and New Zealand," Mr McCully says.

"I will be meeting with a new PNG government, formed after elections in July for which New Zealand provided vital logistical support."

Mr McCully will be accompanied by a small business delegation.

28.10.2012

Source: EMTV

Bana gains access to health services at last 

About eight thousand people in the Bana area of Central Bougainville now have health services closer to them with the opening of a new hospital.

Located less than an hour from the Panguna Mine, the Morotona facility was built with funding from another mine, Ok Tedi.

The project was also supported by the Catholic Diocese of Bougainville.

27.10.2012

Source: Weekend-Courier

THE PASSING OF A LEGEND

A Great Statesman, A Great Legacy 

By Gorethy Kenneth

27.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SOUTH BOUGAINVILLE LEADING

 By Aloysius Laukai

The UNDP Chief technical officer on Bougainville, TONY AGYENTA has praised the people of South Bougainville for supporting their youths and minimizing criminal activities in South Bougainville.

 He told NEW DAWN FM in Arawa that South Bougainville a branded notorious criminal haven has changed and is now focusing on developing their areas.

 He was speaking after returning from South Bougainville yesterday.

 MR. AGYENTA said that uncontrolled drunkards on the streets now can be seen in Buka and Arawa towns whilst in the South the chiefs are working with their Police and former combatants to stop the brewing of homebrew in their communities.

 The UNDP Chief Technical Officer also questioned why more bottle shops have been approved in Buka town in the last six months.

 He said the ABG must do something to reverse this as it was only creating problems for the region.

 He said whilst the UNDP was trying to assist the government to improve law and order, the liquor commissioner was approving Bottle shops everywhere resulting in the rise of illegal activities.

 New Dawn FM was unable to talk to the Liquor Commissioner regarding this story.

27.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CONNECTING TO GOVERNMENT

 By Aloysius Laukai

The UNDP Chief Technical Advisor on Bougainville ANTHONY AGYENTA yesterday told participants of the South Bougainville Development and Technical Meeting to make sure that their work is connected to the government network.

He was explaining on the processes that can connect the districts to the headquaters in Buka.

MR. AGYENTA said that if the head of the government was strong and the legs were weak it would naturally collapes.

He told the partticapants that this training was to help then strenghten the legs of the government so that it can be able to stand.

MR. AGYENTA said this can be done by strengthening the cordinating structure of the administration.

He said that Properly planning,collecting and storing data base and monitoring is the way the districts must develop their capacity to support the Government and its administration of which they were serving in the districts.

He stressed that when people are not connected to their government they will simply lose confidence in their government which in turn could lead to more problems for the region.

MR. AGYENTA said that UNDP will support the administration to build the capacity needed to support the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

27.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LOCALS STAYED BACK

 By Aloysius Laukai

The leaders in South Bougainville yesterday questioned why Bougainvilleans in the Bougainville administration cannot visit the districts.

The Executive Manager for Buin district JOHN ITANU made these remarks when thanking a Sepik man, MOSES KOLIWAN who was facilitating the meeting in Bana yesterday.

In his closing remarks, MR. ITANU questioned why Bougainvilleans from the administration are only excited if the meeting is held in Port Moresby and other centres and not within the region.

He said that comments by certain staff that the notice for the meeting was given to them late was not true.

He said meetings orgarnized by the administration for district staff was an opportunity for them to meet the headquater staff and such attitude by them is not acceptable.

The meeting was officially closed by the newly appointed Minister for Culture and Tourism, the Hon. ROSE PIHEI

27.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WORKSHOP ENDS ON HIGH NOTE

 By Aloysius Laukai

The South Bougainville Administration Development and Technical meeting ended yesterday on high note.

The two-day workshop gathered Executive Managers and their team leaders in the Four districts in South Bougainville from Buin, Siwai Torokina and the host district Bana to look at ways in which they can work together in the districts and how they can link to the administration at the headquaters.

The meeting was organized by the Bougainville administration with financial and technical support from UNDP on Bougainville.

This meeting was also attended by NGO groups in the district and including officers from the Deputy Administrator Administration's office in Buka.

The meeting was the first since the Commissioner for South Bougainville resigned two years ago.

Amongst the issues the group discussed they were very vocal on the need for the Bougainville Administration to appoint a commissioner for the South Bougainville Region.

They said that as long as the position remains vacant the people of South Bougainville will continue to miss out on much needed services.

The group also questioned why this has taken so long for the administration to act.

The meeting also discussed ways to minimize the cost of carrying out their activities including approval of funds by the Headquaters.

 A detailed reccomendation would be made available to the Administration and the media on Monday.

Pictured after the meeting are MR. EDWARD KENAI UNDP Development Planning and Cordination Associate, MR. ANTHONY AGYENTA UNDP Chief Technical Advisor, MR. JOE NORO(senior) Executive Manager Siwai District, MRS. ROSE PIHEI ABG Minister for Culture and Tourism.

26.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Ona speaks out

 By Tapo Tovilu

The son of one of Bougainville’s grate leaders, Francis Ona has come out openly on his position on the issue of the planed reopening of the Panguna mine.

 In a press release yesterday the Minister for Planning in the Meekamui Government Stanley Ona openly stated that his people and the Government of Meekamui will not allow any scheme to re-open the Panguna mine.

 He also added that current media reports of the discussions into the re-opening of the Panguna mine are damaging to all parties and unless serious conditions are met there will be no mining of Panguna.

 He says that if the ABG would like to re-open the Panguna mine serious negotiations and discussions must be made first.

 He added that many lives were lost in their struggle for human rights and their fight for freedom and such should be avoided in the future.

26.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Work force support needed

 By Tapo Tovilu

After last week’s mass recruitment exercise by Mining giant New Crest Mining, there is a need for more support for Bougainville’s young human resource.

 From the results of the recruitment exercise, close to 300 applicants were turned down due to their lack of experience in the field.

 A senior public servant who wishes to remain anonymous says that this clearly shows that the trained human resources of the region need help.

 He explained that it wasn’t a damaging comment but with the situation in the region the ABG must do more to support our work force in terms of more training and work experience.

 He says that though it is up to the individual to have sufficient training and work experience, the base line is that the worker will in turn help build the ABG thus the government is obliged to help in the workers build-up.

 He added that the huge turn up was a clear example that many of the educated and trained elite would like to work for the rebuilding of the region.

 He called on the relevant authorities to look into the matter and provide adequate support for the current unemployed human resource for Bougainville.

26.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PUARA SAYS COOL DOWN

 By Aloysius Laukai

The CEO for Human Resources Division of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, PUARA KAMARIKI is calling on former public servants to calm down as the next Risk Allowance payments process are in progress.

 He told New Dawn FM this afternoon that as soon as cheques are printed in Port Moresby, a team of officials will come to Buka to make the payments.

 MR. KAMARIKI was responding to calls by former public servants that the second payment was very slow and should be speeded up.

 He said although payments were to be paid in June and due to the National elections, these payments were further delayed.

 MR. KAMARIKI hopes to get the new date from the department of Personal Management this week.

 He said names have been finalized for payment and he hopes all former workers who risked their lives during the crisis would be fully compensated.

26.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PARENTS CONCERNED

 By Aloysius Laukai

Parents of Grade Nine and Eleven students attending Hutjena Secondary school are very concerned why students have not attended classes during the last five months.

 And they are calling on the Principal of the School to tell them why this is happening and the school has not told the parents why.

 A concerned senior Public servant this afternoon told New Dawn FM that they were very concerned as a full term has lapsed and still there was no explanation coming from the school.

 And the concerned parent who wants to remain anonymous said that if the problem was with water shortage or cult in the school this must be sorted out quickly so that the students can go back to normal classes quickly.

New Dawn FM understands that an internal investigation on the conduct of certain students at school is also in its two months with no solution in sight.

 New Dawn FM was unable to get comments from the School administration on this issue.

Officer from Autonomy Implementation Division STEVEN KOLOWA explaining on the Draw down of Powers.

Bana Development Technical meeting Team pose for this AL Picture.

 The Minister Rose Pihei and Deputy Administrator Operations Paul Kebori are also inside this group

26.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

K7m allocated for feeder roads

By VERONICA HANNETTE

WORK on feeder roads in Bougainville are underway says the Minister for Works, Transport and Civil Aviation, Carolus Ketsimur (pictured).

He said K7 million has been earmarked for feeder roads around the province enabling local farmers to have access to better roads.

Minister Ketsimur said most of the feeder roads in the province have caused inconvenience to some extent resulting in adequate service delivery denied to certain areas.

Minister Ketsimur said the other portion of the funds will be allocated for other higher impact projects such as the sealing of roads, the Buka ring road, the Torokina oil palm project, Peace and Reconciliation and the re-opening of the Copper Mine.  

26.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

By-elections for Bougainville

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE Electoral Commission office in Bougainville will soon be conducting by-elections on the four vacant constituency seats in the Bougainville House of Representatives.

These constituencies that do not have a representative include Lule, Rau, Hagogohe and Kongara.

The process towards conducting these by-elections first began on August 24 this year, when the ABG Speaker Andrew Miriki had notified the Electoral Commission regarding the vacancies.

Bougainville Election Manager, Reitama Taravaru said he is planning to have the by-elections conducted before the end of this year, however, the dates to hold these elections have yet to be confirmed. 

Mr Taravaru said he wants to have this elections conducted before December 19 so that the new members can also attend the ABG parliamentary session which is scheduled on that date. He said though time is a factor to be considered, he does not want to delay the election process because the people in these four constituencies have been denied their right to have their representatives in the ABG parliament. Mr Taravaru said the delay was because his term as the Election Manager had expired in April this year.

Mr Taravaru blamed the Bougainville Administration for failing to advice the Bougainville Executive Council over the vacancy in the Election Manager’s position resulting in the delay.

However, Mr Taravaru said since he had been notified that his term has been extended by one year, the onus is now on him to arrange the necessary tasks that need to be done before conducting the elections. 

He said he will be raising this issue next week during the Election Steering Committee meeting. Mr Taravaru said the estimated costs for staging the by-elections would be around K1 million.

The Lule and Rau constituency seats became vacant following the deaths of their members Paul Mitu and Joseph Egilio, while members for Hagogohe, Robert Hamal Sawa and Kongara, Dominic Itta both handed in their resignations.

Both Mr Sawa and Mr Itta had resigned to contest in this year’s National Election.  

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

NEW DIVISION

 By Aloysius Laukai

The newly appointed ABG minister for Tourism. ROSE PIHEI says that the ministry for tourism has no division to start with and since her appointment she has been working around the clock to create the division.

She was also speaking at the Bana technical meeting this morning.

She said that tourism was a big revenue earner for the region and needs to be strenghtened by creating a division that would spearhead and promote activities in the region.

She said that they have appointed a CEO and two staff that would start up the division.

The minister also stressed the need for other divisions to address outstanding issues that are inter connected like the veterans affairs which is working on weapons issues and Law and order issues.

She said that she wanted the tourism division get the same attention as mining as they would create mass employment for the general population.

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Linkages Missing

by Aloysius Laukai in Bana

The acting Deputy Administrator Operations,PAUL KEBORI has acknowledged missing links between the Administration headquaters and its districts.

Speaking at the Bana meeting this morning, MR.KEBORI said that since his appointment as the Acting Administrator Operations he has come to realize that many districts were operating in isolation from other districts and including the Administration headquaters in Buka.

He said that without any linkages between these districts it is difficult to monitor the activities of the districts.

MR KEBORI said that the idea of committee system used by Siwai district which is addressing development issues in collaboration with UNDP and other stakeholders is one system that can be studied and possibly implemmented in other districts.

Meanwhile. The acting Deputy Administrator Operation also raised his dissappointment over the non attendance of other senior Bougainville Administration officers who were invited to speak at this meeting.

He said these were some attitudes by staff of the administration that continues to dissappoint efforts by the administration to move Bougainville forward.

The meeting will end tomorrow afternoon.

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Coordinate resource

 by Aloysius Laukai in Bana

The south Bougainville UNDP representative,PETER SIUNAI says that there has been no proper coordination mechanisms of resources thus resulting in slow or no progress at all in the districts.

Speaking at the opening ceremony. MR.SIUNAI said that the UNDP was prepared to support the admimistration to strengthen its capacity to develop its officers who can in turn develop the nation.

He said in Siwai they have tested a system that is a committee system covering issues and cordinates activities on development and other issues affecting the district.

He said that development proposals are then submitted to the Authorities for funding and this was working well.

MR.SIUNAI says if it isvworking in Siwai it can also work in other districts.

The Siwai team will present item on this tomorrow.

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SOUTH COMMISSIONER NEEDED

 By Aloysius Laukai

The acting Executive Manager for BANA District David Rumbali is calling for the immediate appointment of the Commissioner for South Bougainville to cordinate activities in the South Bougainville.

He said that since the former commissioner(now regional member) left the post the districts have distanced themselves from each other.

This he said has led to dis integration of activities in the districts.

Mr Rumbali was speaking at the opening ceremony of the South Bougainville Technical meeting this morning.

He said it has taken a while for the Bougainville administration to appoint a replacement to this position.

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BANA MEET OPENS

 By Aloysius Laukai in Bana

The South Bougainville District Development and Cordination Technical meeting was officially opened this morning by the newly appointed ABG minister for Tourism ROSE PIHEI in Bana.

The meeting is being attended by Executive Managers and staff from four districts in South Bougainville.TOROKINA,BUIN,SIWAI and the host district BANA.

 With participants representing NGO's operating in the districts.In her opening remarks, minister PIHEI highlighted difficulties ABG ministers were facing working with their Division's CEO's.

MRS PIHEI said that because the CEO's were directly under the Chief Administrator some were not responding to Minister's instructions.

She was talking on autonomy implementation at all levels starting from the ABG down to its administration at the headquaters down to the districts.

She welcomed the organizers of this meeting which will change the the way the administration in the districts can plan for their districts.

The meeting will end tomorrow Friday 

25.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Bougainville Mourning

 by Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville is mourning the death of one of its first National Parliamenterians who represented Bougainville in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea in the pre independence era.

The late Grand Chief SIR DONATUS MOLA died at his home last Saturday. He was aged 88.

The late SIR DONATUS MOLA is survived by his wife and 13children and 48grand children.

He became the member for North Bougainville in the national parliament in 1965 and continued until 1978.

The late DONATUS MOLA also served as the national minister for Health,Education,Commerce and the Public Service during his time as the national member.

He was a strong catholic who was instrumental in localizing of priests in the catholic church.

The late Sir Donatus Mola was a life member of Sir Julius Chan's PEOPLES PROGRESS PARTY.

He was knighted in 2005 for his service to the community.

Since the first House of Assembly, the North Bougainville seat was held by five national members starting with DONATUS MOLA,SAM TULO,JAMES TOGEL,MICHAEL OGIO and LAUTA ATOI.

A state funeral is being organized for the late Grand chief starting with a requiem mass at the HAHELA Catholic church tomorrow Friday morning.

He will be laid to rest at his MANGOANA village in the Haku area on Saturday.

NEW DAWN FM wishes to send its condolences to the family and friends of the late Donatus Mola.

25.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

AROB mourns Grand Chief Sir Donatus Mola

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

Sir Donatus Mola in September 2010

THE Autonomous Region of Bougainville is mourning the death of one of its statesman, the late Sir Donatus Mola.

Sir Donatus passed away peacefully at his Mangoana village in the Haku constituency on Buka Island last Saturday.

He was 88 years old.

Sir Donatus was a former member for North Bougainville in the then House of Assembly from 1967-1976.

The ministerial portfolios he held during his term as the North Bougainville member include Health, Communications and Business and Public Utilities. In 1977 he lost his seat to Sam Tulo.

Late Sir Donatus has 13 children, 63 grandchildren and 63 great grandchildren.

He was knighted as Grand Chief Sir Donatus Mola in 2006.

A requiem mass will be held tomorrow at the Hahela Catholic Church. Former Prime Minister and People’s Progress Party (PPP) leader Sir Julius Chan is also expected to attend this state funeral.

After the requiem mass the late statesman’s body will be transported to his village.

The Knight will be laid to rest at his Mangoana village this Sunday. 

25.10.2012

Source: The National

Grade 12 exams in Bougainville running smoothly 

GRADE 12 exams started well this week with no major hiccups in three secondary schools in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, chief executive for education Bruno Babato said.

The three schools are Buin Secondary with 136 students, Bishop Wade Tarlena Technical Secondary with 119 and Hutjena Secondary with 164.

Babato said Grade 10 papers were being marked at the Hahela Catholic youth centre.

“Marking of exam papers for 1,751 students began this week and will finish by the weekend.

“About 35% to 40% of these pupils will be selected to Grade 11 in 2013,” Babato said.

“Also in 2013, the new Arawa Secondary School will have its first Grade 12s sitting for their examinations.”

He said after the Bougainville crisis, the education division had opened all schools to encourage children to get an education.

According to statistics, a total of 56,000 students from elementary to Grade 12 were in school in 2010.

Babato said with regards to transition from Grades 10-11, they hoped to see an improvement from 30% to 40%. He said in 2011, only 33% made it through to Grade 11.

24.10.2012

Source: Foreign Control Watchdog - New Zealand

Rio Tinto to get out of Bougainville 

by Murray Horton

Rio Tinto, the world’s biggest mining company (which owns Comalco and the Bluff aluminium smelter), is finally facing reality and has announced that it is going to sell its Panguna copper and gold mine, on Bougainville. This unimaginably huge, open cast mine (boasting the world’s biggest hole) was regularly described as the jewel in the crown of this most voracious of mining transnationals. During its years of operation it constituted Papua New Guinea’s single biggest source of revenue, but it was revenue that came at a colossal cost to Bougainville, an island that had a long history of attempting to secede from PNG. Things came to a head in 1989, when a land owners’ armed uprising closed the mine (permanently, as it turned out) and sparked the war of independence that caused so much bloodshed and suffering (mostly caused by the brutal PNG blockade of the island). 

Vandalized BCL properties in Panguna, Bougainville

New Zealand played an honourable part in brokering peace talks in the late 1990s and they are ongoing, being on the brink of producing Bougainville as an autonomous province of PNG. The PNG military became re-established on the island (having been completely driven off at the outset) but they, and all other outsiders, including New Zealand’s and other countries’ peacekeeping troops, have never been allowed to get anywhere near Panguna, which remains firmly under the control of Francis Ona, the leader of the original uprising. Ona is still committed to an independent Bougainville (to be renamed Mekamui) and has never been part of the peace process.

Despite having been involuntarily closed down since 1989, Bougainville Copper Ltd (54% Rio Tinto; 19% PNG government; 27% public shareholders) has remained one of PNG’s most profitable companies – it made $A10 million profit in the 2000/01 financial year – despite, or because of, undertaking no other activity. Even if it sells its Bougainville assets, it will retain $A79 million cash. The question arises as to whether it will find a buyer. Presumably it is trusting in the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of fellow mining executives (or should that be greed?). The company has set aside $A14.5 million for compensation to Bougainville land owners – who hold out the possibility that mining might be allowed to resume in several years time, under new ownership. But Rio Tinto itself faces a multi-billion dollar class action suit in the US, over its conduct in Bougainville. 

The Panguna mine has been idle since 1989 and, while the millions of dollars worth of mining equipment has been rusting away in the tropical sun and rain, the badly battered surrounding environment has had a chance to partly recover (the operation is so gargantuan that it created its own micro-climate). Elsewhere in the region, other deadly relics of the Bougainville saga are also quietly rusting away. Since the aborted 1997 attempt by the PNG government to win the war using the foreign mercenaries of Sandline International, their seized helicopter gunships have been stored in an Australian Air Force base, in the Northern Territory. Sandline wants to sell them to recoup some of its losses – but assault helicopters are a prohibited export to most countries. So they sit, unmaintained and unsaleable, in a hangar. 

The Panguna mine and Rio Tinto brought nothing but grief to the people of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. The island, the country and the region are well rid of them. And we need to salute the heroic struggle by the Bougainvilleans to rid themselves of this parasite. They have paid a very high price but they are well on their way to the self-determination they have fought for all along.

Retrieved from the link: http://www.converge.org.nz/watchdog/97/9.htm  

24.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

District Organize

by Aloysius Laukai in Bana

South Bougainville region is gearing up for a two day meeting titled District level development and cordination technical meeting.

This meeting is the first of its kind and aims to gauge the views of the districts on issues concerning development in the region.

The meeting is organized by the Autonomous Bougainville Government administration and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP).

According to the program for tommorrow,more than 50participants will be attending the meeting which includes personells from UNDP,other NGO,s like Care International, Bougainville Health Program, OXFAM. MSF and Executive Managers and officers from Buin, Siwai and Bana districts.

Minister for Culture and Tourism, Rose Pihei and Acting Deputy Administrator Operation, PAUL KEBORI arrived tonight in Bana for tommorrow's meeting.

For the first time the people of Bana are hosting this meeting which includes providing accomodation for the visiting participants.

24.10.2012

Source: The National

Groups selected for grants 

Story and picture by ALOYSIUS LAUKAI

NINE grants totalling K500,000 have been given to remote communities in Bougainville as part of the Strongim pipol strongim nation project.

Bougainville grants screening committee chairman and commerce chief executive officer Albert Kinani said the committee received 180 applications for the Aus­AID project of which nine had been approved.

He said the committee had a difficult time in making the selections but considered people with no capacity at all and from remote areas to be given the first chance.

Kinani said the groups would be supported with training and other resources to make sure their capacities were raised in the course of their projects.

He said selectors chose projects in the remote area­s of South, Central and North Bougainville going as far as Tasman Island, which was much closer to the Solomon Islands group.

Programme director Jeremy Symes said it was a partnership programme between Australia and PNG to strengthen people who in turn would strengthen the nation.

At the signing of the first five approved pro­jects for Central and South Bougainville in Buka last Thursday, he said the programme was a kind of assistance by the people of Australia to the people of PNG to help the rural population in terms of development and health issues.

He said it was not intended to help individual families but to develop communities and to maintain existing infrastructures such as schools, rural health facilities and to see business grow and become sustainable.

Kinani was happy that the committee concentrated on helping the most remote areas of Bougainville.

24.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Alarms raised in Panguna

THERE are foreigners already engaged in alluvial mining in the vicinity of Panguna Mine.

And already it is raising eyebrows not only for villagers and other former combatants but leaders alike.

Sam Akoitai, speaking as former Mining Minister and a leader from Central Bougainville, also a former rebel hardliner has called on the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government to come out clearly and explain to the people of Bougainville and PNG what law these foreigners are using and if they have complied with PNG foreign laws to enter into business — especially in Panguna.

Mr Akoitai raised these serious concerns yesterday as he knows the sensitivity of the Panguna Mine issue, particularly when the situation is still very much tense. 

He called on ABG leaders both provincial and national MPs to seriously address this issue of foreigners — especially Americans, Africans, Australians and others — who are engaged in alluvial mining in Panguna when the mining issues have not been addressed in full.

Mr Akoitai also raised the alarm bells for both governments to be extra cautious because the issues at hand — given that more than 20,000 lives were lost due to the Panguna issue — had not been resolved.

“I am calling on the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government to explain whether outsiders or foreigners who are engaged in mining activities have come through the proper channels, through Foreign Affairs, Labour and Employment or have work visas and work permits,” Mr Akoitai said. 

“I am specifically cautious because the situation is still very sensitive and all the leaders both in ABG and National Government must take heed and address it head on.

“These people are not only doing business in mining but also scrap metal industry.”

24.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Ona: Panguna is shut

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE eldest son of the man who orchestrated the closure of the Panguna mine in the late 1980s, which later led to the Bougainville Crisis, has come out publicly to voice his stand regarding the possible reopening of the Panguna mine.

Late Francis Ona’s son Stanley Ona said he will not be entertaining the re-of the mine. 

Stanley Ona had decided to voice his unhappiness following recent media reports made by ABG President, Chief Dr John Momis and other ABG leaders, that the ABG is looking at re-opening the Panguna mine. 

“I’m the minister for Planning and the eldest son of our great human rights leader late Francis Ona. My people, the tribal nation of Me’ekamui, will not entertain any scheme to re-open the Panguna mine or allow PNG or ABG to infringe upon our rights as an indigenous tribal nation.

“These media releases are damaging to all parties, and unless serious conditions are met, there will be no mining of Panguna,” Mr Ona said.

Mr Ona warned that they will not bow down easily to the ABG’s stand regarding the re-opening of the once largest open cut mine in the world.

“The arms and weapons we have are designed for our defence. 20,000 lives have perished in our human rights struggle and if our occuppiers think that they will walk over us, they are greatly mistaken.

Mr Ona said that if the PNG government wants to “right the wrongs they have inflicted upon the Me’ekamui” they should enter serious negotiations and discussions.

“Hiding behind the bogus ABG that PNG and Australia created, will not further their cause. Simply and candidly, there will be no re-opening of Panguna,” he said.

Mr Ona added that violence, bloodshed, denial of human rights, killings of women and children was part of the method used in the past by PNG and Australia. “Are these announcements now telling the world that the Me’ekamui needs to prepare for this to start again? I am truly surprised, that you all haven’t learned anything from your bloody past. Panguna is not open for discussion. Me’ekamui Human Rights and our Memorial are issues that we can discuss to put closure to that bloody past,” Mr Ona said. 

24.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier - reader's letter to the editor

Bougainville must not be exploited

THE Bougainville crisis was triggered by landowners demanding (BCL) some billions of kina for the damages of our land, environment and cultures.

Many innocent people were killed and their blood had spilled on the land. 

Culturally thinking, it means that, whatever that is on the land had been washed by the blood of many innocent Bougainvilleans . The land, environment and culture rightfully belong to the people of Bougainville through their government, and in this case, the Autonomous Bougainville Government (AGB)which is the custodian of the people of Bougainville.

As a Bougainvillean I have watched with tears, materials worth billions of kina were damaged by the war. These damaged materials were to be shifted from Panguna, Loloho and Kieta. They were to be shifted out of the Island by ‘few so called landowners collaborating with foreign multinational companies, and BCL as well.

As a Bougainvillean citizen, I am suggesting that the war damaged materials should have been forfieted to the state, that is the ABG) to secure good amount of money to rebuild Bougainville as a means of compensation for the our beloved brothers and sisters who had been killed during the crisis throughout the region.

Secondly, if the current trend, is only for those who are continually shifting the blood washed materials out from the Island for their own personal gain and benefit, I could suggest here that the ABG should have a policy in place so that this group of self-style Bougainvilleans shall be liable to the compensation of the crisis related deaths and the damages of our properties in the future when full normalcy is recovered.

There have been documentary movies filmed during the crisis about leaders addressing peace, justice and Independence which with current comparison I could say; we have been totally driven out of the track towards ‘achievement and victory’.

We have been dragged backward, way to long, instead of moulding up what we have fought and died for. 

I am ashamed and I sympathise as well of what is happening right now.

In addition, it is hurtful and sympathetic to see only a few people amongst the whole Bougainvilleans to benefit out of these materials which had cost the lives of our people from the Southern to the northern end of the Island.

I wonder what my fellow Bougainvilleans who are not having a taste of share out of these export giants think and feel.

We fought for equality, justice and final achievement of Independence which is enshrined in the PNG constitution, and the leaders have failed miserably to make it a reality. 

I strongly appeal to young adolescence and leaders of Bougainville to see things not just at the surface but to see the issues with deeper interpretation because today, the “love of money is the root of all evil.” 

Citizen of Bougainville

23.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Momis content with JSB meet

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

PRESIDENT of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Chief Dr John Momis said he is positive that many positive changes will now take place between the Government of PNG (GoPNG) and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

This follows the successful Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting between GoPNG and ABG, which was held last week in Kokopo, East New Britain province.

Mr Momis said he was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, adding that the outcome of this meeting was more favourable than previous JSB meetings.

He said many of the issues discussed will now lead to Bougainville achieving its full autonomy status. 

Meanwhile, President Momis said the first K100 million that was presented to him by Prime Minister O’Neill last month in Port Moresby, will be used to fund projects identified by the ABG.

He said eventhough this K100m, which is part of the K500 million special intervention funding from the National Government to the ABG, was initially intended to fund high impact projects proposed by the National Government, the ABG had decided to fund its identified projects.

He said funding for next year and the next three years will be used to fund high impact projects that are proposed by both the National Government and ABG.

Mr Momis also clarified that this first K100m funding although being released late to the ABG, will not be affected by the close of accounts at the end of this year.

22.10.2012

Source: PNG Industry News

ABG continues Panguna push 

RE-OPENING the giant Panguna copper-gold mine is the highest priority issue for Autonomous Bougainville Government president Dr John Momis.

He updated PNG government members on this issue during recent talks in east New Britain capital, Kokopo.

According to the Post-Courier, Momis requested that the Panguna re-opening process be treated as a special agenda item for all future meetings of the joint supervisory board shared by the two governments “until the matter is concluded”. 

Momis reportedly said his government was working on mining and petroleum laws and draft instructions were approved for a bill on a “transitional ABG Mining Act”. 

He reportedly expects this legislation to curtail any foreign-owned companies in the ABG region that have operated without consultation of either his or the PNG governments. 

Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper is clearly not in this camp, and getting community approval to re-open its Panguna mine is one of the biggest challenges – especially as high copper prices continue to improve the business case. 

There were about 600 landowners or landowner representatives of the 1980 compensation agreement for the mine – providing plenty of scope for differences of opinion.

Panguna was the world’s fourth-largest copper mine in the months before it closed in 1989, with Bougainville Island subsequently embroiled in years of civil war. 

The mine produced nine million ounces of gold and three million tonnes of copper from 1972.

The Panguna permits under the existing BCA allow for mining up to 2032.

The ore body at Panguna is only partially mined, with large available reserves. 

In the mine’s last year of operation, estimated mill feed was at 691Mt at 0.4% copper and 0.47 grams per tonne gold.

Rio Tinto owns about 54% of Bougainville Copper.

22.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Late Ona’s son opposes Panguna mine re-opening 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

The eldest son of late Francis Ona is against the re-opening of the famous Panguna mine.

Stanley the eldest son of the late Francis Ona, who was behind the closure of the Panguna mine in the late 1980s, which later led to the Bougainville Crisis has decided publicly to voice his stance against the possible reopening of the Panguna mine.

Late Francis Ona’s son, Stanley Ona boldly said that he will not be entertaining the re-opening of the mine.

Mr Ona had decided to air his disappoint following recent media reports made by the ABG President Dr John Momis and other ABG leaders that the ABG is looking at re-opening the Panguna mine.

“I’m the Minister of Planning and the eldest son of our great human right leader the late Francis Ona. 

“My people the Tribal Nation of Me’ekamui will not and cannot entertain any scheme to re-open the Panguna Mine or allow the PNG or ABG to infringe upon our rights as an indigenous tribal nation.

“These media releases are damaging to all parties and unless serious conditions are met, there will be no mining in Panguna,” Mr Ona said

Mr Ona warned that they will not bow down easily to the ABG’s stand regarding the re-opening of the once largest open cut mine in the world.

“The arms and weapons we have are designed for our defence. Twenty thousand lives have perished in our struggle and if our occupiers think that they will walk over us, they are greatly mistaken.

Mr Ona said if the PNG Government wants to “right the wrongs they have inflicted upon the Me’ekamui” they should enter serious negotiations and discussions.

“Hiding behind the bogus ABG that PNG and Australia created, will not further their cause, simply and candidly. There will be no re-opening of Panguna,” he said.

Mr Ona added that the violence, bloodshed, the denial of human rights, killings of women and children of Bougainville was the method that was used in the past by PNG and Australia. 

“Are these announcements now telling the world that the Me’ekamui needs to prepare for this to start again?

“I am truly surprised, that you all haven’t learned anything from your bloody past.

“Panguna is not open for discussion. 

“Me’ekamui Human Rights and our memorial are issues that we can discuss to put closure to that bloody past,” Mr Ona said. 

22.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Chiefs query ABG MOUs with China

AUTONOMOUS Bougainville Government president John Momis has been challenged to explain and update the people of Bougainville on the seven agreements that were signed in China early last year, resulting in the formation of the Bougainville China Cooperation Committee (BCCC).

Vice president Patrick Nisira heads that committee, but Mr Momis spearheaded the MOUs signed between China and ABG which include:

* Honghua Group – the Global Second Largest Manufacturer of Oil Drilling Platforms (this company supplied drilling platforms to LNG Project) and Hengsen Chemical – a famous company in China;

* Tongling Nonferrous Group – the Second Largest Copper Mining Company in China;

* Hunan Hydro & Power Design Institute – the Second Largest Institute in China; 

* Sun Innovation Group Company – a famous multi-industrial company based in Hongkong (they came by the private jet); and

* Hosia Engineering Design Company and Ruike Construction Company Developed and had BEC approve on mid July 2011 the Package Strategy for Establishing Comprehensive Economic Structure and System in Bougainville.

Bougainville and Buka island chiefs in a statement over the weekend had also called on Mr Momis to update the 300,000 people of the island on the status of the Kokopau Modern Town which was widely publicised last year and which has never been talked about since it was published nationally and internationally. 

“We only know that according to Bougainville China Economic Cooperation (BCEC) Strategy report, companies from China who visited to help Bougainville in its economic prosperity, specifically help build up Strategic Partnership with China to secure Chinese Government aid, attract Chinese investment and achieve direct trading access to China to cut off middlemen, achieve full autonomy by implementation of Bougainville Peace Agreement to allow the people to compare the autonomy and full independence before referendum and see Bougainville China Cooperation as a strategy to achieve the full autonomy,” the chiefs said. Today, we have heard of nothing.”

Because of Bougainville’s low revenue income, lack of capacity (Government and economy), low employment rate (25 percent employed formal sectors) and big fiscal gap (K93,566,500 in 2010) ABG’s legal arm approved BCCC on June 12, 2011. 

“This economic system was said to enable Bougainville to accelerate economic growth, achieve economic independence and support Bougainville social welfare development but it is not doing that, we are going the other way,” they said.

The BCEC report also detailed that BCCC over the last 12 months had:

- Established Bougainville Public Investment Corporation Limited – 100 percent ABG owned company. (This business arm provides a legal position for ABG to go into any joint venture and creates the second source of revenue for the goal of ABG fiscal self-reliance).

- Established Bougainville General Development Corporation Limited – 52 percent ABG & 48 per cent Chinese investors. (This company will serve as a headquarter company and play a leadership role in establishing every industrial development capacity company in JV with Chinese investors); 

- Established Bougainville Import & Export General Corporation Limited – 60 percent Bougainvillean & 40 per cent Chinese investors. 

21.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Pacific herbsman

by Aloysius Laukai

A local herbsman Intena Nuna is promoting his NGUNA JUICE which clenches the blood system in the body is in Buka this week.

Nina is from Salamaua in the Morobe province and produces these herbs for clients in Papua New Guinea.  He has been working on this product in the last 26years.

Bougainville herbs cordinator James Kovie with Nuna Intena are pictured here in Buka

A man selling an unproven AIDS cure - "Nguna Juice" - in Kainantu, Papua New Guinea.

21.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Augustine Karuvi: an epic journey of a Bougainville rebel

by LEONARD FONG ROKA | Supported by the Jeff Febi Writing Fellowship

WE BOUGAINVILLEANS STARTED the civil war that killed thousands and it is we who must now lead the younger generation to attain a better life in a Bougainville that is free from all forms of suppression and exploitation.

In 1988, the young men who initiated the anti-Bougainville Copper and anti-Papua New Guinea militancy in central Bougainville were mostly those who had hardly reached high school.

A good number of these men were involved in criminal activities thus when Panguna erupted, they were there.

Karuvi was a student who decided to walk out of the classroom to join the fight.

The young Augustine Karuvi left school in 1989 at age 17 to fight. At the time his area, which was referred to as Koromira, was a safe-haven for some of the pre-crisis rascals.

His fighting career was halted by the 1990 ceasefire between the PNG security forces and the militants. 

In 1991 he returned to attend a school operated by the weakened North Solomons provincial administration, but it closed in early 1992.

Also in 1991 the reckless Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) arrogance caught up with his extended family, which included a cousin serving in the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. The BRA claimed the family was still communicating with him.

Hence Augustine was tortured along with some of his male family members.

In that same period, his next cousin, a defected police officer, Joseph Miarama Kasika, was killed by locals at Rotokas in Wakunai when he arrived on the scene where a band of BRA men had been stirring up trouble.

Augustine was a lost youngster for whom there was no hope. He was trapped.

Then in 1992, the Papua New Guinea Defence Force landed at his home on the Toimanapu plantation.

Augustine says the PNGDF captured this location as strategic position to try and quell the BRA boats that darted into the Solomon’s Choiseul province for humanitarian help in the midst of the Australia-backed total blockade of Bougainville.

After this event, and out of loyalty to the Bougainville cause, despite his previous treatment Augustine joined the BRA group of his home, Koiano.

His first action in the BRA was at the Toimanapu PNGDF camp. This camp hosted some local families who surrendered to get medical assistance. This operation saw an early dawn raid on the PNGDF and it resulted in the death of a popular BRA fighter, Eperi, from the Kongara area.

After many other operations, Augustine’s next major engagement was against the PNGDF’s operation to clear Bougainville of all rebel areas, code named as Operation High Speed, around 1996.

Augustine was at the former Aropa International airport defending his land from invaders in an engagement that took nearly a week until the PNGDF was driven back to Arawa where they caused the death of two Bougainvilleans—a BRA man and an innocent Kongara child who was fishing.

To Augustine, witnessing the loss of that child with a long future ahead of it, was devastating. “Truly I was fighting a genuine cause for my island and people,” he said. “We were victims of ill treatment of our home by foreigners that did not respect us.”

The kid had come to fish in Aropa before the fighting began. As the exchange of gunfire began, tracer bullets fired by the PNGDF confused him so he darted downstream and was captured by the enemy.

His body was retrieved by Augustine and four other BRA men a day later, buried with hands tied behind back. He was tortured to death and sustained broken bones and knife wounds but no bullet wounds.

After this incident, Augustine continued to fight the PNGDF until they withdrew, unable to face the determined BRA fighters.

As the BRA was gearing for a massive final assault, scouts reported that the invaders were nowhere to be seen.

In the BRA rush to scavenge where the PNGDF had been positioned, a booby trap exploded and killed another of his comrades, Nathan Matebai, a BRA legend of the late 1990s.

Despite being exhausted by the Aropa operation, Augustine went straight to another attack on Toimanapu. Here the BRA engaged the PNGDF for a week.

This fight, once again in his home area, ignited on a Friday. “We engaged the PNGDF with care to let them waste their Australian ammunition,” he told me, “and when it felt like they were done we could move in and slaughter them.

“But things really went not the way we wanted.”

On the Sunday morning, it was Augustine’s group’s turn to disturb the enemy. They engaged the PNGDF and exchanged fire. With a partner, some 50 metres away from the PNGDF line, Augustine were struggling to figure out the location of a machine gunner when the firing caught his friend. He died instantly and Augustine called a BRA soldier from Buka Island and they moved the dead man to safety.

Early next morning, the PNGDF wounded BRA general commander, Ishmael Toroama, and the operation to flush out the invaders from his home was called off.

Augustine Karuvi feels good that he had contributed to resist his island’s subjugation and exploitation by foreigners.

With this in his heart, in 1997, when his enemies, the PNGDF, were withdrawing from parts of central Bougainville, he went on to attend Arawa High School and continued on to Bishop Wade Secondary School.

From here he enrolled in Business Studies in Rabaul and in 2005 was employed by a local Arawa company in Bougainville.

In 2006 he joined the Dominican Order of the Catholic Church to become a priest.  In 2007 he was posted in the Gizo Diocese in the Western Province of the Solomon Islands, a posting he completed in 2009.

“I took a boat from Gizo and went straight home instead of wasting time going to Port Moresby and to Buka,” he laughs. “This is my home island and it is one of the many reasons many Bougainvilleans died as we tried to regain our rights as Solomon Islanders.”

Augustine and his family were originally from the northern Choiseul Island of the Solomon Islands and were newcomers to central Bougainville just before colonialism.

From 2010-2011 he attended Bomana Catholic Theological Institute and now he is an ordained Dominican brother in the Order of Preachers and has just completed an English Language Arts course at Divine Word University to venture more into learning and become a good Bougainvillean.

To him, Bougainville’s future depends on people who make a sacrifice to be educated despite the fact that they are over the required age of sitting in classrooms and often laughed at by those who did not see the impact of the Bougainville civil war.

But we have to cuddle our traditional values and move on from the cruelty of history to make a new free Bougainville for our future generations.

21.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Bougainville stories come flooding back in new play

by BRIAN KARLOVSKY | Hornsby Advocate (Sydney)

IT'S 20 YEARS SINCE former London Times journalist Robert Cockburn (pictured), who was covering the Bougainville conflict, reported for his newspaper and the BBC on the murder of a young Bougainvillean bus driver.

"There was the murder of a young village bus driver, who I found in the mortuary," Mr Cockburn, 59, said. "I felt so moved because it was an innocent who was caught up and shot and that's where the play began. It was very immediate and very personal."

Set on fictional Hibiscus Island in Papua New Guinea, Hotel Hibiscus is a brutally revealing account of Australian involvement in the six year "dirty war" on Bougainville.

Mr Cockburn, who also covered the Maralinga Royal Commission while Australian correspondent for The Times, said there were still a lot of questions to be answered.

"There was a recent announcement in the US Supreme Court where it had given them permission to bring a case on genocide and war crimes against the miners operating at Bougainville at that time," he said.

"That case is on going and brings the story right up to date and throws it into the future. I will be watching with a professional eye what happens in the court case."

Hotel Hibiscus is an Australian political thriller that questions our complicity and silence in war crimes carried out just 20 years ago. Thornleigh resident Robert Cockburn wrote it while he reported on the Bougainville conflict in the 1990s.

Photo: Kristi Miller

21.10.2012

Source: EMTV

Bouganville Joint Supervisory Body Meeting  

20.10.2012

Source: Weekend Courier

BOUGAINVILLE ISSUES DISCUSSED

By GRACE TIDEN 

THE Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) has endorsed a number of recommendations that arose during the one-day meeting in Kokopo this Wednesday. 

JSB Co-chairs Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Dr John Momis signed the official joint statement on the conclusions and records of the JSB soon after the end of the meet. 

The JSB directed that the recommendations be adopted and implemented by respective governments. 

Some of the conclusions and reports that were endorsed include the ABG Capacity Development Strategies, implementation of MOUs on the transfer of powers from national government departments to the ABG divisions, Panguna negotiations, autonomy implementation, high impact projects and K500 million Special Intervention Fund, visa and immigration issues and weapons disposal. Mr O’Neill together with Dr Momis had discussed the high impact projects and endorsed a number of projects to be undertaken on the island in 2013. 

Some of the projects include the Buka ring road sealing, Kokopau to Buin road sealing, Bougainville power upgrading, Kieta Port upgrade, Aropa airport upgrading, Arawa and Buka water supply and sewerage and Arawa township redevelopment projects amongst others. 

Both leaders reiterated their commitment to the process of the implementation of the Autonomy arrangements in the interest of peace, prosperity and development in Bougainville and were satisfied that there was a new spirit of cooperation in the work of the JSB. 

The meeting was also attended by the Deputy Prime Minister and East New Britain Regional Member Leo Dion, ENB Governor and Kokopo MP Ereman Tobaining Junior, Mining Minister Byron Chan, Treasury Minister Don Polye as well as other National Government and ABG senior ministers, Chief Secretary to Government Manasupe Zurenuoc, UN and Australian observers, technical officials and other invited guests.

20.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MOMIS SATISFIED

 By Aloysius Laukai

ABG President Chief JOHN MOMIS is happy at the outcome of the JSB meeting held in Rabaul this week.

 Chief Momis described the meeting as the best JSB meeting the region has had since 2005.

 He was speaking to reporters in Buka this morning.

 President MOMIS raised many issues discussed at the JSB which among others starts with the setting up of the Bougainville Public Service which will go with the Public Finance Management Act to manage Bougainville’s funds.

 He said that the ABG was also working on mining Policy that they hope to pass through the parliament in December or at the March session.

 On the ONE HUNDRED MILLION KINA allocated by the National Government, Chief Momis said that this year’s funds have been appropriated by the ABG however next year’s funds will specifically for High Impact Projects.

 On the issue of Businesses by foreigners, the President said that once laws have been enacted no outsider would be allowed to operate canteens and stores that are only for Bougainvilleans.

 On the question of foreigners marrying Bougainvilleans to operate businesses, President Momis says that this law was currently being reviewed.

20.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

IMPACTS RURAL AREAS

 By Aloysius Laukai

 Meanwhile, Tracy Tann the Development Specialist and team leader for AusAid on Bougainville also commented at the ceremony.

 Mrs Tracy Tann said that SPSN was one project that was creating impacts in the rural communities of Papua New Guinea.

 She said that in 2010 AusAid projects in PNG were reviewed which saw increased funding for Health and Education sector.

 She also said that in the next two years AusAid intends to spend over FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS in programs like the Strongim Pipol Strongim Netion for small and big grants to support the development of communities who in turn can develop the nation of Papua New Guinea.

 Those first five groups from Central and South Bougainville to benefit this round are as follows, Turumino Clan Group from Borepuru village in Buin .

 They will benefit from a Water and Sanitation project totaling SIXTY SEVEN THOUSAND KINA.

 ROROVANA 1 Catholic women’s group in Central Bougainville will also benefit from a water supply project costing FIFTY SEVEN THOSAND KINA.

 RABAULU Primary School in Siwai will get funds totaling SEVENTY SEVEN THOUSAND KINA for the maintenance of School facilities.

 St. Joseph’s NAVIBI Primary School in Central Bougainville will get funds to totaling SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND KINA to construct new school facility.

 AND BALBI GRAINS AND VEGETABLE Group in Wakunai will get SEVENTY EIGHT THOUSAND kina for agricultural activities including marketing fruits and vegetables.

20.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SPSN SUPPORT

By Aloysius Laukai

SPSN Program Director JEREMY SYMES says that Strongim Pipol Strongim Nation is partnership program between Australia and Papua New Guinea to strengthen the people who in turn can strengthen the nation.

 Speaking at the signing ceremony of the first five approved projects for Central and South Bougainville in Buka yesterday, he said the program is a kind of assistance by the people of Australia to the people of Papua New Guinea to develop capacity for the rural population in terms of development and health issues.

 He said it was not intended to help individual families but to develop communities and to maintain existing infrastructures like schools, rural health facilities and in Business is to see them grow and become sustainable.

 He said that the projects are given with expectations and that is to use them wisely on the purpose they have been approved for.

 The recipients will also be supported and trained to make sure that they achieve their goals to develop their areas.

 He said that he was happy that the Bougainville committee concentrated on helping the most remote areas of Bougainville.

 MR. SYMES said this was totally different with committees in other provinces which were sometimes helping those who are already privileged.

19.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ABG sees Panguna re-opening as priority

By GRACE TIDEN 

THE AUTONOMOUS Boug­ain­ville Government has considered the Panguna Re-Opening Process and Negotiations as its highest priority. 

Speaking in Kokopo on Wednesday this week during the one-day Joint Supervisory Body meeting between the ABG and the National Government, ABG President Chief Dr John Momis said they hope the issue will be treated as a special agenda on all future JSB meetings until the matter was concluded. 

He said the brief that was presented to the JSB detailed the administrative actions taken jointly by the ABG and by the appropriate National Government Departments to deal with the Panguna Re-Opening Process. 

A meeting between ABG and the National Government Technical Officers (Joint Technical Officials Meeting) which was held two days before the JSB meeting recommended that a Joint Panguna Review Coordination Group to be established and that the ABG was preparing itself and the landowners to negotiate on this matter. 

A full brief by the ABG and the National Government on the progress of the Panguna re-opening process and negotiations was presented during the JSB meeting. 

Amongst the conclusions and records of the JSB was the Panguna Negotiations which stated that the JSB noted the establishment of the Panguna Co-ordination Committee within the ABG for the Panguna reopening process and fully endorsed the work streams and the cooperative relations between the ABG and the National Government. 

The JSB also agreed for the state to commit its support to the process for the reopening of the Panguna Mine. 

Dr Momis also said under the JSB Agenda item Mining, Oil and Gas, the ABG was working on its own mining legislation and drafting instructions has been approved for a Bill for a transitional ABG Mining Act. 

He said the main reason for this step being taken was to emphasis that it was the ABG that sets mining policy for Bougainville and that all stakeholders must obey the law. 

“This includes foreign companies, some of which so far have failed to even consult either the ABG or lawful PNG authorities about their mining related activities in Bougainville. This ABG legislation will hopefully put a stop to this practice in an emphatic way,” he said.

19.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ABG requests separate tax system from PNG

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) for the first time since the peace agreement has now recommended a complete separation from Papua New Guinea tax system and taxation revenue arrangements under autonomy.

ABG President John Momis made the recommendation in his address to the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) between ABG officials and PNG Government officials in their meeting in Kokopo, East New Britain, yesterday.

Mr Momis in his address put it bluntly to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the PNG Government officials that the PNG bureaucracy has failed to meet the country’s financial obligation to Bougainville within the spirit of the Peace Agreement and its legal obligation to Bougainville.

“The ABG is concerned that current autonomy arrangements for taxation revenue are falling short of what was originally intended. We do not doubt the good intentions and sincerity of the IRC or the National Government. However, it is clear that the IRC lacks the internal capacity to meet the current obligations and there is insufficient will to make the current arrangements work,” Mr Momis said.

“We are led to the conclusion that there will need to be some fundamental changes to the taxation revenue arrangements under autonomy.”

He said Bougainville needed to have much better control of its taxation revenues than what the current arrangement permitted.

Mr Momis said the points of concern were:

► Failure by IRC to collect the personal income tax collectable from Bougainville’s cocoa and copra industries with an estimated loss of between K10 million to K20 million a year;

► Failure by IRC to properly account for company tax, custom duties and 70 percent of GST collections from businesses in Bougainville;

► Failure by IRC to properly account for collection of personal income tax from Bougainville employees of businesses and National Government enterprises;

► Non-payment of outstanding sum of personal income tax from the ABG’s own payroll between June 2005 and 2010 amounting to K3.4 million plus another K2 million deducted from hardship allowances paid to former Bougainville public servants totaling around K5.4 million;

► Non-payment of stamp-duty where Bougainville is entitled to 100 percent of stamp duty on Bougainville transactions in which no revenue from that has come through since 2005;

► Continuing late payments (average three months delay) to ABG on remittances of personal income tax deducted from Bougainville public servants and; 

► The ABG lacks the expertise to properly audit and analyse the accuracy of IRC accounting and administrative systems to make sure that Bougainville is receiving its full revenue entitlement.

Mr Momis said overall, it was recommended that there be a review of whether the current autonomy arrangements were workable in the long term and whether Bougainville needed to consider establishing a completely standalone revenue collection system with its own taxation office to take full control of taxation in Bougainville. 

He said this would involve complete separation from PNG’s tax system.

“These are matters for consideration and during the course of our discussion on this particular item we will suggest and recommend some measures to improve the existing system,” Mr Momis said.

19.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

K500m for projects

By ISAAC NICHOLAS

K500 million special intervention funding from the National Government to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) will be used for high-impact (HIP) projects on Bougainville.

This was endorsed by both the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and ABG president John Momis after the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Kokopo, East New Britain on Wednesday.

The first batch of K100 million from the K500 million over a five-year period to ABG was presented by Mr O’Neill to Mr Momis in Port Moresby last month.

The JSB meeting in Kokopo noted and endorsed the joint approach by the National Government and the ABG on the identification, prioritisation and utilisation of the K500 million special intervention fund.

The JSB noted that Mr O’Neill and Mr Momis discussed the issue of the HIP and endorsed the following projects for 2013:

► Sealing of Buka Ring Road;

► Sealing of Kokopau-Buin Road;

► Buin-Siwai Road;

► Aropa airport upgrading/sealing and terminal;

► Kieta port upgrade;

► Arawa Hospital;

► Arawa and Kieta water supply and sewerage;

► Bougainville power upgrading;

► Arawa township redevelopment projects (including ABG Administration and Government Headquarters; and

► Bougainville Bridge program (Arawa-Buin).

The JSB also endorsed the approaches regarding the establishment of the Joint Program Management Unit in the ABG to oversee project implementation.

Prime Minister O’Neill in his address to the JSB said that he was glad that the first batch of K100 million was now in the hands of ABG government.

“Let’s get our acts together and make the most of this money. Let our people of Bougainville feel and see developments to their lives.” Mr O’Neill said.

“We need to exercise prudence in the management of this fund and ensure that relevant PIP expenditure guidelines are followed, including compliance with the approved 2012 Development Budget books.

“Transparency and accountability are very important principles we need to adhere to for they will increase the level of trust and confidence our people of Bougainville will have on us.

Mr O’Neill and Mr Momis reaffirmed their commitment to the process of the implementation of the autonomy arrangements in the interest of peace, prosperity and development in Bougainville.

The two leaders emphasised the need for closer consultation at all levels and were satisfied with the spirit of cooperation and thanked all parties involved on the process before signing the Joint Statement on the conclusions and records of JSB.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Panguna re-opening a high priority for ABG

THE Panguna Re-Opening Process and Negotiation is considered as a highest priority issue by the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG).

This was revealed by the President of the ABG Dr John Momis in his opening address to the Joint Supervisory Body in Kokopo recently. 

Dr Momis informed the forum that a full brief by the ABG was to have been provided to the JSB to detail administrative actions taken by Bougainville authorities and appropriate national government agencies to deal with the Panguna Re-Opening Process.

He said that this would be treated as a separate issue from the Fifteen Step Mining, Oil and Gas agenda.

Dr Momis further requested that the Panguna Re-Opening Process be treated “as a special agenda item on all future JSB meetings until the matter is concluded”.

He also informed the JSB forum that the Bougainville government was working on legislations specific to the Mining, Oil and Gas industry within the region. He said draft instructions have been “approved for a Bill for a transitional ABG Mining Act”. 

This would ensure that all mining and extractive activities in the region relating to mining, oil and gas are governed by a strict set of legislations, with stakeholder activities being carefully scrutinized to ensure compliance with Bougainville laws.

Dr Momis said that the ABG was wary of operators, particularly foreign owned companies who have been operating outside of, and without consultation with lawful ABG and PNG authorities.

“This ABG legislation will, hopefully, put a stop to this practice in an emphatic way”, Dr Momis said.

Dr Momis expressed satisfaction at renewed interactions of late between the ABG and the national government at the senior bureaucratic level, particularly with the Department of Works, Mining and the MRA which should ensure “a new level of commitment on the part of the National Government towards a greater level of cooperation with Bougainville” in all areas.

Dr Momis is Co-Chair of the JSB along with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ABG president John Momis” We need full co-operation from the PNG Government

THE significance of the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB), conceived as a high level avenue through which both the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government can discharge their respective duties as stipulated under the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) should not be lost on either government or their agents.

This statement was made by President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government Dr John Momis when speaking at the JSB meeting in Kokopo, East New Britain Province on Tuesday this week. 

Dr Momis said that the BPA had evolved into the ABG, considered “a stable functioning constitutional and political entity”. He said despite this, “there there is still a need for the JSB to function as it was envisioned by its framers”. 

However, Dr Momis expressed disappointment that there had not been regular integrations between Bougainville and national government officials on matters pertinent to autonomy and referendum on Bougainville.   

He said the role of the Joint Technical Officials from both governments could be enhanced to ensure that issues and administrative matters could be reviewed and settled or referred to the JSB for deliberations and resolutions.

 “For this to happen, however, we need the full cooperation of National Government Officials at the Deputy Secretary/ Heads level and above to focus on the work of the JSB in relation to bilateral autonomy arrangements.

“I would therefore appeal to the Chief Secretary, through the Prime Minister, to ensure that the engagement of senior Waigani officials in this process is encouraged and in fact mandated. This is a part of the evolutionary process in the arrangements of the BPA that I referred to earlier”, Dr Momis said.

 Dr Momis also stated that both governments should retain their prerogative to bring to the JSB forum issues considered significant to autonomy and referendum arrangements being fostered through both governments.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM’s advice on Autonomous Bougainville Government

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill has called for prudent management of funds allocated by the National Government to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG).

As part of his opening address to the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Kokopo earlier this week, Mr O’Neill said he was pleased to note that the first batch of the K100 million earmarked for the ABG had been released to Bougainville authorities.

Mr O’Neill stated that it was important for the ABG to ensure that “relevant PIP expenditure guidelines are followed including compliance with approved 2012 Development Budget books”. 

“Transparency and accountability are very important principles we need to adhere to for they will increase the level of trust and confidence our people on Bougainville will have on us”, Mr O’Neill said. 

He also called for a concerted effort from national and Bougainville authorities in the implementation of programs approved under the funding to ensure that the “people of Bougainville feel and see developments in their lives”. 

The Prime Minister further also spoke the need for a review of autonomy arrangements. He said that this needed to be expedited to ensure compliance with constitutional requirements. The review is critical for autonomy arrangements and preparations for Referendum in 2015.

Mr O’Neill further called for the strengthening of Bougainville’s public service machinery. He said that a strengthened public service, along with an effective “information dissemination drive” is crucial to seeing effective service delivery and implementation of other government programs.

He also encouraged leaders to establish reconciliation and trust among the people of Bougainville. He said weapons disposal and other development programs in the region hinges on the confidence the people of Bougainville will have in the ABG and the national government. 

“We need to build bridges among our communities so to speak and give them the opportunity to communicate with one another and rediscover their potential.

“I believe this is the most plausible way forward to extending the reach and legitimacy of the ABG Government”, Mr O’Neill said.

The Prime Minster reassured the JSB meeting of the national government’s commitment to supporting the Bougainville government.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Momis blames PNG Government’s bureaucracy for failing to meet financial obligations as agreed

 THE President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville Dr John Momis has accused the national government’s bureaucracy of failing to meet Papua New Guinea’s financial obligations to the region as spelt out in the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the Organic Law on Peace Building in Bougainville-Autonomous Bougainville Government and Bougainville Referendum 2002.

Dr Momis was referring to current autonomy arrangements for taxation under which PNG’s tax authority, the Internal Revenue Commission (IRC) is expected to collect and remit taxes and duties to the ABG.

He observed that this may be due to the IRC’s “lack of internal capacity to meet its current obligations”, causing the ABG to consider instituting changes to the region’s internal “taxation revenue arrangements under autonomy”, with the view of establishing a complete “stand alone revenue collection system with its own taxation office to take full control of taxation in Bougainville. This would involve complete separation from PNG's tax system”.  

Dr Momis further stated that the IRC had failed to collect an estimated K20 million in taxes from Bougainville’s cocoa and copra industries, including failure to account for personal income tax from Bougainville employees of businesses and national government enterprises. 

He said that the ABG has yet to receive remittance of seven years worth of stamp duty collections for all Bougainville transactions dating back to 2005, as well as company tax, customs duties and 70% of GST collections from businesses in Bougainville. 

He said that since the ABG does not have the expertise to “properly audit and analyze the accuracy of IRC accounting and administrative systems”, professional assistance from outside the region will be sought to determine whether Bougainville was receiving its full revenue entitlement.

Dr Momis said the ABG was also concerned with the National Fisheries Authority’s inability to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding which would see transfer of fisheries functions and powers to the Bougainville government. This failure would have financial and fisheries revenue implications for the ABG.

“This is a matter affecting not only the autonomy arrangements but also one with implications for the economic and fiscal sustainability of Bougainville”, Dr Momis said.  

He said that although the ABG was encouraged by the renewed political interactions with the national government, greater cooperation and commitment at the senior bureaucratic level was needed in Bougainville’s the path to autonomy and referendum. 

Dr Momis was speaking at the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Kokopo earlier this week.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Copper: more than a base metal

Story courtesy of OTML media & public relations deparment

WHEN Papua New Guineans think of copper, they think mostly of copper wire and of course our copper mine at Ok Tedi. 

But copper is more than a base metal used to conduct electricity as John Fennell, CEO of the International Copper Association (ICA), Australia revealed earlier this month during a visit to Ok Tedi. ICA Australia’s members include major industry players such as BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto, Ok Tedi Mining Ltd and Xstrata.

The ICA is a New York-based organisation primarily focussed on research and development of copper products. It has 43 member-companies from around the world that invest around US$ 100 million (about K196 million) in creating innovative copper based solutions to meet the increasing demands of industry and households. For instance, the ICA has developed innovative copper fish nets that increase productivity and improve fish quality on fish farms.

The ICA through its aquaculture arm, EcoSea, has distributed around 400 copper fish nets around the world. Copper nets have reduced aquaculture costs by 20% as they require less cleaning and repairs. With the growing interest on Barramundi farming in Western Province, copper nets could potentially improve efficiency and increase productivity of local Barramundi farms by allowing local fish farmers to use fresh water systems instead of stagnant fish ponds.

Ok Tedi Mining Limited (OTML) is a member of the Oceania branch of the International Copper Association. Mr Fennell visited the mine for a few days and was excited about the company’s mine life extension plans. 

“It’s great to see companies like Ok Tedi extending well into the future because we sure need copper around the world,” Mr Fennell said.

One other exciting new frontier being keenly pursued by the ICA is the use of copper-alloy touch surfaces that have antimicrobial properties. Mr Fennell explained that many harmful bacteria like the infamous hospital superbug Methicinin Resistant staphylococcus aureus [MRSA], die on contact with copper. He further emphasised that many people may not know that other harmful bacteria like Clostridium dificile, E.coli also die once they come into contact with copper. 

Copper touch surfaces could have various applications in hospitals and public spaces to reduce the spread of infections in the community and improve general wellbeing. Antimicrobial copper surfaces could be used on kitchen bench tops and equipment in public eating places, as they kill most bacteria unlike commonly used stainless steel appliances.

Statistics from the National Department of Health indicate that Pneumonia is the biggest cause of hospital admissions and mortality in PNG. Respiratory infections are most commonly spread by hand contact with contaminated surfaces. The application of copper touch surfaces on taps, door handles, support bars and hospital equipment could help reduce the spread of respiratory infections. 

OTML, through its Oceania membership of the International Copper Association is contributing to improvements in Public Health through the application of antimicrobial copper. OTML also directly contributes to improvements in community wellbeing through employee Occupational Health and Safety initiatives as well as its K20 million North Fly Health Services Development Program.

The North Fly Health Services Development Program Annual Report for 2011 reported that in 2010, North Fly saw an increase in diarrheal diseases amongst children under 5 years, with an incidence of 615 cases per 1000 children under 5 years. The challenges of water and sanitation can be eased by the application antibacterial copper touch surfaces to reduce contamination by E.coli and other gut flora.

Papua New Guinea produced 146, 336 tonnes of copper in 2011, through OTML. Last year, OTML earned K4.536 billion in export revenue. Its shareholders (State of PNG and PNG Sustainable Development Programme Limited) received dividends totalling K1.654 billion. Mining royalties paid to the Fly River Provincial Government and Landowners totalled K86 million while total taxes paid to the PNG Government were close to K1.2 billion. 

The economic and public health benefits of copper are enormous and counterbalance the environmental impact of mining. OTML recognises these positive societal benefits of copper and is currently focused on Mine Life Extension (MLE) whilst mitigating risks.

“We are pursuing a Mine Life Extension that is not only feasible in commercial terms but socially and environmentally acceptable to stakeholders,” says Nigel Parker, the Managing Director and CEO of OTML.

18.10.2012

Source: EMTV

Bougainville: Joint Supervisory Body Meeting 

At the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Kokopo yesterday, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill met with members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

O'Neill is glad that the first batch of 100 million kina is now in the hands of the ABG. He said work on the review of the autonomy arrangement needs to be sped up.

O'Neill said he wants to see emphasis given to developing and strengthening the Public Service on Bougainville. He also said no one can talk about weapons disposal without first reconciling and establishing trust and confidence among the people of Bougainville.

ABG President John Momis said the role of meeting the autonomy should be among the core focus of each Department and State Authority.

18.10.2012

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville urges PNG to change tax arrangements

The President of Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville province says there’s a need for fundamental changes to taxation arrangements handled by the national government.

The national government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government are in Kokopo in East New Britain for a joint supervisory body meeting.

President John Momis says the national bureaucracy is failing the province with the specific financial obligations laid out in the Peace Agreement not being met.

He estimates a loss of up to 9.5 million US dollars a year in uncollected income tax.

The President says there are also significant losses from the non-payment of stamp duty, improperly accounted for company tax and customs duties, while as much as 70 percent of good and services tax is not collected.

Mr Momis wants a review of whether the autonomy arrangements are workable or whether Bougainville needs to consider establishing a completely stand-alone revenue collection system.

18.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

SPSN PROJECTS APPROVED

By Aloysius Laukai

Strongim Pipol Strongim Nation this morning announced nine Projects approved to be funded under the small grants scheme on Bougainville.

And since Monday this week, Spsn has been running trainings for these succesful applicants at the Lumankoa Guest house conference room.

In his opening remarks, at the agreement signing this morning, the Chairman of the Screening committee and CEO for Comnerce. ALBERT KINANI said that Spsn received a total of 180 Expression of interests and only nine projects were approved for funding.

MR KINANI said that his committee had a hard time making the selections however they were guided to make sure that people in theost remote areas and had no capacity at all were selected under health, education, gender balance also on capacity building for these unfortunate groups.

He said these groups will be supported with training and monitoring so that these projects have results.

The nine projects are five in Central and South Bougainville anf four in the North Bougainville.

These succesful applicants will have to pay their ten percent equity before they can get these funds.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM assures ABG of Government support

By GRACE TIDEN 

THE National Government is and will always remain committed to supporting the Autonomous Bougainville Government. 

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill gave the assurance to the ABG President Dr John Momis and his senior ministers during yesterday’s Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Kokopo. 

In his statement to the JSB, Mr O’Neill said the meeting between ABG and the National Government was important to him since becoming Prime Minister to strengthen the bond between the government and the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville since the last JSB meeting in early 2011. 

He attributed the long delay to the difficult political situation PNG went through last year followed by the national elections early this year. 

However, he said he was happy to know that the first batch of the K100 million was now with the ABG government, adding that transparency and accountability were important principles they needed to adhere to, by increasing the level of trust and confidence the people of Bougainville have in the Government. 

“Let our people of Bougainville feel and see developments in their lives,” he said 

Mr O’Neill also said they need to speed up work on the review of the autonomy arrangement because this was now overdue and has some serious constitutional implications for non-compliance. 

Both governments were concerned at the slow pace at which the autonomy arrangements were being implemented and made a number of endorsements at the end of the JSB meeting to fast track the autonomy implementation matters. 

“The review is critical as it underpins the challenge of making the autonomy arrangement work successfully and also that it will inform preparations for the conduct of the Referendum,” the PM said. 

Mr O’Neill also outlined other issues such as the development and strengthening of the public service on Bougainville and the establishment of trust and confidence among the people on the island. 

“...we can’t talk about Weapons Disposal on Bougainville without first reconciling and establishing trust...We need to build bridges among our communities…give them the opportunity to communicate with one another and rediscover their potentials,” he said. 

The PM together with Dr Momis co-chaired the one-day meeting and both signed the communiqué at the end of the gathering.

18.10.2012

Source: The National

Momis: Let us avoid more trouble 

AUTONOMOUS Region of Bougainville President John Momis has warned that the government must meet the people’s high expectations to avoid any trouble.

“The expectations of the people of Bougainville are very high,” he said during the opening of the joint supervisory body (JSB) meeting in Kokopo yesterday.

“The situation is still very fragile and if we (ABG government and national government) do not play our roles properly, we run the risk of social disorder.”

The supervisory body comprises of members of the ABG and national government.

Momis said the full cooperation of the national government was vital to focus on the work of the JSB in relation to bilateral autonomy arrangements.

“Assisting Bougainville should be among the core focus of each and every departmental state authority in Waigani,” he said.

He appealed to the chief secretary through the prime minister to ensure that the engagement of senior officials at Waigani in this process was encouraged and mandated.

“This is a part of the evolutionary process in the arrangements of the Bougainville peace agreement,” he added.

Momis said the recent march and the petition presented by ex-combatants was an example of this heightened expectation.

He said the group could very well have been misguided in their actions and demonstrated lack of understanding that could lead to autonomy but rightly or wrongly their expectations were high.

Meanwhile, Momis was encouraged by the national government’s renewed emphasis on Bougainville.

18.10.2012

Source: The National

Review of autonomy process overdue, says PM 

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill says the review of Bougainville’s autonomy process is overdue and must be conducted in a timely manner if future autonomy arrangements are to work successfully.

He told the joint supervisory body meeting in Kokopo yesterday: “We see the need and support the call by Autonomous Region of Bougainville President John Momis on work we are carrying out jointly to attain full autonomy.

“The national government supports that it is well and truly overdue and we have a lot of work ahead of us because of some serious constitutional issues that need to be resolved.

“The meet will endorse a submission to ensure that work on the review of the autonomy process is conducted in a timely manner.

“This work is critical as it underpins the challenges of making autonomy arrangements work successfully and will also inform us of preparations of referendum that is due between 2015 and 2020.”

He assured Momis that the region would again be featured prominently in the 2013 budget.

O’Neill said the first batch of the national government’s commitment of K100 million was with the ABG.

“Let us now work together in making sure this money is spent well to improve lives of people and making sure we commit funds to rebuilding vital facilities on Bougainville,” he said.

“We need to exercise prudence in the management of these funds and ensure that relevant public investment programme guidelines are followed in compliance with Public Management Act.”

18.10.2012

Source: The National

Bougainville needs to make money 

BOUGAINVILLE regional MP Joe Lera wants the 300,000 people of the region to have money in their pockets before any mining is started there.

Lera said although he understood the need to raise funds for the Autonomous Bougainville Government, he still thought Bougainville needed

to develop other ways of raising money.

He made these remarks during awareness campaigns in South and Central Bougainville last weekend.

He said if mining was started, only the educated and trained operators would find jobs while Bougainvillean youths would miss out.

He said if agricultural projects were encouraged, “everybody, no matter if they are educated, will have employment opportunities”.

He said in his first 100 days in office he wanted to see technical schools established on Bougainville.

Lera said his awareness campaigns would cover the rest of Bougainville, including the atolls, before the end of the year.

18.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Family help desk opened in Buka

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

WIFE beaters, especially husbands in Bougainville, be warned that your actions will not be tolerated any more.

And those promoting any form of violence in the family must also be warned to stop their activities or face the law for their actions.

This follows the recent launching of a family help desk at the Buka District Court house last week.

This help desk will be the avenue where victims of violence, not only women, but husbands and children too, can go to seek assistance.

The initiative to establish this help desk began in 2010 by the then Bougainville senior district court magistrate Peter Toliken.

Mr Toliken, who is now an acting National Court Judge, was also present to witness the launching.

While delivering his speech, Mr Toliken highlighted that this help desk would not only be used to address issues affecting women but the family as a whole. 

He said that the purpose of establishing this help desk is to promote unity and rehabilitation in the family.

Mr Toliken also stressed that avenues like this help desk should be entertained because a lot of issues arising nowadays can be mediated. 

He also commended everyone who was involved in successfully setting up the help desk. 

The help desk, which was funded by AusAID at a cost of K16, 000 was officially opened by the director of Bougainville-based NGO, Leitana Nehan Women’s Development Agency, Helen Hakena.

Mrs Hakena, before officially opening the help desk said that this help desk will act as a “one-stop shop” where victims of family violence can go to to seek assistance.

Apart from the help desk at the court house, other similar safe desks are also located at the Buka Police station and the Buka hospital.

18.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Throw away your guns & gain your freedom! Oh yeah?

by LEONARD FONG ROKA | Supported by the Jeff Febi Writing Fellowship

IF WE WANT TO FAST-TRACK the peaceful settlement of the Bougainville issue once and for all, then we ought to do it in a manner that ordinary people see as right; not from the perspective of the big men of Bougainville, nor of international law.

Imposing upon the people what they just don’t like is the one and only catalyst of the setbacks we are familiar with in the pacification of the Bougainville conflict.

One of the three major pillars that will determine the execution of the Bougainville referendum on independence between 2015 and 2020 is the disposal of our weapons.

This is the design and liking of international law and PNG but not Bougainville.

If the Autonomous Government or our free-riders in the Meekamui all want independence, then they need to throw away the guns.

In the many negotiations held overseas as well as within PNG and Bougainville, PNG leaders are always screaming for a gun-free Bougainville. But what is the logic behind this demand? Does it meet the expectations of all Bougainvilleans?

Many educated Bougainvilleans, of course, will support the pillar of a weapon-free Bougainville; but the see-saw does not favour these few. One has to understand that, the educated and the illiterate majority do not share the same world view.

Thus, as decision makers, we have to remember that Bougainvilleans were treated as cheap prostitutes by colonialism. Their island was forcibly annexed (without their consent) by Germany in a self-glorification chat with Britain.

Since then, they have struggled against this evil in the form of exploitation of their resource rich island, cultural genocide and were laughed at as their old people wept under the sun demonstrating against PNG, Australia and BCL’s ruthlessness.

These things have become the chitchat of everyday Bougainvillean life and yet decision makers ignore it, upholding the imposed sting of international norms that have no place in Bougainville.

The majority has yet to be educated to understand how the globalised world’s political, economic and social mechanisms are operated.

From 1988 on, guns were their means of change. Without the employment of violence on the New Guinean squatter settlements around Bougainville and the attack on Bougainville Copper Limited, by now Bougainville would have being the land of Papua New Guineans.

Guns chased away the squatter settlers who were every day driving the natives further inland. Guns shut down Bougainville Copper Limited which brought them in.

But most Bougainvillean fighters noted that guns reached their hands not from a donor like Australia, but by personal sacrifice. That is, to own a gun you had to kill your enemy, the Papua New Guinean soldier, as he shamelessly pursued you to kill you and rob you in your own land.

But are political decision makers noting this? Leaders are worshipping imposed norms of conflict resolution listening to what the mind speaks and not what the heart speaks.

Politicians did not acknowledge this fact about Bougainville when, in 2001, they signed the terms of the future referendum on independence.

Bougainvilleans know the long struggle for self-determination before 1988 that was ignored by the Papua New Guineans who were using the wealth of Bougainville to build their own country. Yet our leaders gave in and sold us off once again to square an historical nightmare.

And here is where Bougainville is being divided into factions. There was a faction which wanted to end the war with the gun seeing the many successes the BRA was having against the Papua New Guinea army. And there was this other bunch that wanted a solution by peace.

All sides were working through different means to achieve nationhood for Bougainville.

But to many of us, weapons disposal is a problematic issue because it does not respect the Bougainville people.

The question is: If guns made PNG change its dirty attitude to Bougainville, why did PNG push for the eradication of guns without firstly seeing Bougainvilleans from the Melanesian perspective rather than continuing a psychological war from an international legal stage?

It is so silly to come to Bougainville calling, ‘Throw away your guns and I will give you freedom!’

Bougainville will never be fooled this time by such empty promises. PNG ordered Bougainville leaders to push for weapons disposal without giving them something.

That something is not autonomy because some of the very people who were involved in the protest marches of the 1970s for Bougainville independence are still around.

They share what they saw: we protested for nationhood, but PNG gave us a provincial government and now, when our 15,000 innocent people have died because of that past ignorance, they have given us autonomy.

That something is protectionism in trade and powers over people’s movement between PNG and Bougainville.

This tiny step, for example activating a vagrancy act in the NG parliament to control movement into or out of Bougainville, can be a catalyst to instigate a positive leap forward.

Many ex-combatants support the idea of preserving their guns in a museum-kind of arrangement where the children can always feel the pain their forefathers went through. But politicians see not this and now we are on the eve of the referendum.

But seeing non-Bougainvilleans flooding into Bougainville as teachers, preachers and in government offices stirs something different in the mountains.

The little heard voice is the voice political decision makers ought to be careful of in Bougainville.

A referendum on independence in the midst of division between leaders and the Bougainville people, and division between Port Moresby and Bougainville, wil not work.

I for one see that this can be sealed only with a review the Bougainville Peace Agreement which needs to be rewritten in a Bougainvillean way.

And since this agreement is multilateral, all stakeholders must put on Bougainville shoes because we are interested to solve a problem not in Fiji or Papua New Guinea, but in Bougainville.

17.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

JSB-Meeting: KOKOPO COMMUNIQUE

by Aloysius Laukai

The Papua New Guinea national government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government this afternoon signed another agreement which further strengthens the Bougainville Autonomous Government in its desire to draw down more powers from the national government as agreed to in the August 2001, Bougainville Peace Agreement.

This agreement paved the way for the establishment of the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

The Kokopo Communique this afternoon was signed by the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister,

 PETER O'NEIL and the ABG President. Chief JOHN MOMIS witnessed by Ministers and officers of the PNG Government and the ABG.

The communique among other things talks about giving the ABG increased funding to prepare Bougainville for draw down of powers from the national government.

Prime Minister Peter O'neil also committed the national government to fully support the ABG reach and taste full autonmy within Papua New Guinea.

He said that the national government will fund for the upgrading and sealing of Roads from Kokopau right down to Buin and all the way through Siwai and Bana in South Bougainville.

Funds would also be allocated for the upgrading and opening of the Aropa International airport, the rebuilding of Arawa General Hospital and including rural electrification for Bougainville.

The Prime minister was accompanied by his deputy. LEO DION and other senior Ministers including the Minister for Autonomy Steven Pirika and government officers.

The ABG delegation headed by President Chief Momis and ABG ministers and officers will return to Buka tomorrow.

NEW DAWN FM understands this is the first succesful meeting since ABG President Chief John Momis took office in June 2010.

17.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

EXCOMBATANTS WANT REVIEW

By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville excombatants want the Bougainville Peace Agreement to be reviewed as soon as possible.

Whilst commenting on the national government's commitment for increased funding ex combatants still want this covered during the review and not by any other arrangement.

Excombatants spokesman, John Angamata told NEW DAWN FM in Buka that they would still want the two governments to quickly address the review as a matter of urgency.

He said that the deadlines included in their petition still stands and they would be waiting for the ABG for an update.

The ex combatants are organizing a talk back show on New Dawn FM this Thursday at ten am.

17.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

KOKOPO WELCOME

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill arrived in Kokopo, East New Britain to a rousing Tolai welcome on Tuesday afternoon, a day before the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting between the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government. Mr O’Neill was treated to a welcome fit for a chief at Tokua airport where three tumbuans, put on a spectacular performance for him.

17.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM Arrives in Kokopo to a Rousing Tolai Welcome

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill arrived in Kokopo, East New Britain to a rousing Tolai welcome on Tuesday afternoon, a day before the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting between the national government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

Mr O’Neill was treated to a welcome fit for a chief at Tokua airport where three tumbuans, put on a spectacular performance for him. 

The three tumbuans belong to the Deputy Prime Minister, Leo Dion; the ENB Governor, Ereman ToBaining Jnr; and the ENB Provincial Government respectively.

The Prime Minister was adorned with a headdress and later presented with rings of tabu or shell money.

Mr O’Neill in turn presented shell money to the three tumbuans as is custom for members of the Tumbuan society. 

Mr O’Neill was recently initiated into the Tumbuan society and the chiefly welcome was also a show of the province’s appreciation at Mr O’Neill’s trust and confidence in Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion.

Mr O’Neill was the then driven to the Takubar Sports and Entertainment Centre where he was briefed on work in progress at the stadium, the venue for the 5th PNG Games next month.

Mr O’Neill was then taken to the Gazelle International Hotel where school children from Kokopo Primary lined up the street with flags to welcome him.

The JSB will commence tomorrow morning and resolutions from that meeting will be announced later in the afternoon during a press conference.

17.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM to meet Momis today 

By GORETHY KENNETH

THE very important meeting between the National Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) starts today in Kokopo with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and President John Momis taking the lead.

This is the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting where Prime Minister O’Neill and his team will meet with ABG President Momis and his team to iron out outstanding issues that were addressed last year.

These issues include: draw down of powers and functions; weapons disposal program; K500 million from the National Government; mining and Panguna Mine; Public Service in Bougainville; review of the Autonomous Bougainville Arrangements; referendum and Independence; and other matters.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister O’Neill arrived in Kokopo, East New Britain, to a rousing Tolai welcome yesterday afternoon, a day before the JSB meeting.

Mr O’Neill was treated to a welcome fit for a chief at Tokua airport where three tubuans put on a spectacular performance for him. 

Tolai elders adorned him with a headdress and later presented the Prime Minister with rings of tabu or shell money.

The event was significant as Mr O’Neill was recently initiated into the Tubuan society. As a member of the society, he has a significant role to play. The Prime Minister in turn presented shell money to the three tubuans.

The three tubuans belong to Deputy Prime Minister, Leo Dion, ENB Governor Ereman ToBaining Jnr, and the ENB Provincial Government.

The chiefly welcome was organised to say thank you to Mr O’Neill for his trust and confidence in Mr Dion, whom he made his deputy. 

Before the arrival of the tubuans, the Prime Minister inspected a joint guard of honour by the police and CS personnel.

He was then driven to the Takubar Sports and Entertainment Centre where he was briefed on work in progress at the stadium, the venue for the fifth PNG Games, next month.

Mr O’Neill was then taken to the Gazelle International Hotel where school children from Kokopo Primary lined up the street with flags to welcome him.

He also met with members of the ENB business community later in the evening.

The JSB will begin in the morning and meeting resolutions will be announced in the afternoon during a press conference.

17.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Kauona: ABG must spend wisely 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE K100 million that was recently given to the Autonomous Bougainville Government by the National Government is for Bougainville’s much-needed Administration capacity building, and not for re-opening the Panguna mine. 

This money should be used for setting up an IRC Office, Mining Policy and Legislation, Lands Office and Legislation and all other departments that lack capacity. 

That’s the view of the former BRA commander Sam Kauona after reading a recent report in this daily paper, with regards to how ABG wants to use this K100 million funding. 

According to the report, it was stated that this funding would be used to reopen the Panguna mine.

“We thank the O’Neill-Dion Government for recognising the Peace Agreement and committing to its obligation. However if this money is given for the negotiation and re-opening of the Panguna mine, then I regret it’s in breach of the intended cause,” Mr Kauona said.

“Panguna has countless problems and I see it will be a waste of money without having our own mining policies and legislations. All stakeholders of Bougainville must be consulted before talking about re-opening the Panguna mine. There are three known major mining companies apart from Rio Tinto who are also interested in the Panguna deal and are waiting for Bougainville to legislate its Mining Act,” added Mr Kauona.

Mr Kauona is now challenging the ABG and its Administration to put the K100 million to good use for the benefit of the whole island and not in areas that will tangle us and divert from his people’s mission, which is Resource Ownership.

17.10.2012

Source: PNG Industry News

Rio drops copper guidance 

by Lauren Barrett

RIO Tinto increased its iron ore output in the September quarter but its copper and coal divisions struggled, with the miner again downgrading its copper production guidance for the year.

Global iron ore production for the three months totalled 67 million tonnes, slightly up on the 62Mt recorded in the June quarter.

Pilbara iron ore output tipped in at 63Mt, representing a 5% increase year-on-year.

Rio said production continued to exceed sales in preparation for the ramp up to 283Mt per annum, with a measured build-up of stocks across all mines. 

Year to date, global iron ore production is sitting about 187Mt, up 4% on the same time last year.

Sales from its Pilbara iron ore division totalled 61Mt, with year-to- date sales tipping in at 170Mt.

During the September quarter, the world’s third-largest miner continued to work on its expansion of the Pilbara iron ore infrastructure to ramp up to 283Mtpa by the end of 2013, despite the weakened price for the steel-making commodity.

Commissioning of Brockman 4 phase 2 was completed, as was commissioning of the sixth rail for Robe Valley fleet and the company also undertook Cape Lambert dredging.

Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese said it had been another strong quarter for the company, despite the backdrop of weakened sentiment and heightened volatility.

“As we said at our investor seminar last week, markets remain volatile, but our business is resilient and our operations are performing strongly, reflecting our consistent strategy of running large, long-life, cost-competitive operations,” he said.

Mined copper for the quarter totalled 123,000t, down from 133,500t recorded in the June quarter, while copper production for the third quarter tipped in at 69,700t.

Despite the massive Oyu Tolgoi project almost ready to come online bringing increased levels of copper output, Rio dropped its copper guidance for mined and refined copper to 560,000t and 290,000t respectively from 600,000t and 320,000t respectively.

Meanwhile, bauxite and alumina production were 13% higher compared to the same period in 2011, following record production at Weipa and Guinea.

Rio said the increase was driven mainly driven by an increase in third-party demand.

Rio also performed well on the uranium front, with production at its 62%-owned subsidiary Energy Resources of Australia increasing 29% year-on-year.

At Rossing in Namibia, third-quarter production was slightly above 1.1Mt, up 35% from the September 2011 quarter.

Rio’s share of uranium production for the year is expected to be about 9.7 million pounds.

Rio’s coal division struggled, with hard coking coal production in Australia slipping 16% below that of 2011 due to the impact of dragline maintenance at Hail Creek and a major preparation plant shutdown at Kestrel as part of the mine extensions project.

It was better news for thermal coal, with output moving up 18% year-on-year as a result of increased plant capacity at Bengalla and the continued ramp up of the Clermont mine.

In response to ongoing cost pressures and high inflation impacting the coal business in Australia, Rio said it was taking action to reduce controllable costs and increase productivity.

The company announced in July it would retrench employees from its Clermont open cut coal mine in Queensland less than two years after it opened, the result of low thermal coal prices. 

At its Argyle diamond mine, production was up 46% from the June quarter of 2012 due to a combination of access to a high-grade region of the pit and increased plant flexibility. 

For the first nine months of 2012, Rio charged $US1.5 billion ($A1.4 billion) in pre-tax and pre-divestment exploration and evaluation expenditure to the profit and loss statement.

16.10.2012

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Bougainville grant to be spent on impact projects

The regional member for Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville, Joe Lera, says the autonomous province aims to spend a 48 million US dollar grant from the national government on impact projects.

It is the first of a promised 250 million dollars to be provided by Port Moresby over the next five years.

Development in Bougainville has been held back by a lack of resources and Mr Lera says they want to use these initial funds to create an environment fostering business activity.

“Like hydro, communications, fixing roads, bridges, so people can use this infrastructure to think of other ways they can engage in revenue making activities.”

Bougainville’s regional member in the national parliament, Joe Lera.

Meanwhile the national government and the Bougainville provincial administration are this week holding a joint consultative meeting in Kokopo.

Mr Lera says the drawing down of powers from Port Moresby is the critical issue.

16.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM meets ABG officials

By GRACE TIDEN 

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill will be in Kokopo today to be part of the joint supervisory body (JSB) meeting between the government of PNG and the Autonomous Bougainville government. 

An ABG delegation led by President Chief John Momis arrived in Kokopo yesterday from Buka. Other national members of the JSB also arrived, and were met by senior government officials at Tokua airport. 

As for the PM’s arrival today, a formal reception will be held at Tokua airport to welcome him. 

Deputy Prime Minister Leo Dion and ENB Governor Ereman Tobaining Jr are expected to be at the airport for the welcome reception. 

After meeting with the leaders and members of the JSB, Mr O’Neill and his delegation will proceed to the Takubar Sports grounds where he will inspect the upcoming PNG Games facilities. 

Minister for Autonomy and Bougainville Affairs Steven Piraka will host a welcome dinner at the Gazelle International Hotel this evening for the Prime Minister and his delegation.

16.10.2012

Source: The National

ABG willing to complete jail 

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government is willing to help the Correctional Service complete the construction of the Beikut Correctional Facility on Buka Island after the review of the memorandum of understanding between them.

That understanding was reached after a meeting at the Correctional Services’ headquarters in Port Moresby last Wednesday.

The meeting involved officers from the ABG, CS and technical advisers from Papua New Guinea and Australia Law and Justice Partnership (PALJP).

ARB law and justice division chief executive officer Chris Siriosi led the team in the meeting with CS executive team and PALJP advisers.

Siriosi urged officers from both parties to re-visit the MoU.

“ABG is here for substantive issues. Set a time for all of us to meet to discuss the issues of erecting a proper prison facility in ARB,” he said.

“We’ll have to revisit and review the MoU and identify which areas CS is responsible and which are ABG’s.”

He learnt that this year CS did not provide any project formulating document for funding the Beikut project in 2013 and that had delayed the 2014 funding.

Siriosi was not impressed at the CS leaving out Beikut for next year’s funding.

“I need immediate clarification on cost of the project, not bits and pieces,” Assistant Commissioner overseeing New Guinea Islands’ prisons Philip Eka said.

“With the knowledge of the cost we can take responsibility.

“I want you CS officers and technical advisers to make available the master plan and I want one contractor to build the institution, not many contractors,” he said.

All parties agreed to convene another meeting to review the MoU and the master plan before any further work is undertaken at the site.

16.10.2012

Source: The National

Buka observes World Sight Day 

THE Buka Vision Centre joined World Sight Day celebrations last Thursday to help spread awareness of available eye care services in the local community.

In addition to the day’s celebrations, PNG Eye Care’s founder organisation, the International Centre for Eye care Education (ICEE),  changed its name and is now known as the Brien Holden Vision Institute.

PNG Eye Care and the institute joined in the worldwide World Sight Day celebrations, along with over 110 organisations helping to spread the global message.

There are 640 million people who are blind or vision impaired simply because they do not have access to an eye examination and a pair of glasses.

World Sight Day, traditionally held on the second Thursday of October, is an international day dedicated to raising awareness about avoidable blindness and vision impairment.

PNG Eye Care operations manager Eileen Tugum said: “All governments and institutions worldwide need to address one of the simplest eye care problems to correct – refractive error.

“When left untreated, refractive error can cause vision impairment and blindness, drastically reduce educational and employment opportunities and can often lead to poverty.

“PNG Eye Care provides accessible eye care services for people as well as good quality eye glasses.”

The Buka Vision Centre open day was orchestrated to help raise community awareness about eye health and the local services available.

Free eye examinations and low cost spectacles are provided for all who visit the Vision Centre. 

“There is no better way to celebrate World Sight Day,” Tugum said.

Dr Muhammad Salim Reza said: “It’s an honour to be here in support of PNG Eye Care and their World Sight Day initiative.

“Creating eye health awareness and eye care services in the community is a positive way in which to tackle avoidable blindness,” Reza said.

Institute chief executive officer Prof Brien Holden said institute initiatives were working to address the global problem of avoidable blindness.

“We are continuing to focus on building sustainable capacity in each region and believe that to achieve the scale of progress needed, efforts must to be scaled up. PNG Eye Care is working hard to strengthen the eye care message within their communities,” Holden said.

16.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

The strangeness of Musingku: money, politics & Papaala

LEONARD FONG ROKA | Supported by the Jeff Febi Writing Fellowship

PAPAALA IS A STREAM in the village of Aitara just south of the Tonu station in the Siwai area of Bougainville.

To the people of Siwai, Papaala has great significance in their local mythology which was why Noah Musingku named his operation after this stream.

By scrolling through the blog, Papaala Chronicles, one can work out that the said Kingdom of Papaala is a pure fantasy of money, politics and religious fanaticism created for the people of Bougainville by insane Bougainvilleans.

Noah Musingku [left] lives the life of a recluse in Tonu protected by heavily armed guards who are trained by the single remaining Fijian. He lives on one meal a day in fasting and prayer to fulfill the covenant he says he has with God to liberate the people of Bougainville.

 Despite his isolation, Musingku says he long talked of unity with the late Francis Ona and his Meekamui.  Ona always denied that.

In ABC Foreign Correspondent’s interview with Francis Ona (the reporter was Shane McLeod), Ona claimed he “does not know whatever Noah Musingku is up to”.

Despite Musingku crowning Ona a ‘king’ and Ona having nurtured Musingku in his backyard at Guava village, Panguna, Ona still denied him to the world.

Musingku does not travel from Tonu but remains in his house working on computers connected to the internet. His rare public appearances occur on ceremonial days where he emerges wearing a gold crown. He gives a short speech and hides away.

Recently he is said to sponsor a mini-sports events in Tonu and provide a little philanthropy to some elementary schools. His ‘army’ is paid regularly. They regularly desert but, when rumours of money are in the air, they return. But many leave and never come back.

My informant states that Noah Musingku is always sealed off from the sun, protecting his health with umbrellas. Musingku, as the saviour of Bougainville, has to be protected from direct sunlight. Likewise with his siblings and extended family. Nobody knows why, but that is what they do.

In our world, man must labour to get something on the table.

In post conflict Bougainville the economy is still staggering due to political and economic complexities and people’s unsettled mindsets centered on the Melanesian culture of compensation.

It was in this context that Musingku took advantage of our people in their time of desperation.

With Papaala money, politics, and religion converge as a single realm of activity with Noah Musingku at the centre.

The religious with little formal education are the hardcore followers of Papaala. To the illiterate Musingku is a legend. 

Out of nowhere, he has created his own calendar; the Papaala calendar. July, which is the galip-nut season in most of Siwai, is the New Year. Musingku throws a celebration of feasting for his followers.

To the Papaala, the days are not Sunday to Saturday but they are aligned with the Genesis creation myth. Sunday is ‘Light Day’ and Saturday is ‘Rest Day’. Months are not named as January and so on but are called after the many precious minerals referred to in the Bible. 

In Arawa, some Pentecostal prayer groups and individuals make a monthly donation of K10 that goes to Papaala for the good of Bougainville. I am not sure where this money ends up in, but it is only in Tonu where Musingku is based.

In the ABC program I referred to, the late President Joseph Kabui tells Shane McLeod of Noah Musingku: “…he is a bit of an evangelist in there, and a salesman there, and a bit of a conman there—so, he is certainly a smooth operator”.

Illiterate Bougainvilleans have long being victims of the ‘smooth operator’.

In this scenario we can see how sophisticated Papaala must seem for less educated people in the economically difficult world of Bougainville. 

I think it is justifiable to say that, in our Melanesian developing part of the world, religion can be a problem. People can be trapped by the identity of God and of Papaala. Investing in education is a goal for our children - but still many ignore it.

We should not be biased but should know that superstitious thinking has no place in the world. As Divine Word University lecturer Bernard Yegiora puts it, “Without inferential or dialectical thinking we would be void of new knowledge and devoid of progress of human society. Inferential or dialectical thinking flourished when the Greeks (Socrates, Plato and Aristotle) broke away from superstitious [religious] thinking” - an act that brought change into our world.

Thus, fellow Bougainvilleans, reality and not superstition must explain our world. According to ABC reporter Shane McLeod, Noah Musingku’s UV-Stract scam has robbed 80% of Bougainvilleans of millions since coming into existence.

The UV-Stract is now a cyberspace activity. With Musingku as the director and his elder brother, Miscek Autahi as the chairman, social network sites, especially Facebook, are full of UV-Stract activity. The poor people fall prey to this fantasy. They are told there are great UV-Stract investments overseas and that the wealth is accumulating there somewhere. 

In January 2010 a David K J Solomon in Port Moresby wrote to the Solomon Star News stating that Musingku was seen in Australia buying real estate properties in Kempsey, Sydney, the Gold Coast and Brisbane and donating them to local churches and NGOs.

Such articles make an impact on the ordinary people who never go to school.

Such writing and information gets Papaala followers on their heels and keeps Noah Musingku active and hard to deal with.

In Arawa once I explained my observation of the many fast money scams in Bougainville to a bunch of young boys, who recorded the UV-Stract model as:

Investor A drops K1 into the UV-Stract money pool. Investor B adds another K1. With K2 in the pool they wait for Investor C. When Investor C comes with K1, Investor A walks off with K2 that is a 100% dividend windfall while Investors B and C now wait for Investor D. If D comes with K10, then B or C both walk off laughing, whilst D waits for someone or other to create him a K20 bailout.

This wait is a wait for eternity!

You can read more about this on my blog here.

In these Papaala and UV-Stract stories I do not see any light of hope for the people of Bougainville. They fall victim and Bougainville suffers because of ignorance. 

15.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM cancels Bougainville trip

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill’s planned trip to Bougainville this week has been cancelled due to time constraints.

According to reports from the Office of the PNG Government Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenuoc, the trip was cancelled because the Prime Minister was supposed to have spent a day in Bougainville before flying out in the evening to East New Britain province, to officiate in the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting between the PNG government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

According to the prepared itinery program for the PM’s visit, Mr O’Neill was supposed to arrive in Buka tomorrow morning at 9am on the PNG government-owned Kumul aircraft.

Upon arriving in Buka, Mr O’Neill was scheduled to be met at the airport by the ABG leaders and Bougainville MPs in the National Parliament before traveling up to the ABG Parliament building in 

Kubu, to pay a courtesy call on the ABG President, Chief Dr John Momis.

After the meeting both Prime Minister O’Neill and President Momis would have flown by chopper to Arawa to meet with the ex-combatant leaders there.

After their meeting with the ex-combatants, the two leaders would have flown back to Buka, and then boarded the Kumul aircraft to East New Britain province to attend and officially open the JSB meeting.

Meanwhile, the cancelation of the PM’s trip is expected to disappoint some groups like the ex-combatants, who were prepared and ready to meet and voice their concerns to Mr O’Neill.

15.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Ex-combatant’s want results of petition

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

FORMER combatant’s in Bougainville, led by those from North Bougainville, are unhappy with the non-attendance of the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis during their meeting last week.

The meeting which was held on Friday at the UBS compound in Buka town, was organised by a group of former combatant’s, as a follow-up on their petition that was presented to Mr Momis on the 12 of September this year.

According to some of the members, they were looking forward to receiving some feedback regarding their petition. 

The former combatant’s said that the President could have sent his representative, if he was busy, to attend the meeting and advise them if the ABG had already taken steps in addressing their demands, presented to President Momis, during a peaceful protest staged last month. 

The demand that they wanted President Momis to immediately address is for the ABG to request that the United Nations (UN) oversee the peace building process on Bougainville and not Australia through its international aid agency, AusAID.

They emphasized that Mr Momis should have addressed this issue within a week after the protest march. It is believed that President Momis was attending a cabinet meeting with members of the Bougainville Executive Council on Friday and was unable to attend the meeting.

The petition signed by Sam Kauona, Ismael Toroama, Ben Kamda, Albert Magoi, Chris Uma, Ben Malatan and Willie Aga and presented contains these eight demands;

nThe ABG President request the United Nations Political Office in New York within one week, through UNDP, to return to Bougainville and oversee the peace process and not AUSAID and a copy of the letter be given to the Ex-Combatant’s Association Chairman;

nABG lawyers explain to the people of Bougainville where ABG is at legally;

nThe President and ABG explain why they brought the named Chinese Criminals wanted by PNG authorities to Bougainville;

nThe ABG President, the four Bougainville National members of parliament and the O’Neill-Dion government, convene and review the Bougainville Peace Agreement immediately;

nThat the main objective of the review be to remove all the terms and conditions imposed on the ABG under the BPA, including weapons disposal, PNG Parliament ratification of the referendum outcome, Autonomy drawdown and fiscal self-reliance etc...

nThe review be conducted within three months from the date of this resolution and petition;

nThat ex-combatant representatives be included in the Bougainville Peace Agreement review team; and

nIf the ABG President and the four Bougainville National MP’s fail to effect this BPA review, then they resign immediately within the time given under the petition.

15.10.2012

Source: Pfarrgemeinschaft Bischofsheim/Rhön

Besuch von Bischof Unabali aus Papua-Neuguinea

von Marion Eckert

Mit dem 2. Vatikanischen Konzil (1962-1965) begann eine Neuausrichtung der katholischen Kirche. Unter anderem wurde auch die Einbeziehung von Laien (Nicht-Kleriker) in kirchliche Aufgaben neu betrachtet. Laien haben teil am Apostolat der Kirche selbst. Wie dieser Weg in der Weltkirche gegangen wird, war Thema in Bischofsheim mit Bischof Bernard Unabali aus Bougainville, einer zu Papua Neuguinea gehörenden Insel.

Bischof Bernard Unabali aus Bougainville, Papua-Neuguinea ist im Monat der Weltmission bei missio in Deutschland zu Gast. In Bischofsheim berichtete über die großen Herausforderungen und den Beitrag der Kirche vor Ort zum Aufbau einer neuen Gesellschaft. Das Bild zeigt von links: Pater Augustin Parambakathu, Pfarrer Manfred Endres, Diözesanreferentin Christiane Hetterich, Bischof Unabali, Dometscher Maximilian Schultes und Bürgermeister Udo Baumann.

Marion Eckert

Bischof Unabali hält sich anlässlich des Monats der Weltmission auf Einladung des Missionswerks missio in Deutschland auf. Bischof Unabali hat in seiner Diözese vor einem Jahr einen Erneuerungsprozess angestoßen, in dessen Mittelpunkt die Bildung von Kleinen Christlichen Gemeinschaften und Fragen der Spiritualität stehen.

Das kirchliche Leben, ohne die Annehmlichkeiten einer Missionskirche in Anspruch nehmen zu können, zu entfalten und mit eigener Initiative und neuen Wegen und Modellen weiter zu entwickeln; die Kirche auf Bougainville steht vor großen Herausforderungen. Um diese meistern zu können, unterstützt missio die pastorale Arbeit der Diözese.

Pfarrer Manfred Endres freute sich Bischof Unabali in Bischofsheim begrüßen zu können. Es sei spannend und interessant von einem Bischof zu hören und zu lernen, wie die Herausforderungen der Zeit gemeistert werden können, welche neuen Wege möglich sind, um Glauben zu lebendig zu gestalten und weiterzugeben.

Bischof Bernard Unabali gehört zu jener immer größer werdenden Anzahl einheimischer Priester und Bischöfe, die in der Kirche Verantwortung übernehmen. Rund 50 Prozent des Klerus sind heute Einheimische. Unabali wurde 1957 in Bolioko auf der Insel Bougainville geboren. Sein Theologiestudium absolvierte er unter anderem in Rom. 1985 empfing er die Priesterweihe. 1988 brach auf der Insel Bougainville der Konflikt um die Kupfer- und Goldmine Panguna aus, der bürgerkriegsähnliche Zustände heraufbeschwor. Die Bougainville Revolutionary Army kämpfte auch gegen die Zentralregierung. 15.000 bis 20.000 Menschen verloren ihr Leben. Für Unabali war klar, dass die Kirche bei der Versöhnungsarbeit eine wesentliche Rolle spielen würde. 2006 wurde er zum Weihbischof ernannt und empfing die Bischofsweihe. Seit 2009 ist er Bischof des Bistums Bougainville.

Unabali setzt auch auf die Verantwortung der Laien für eine zukünftige Entwicklung der Kirche. Bougainvilles Bischof ist Realist und Pragmatiker, er weiß um die Fragen und Probleme in Kirche und Gesellschaft – und dass sie nicht voneinander zu trennen sind. So gehören zum diözesanen Erneuerungsprozess auch Fragen der Auswirkung des Klimawandels, der Bürgerrechte und der Kultur dazu.

1901 begann die Mission in Bougainville, die sich zunächst auf die Einrichtung von Institutionen wie Krankenhäuser und Schulen konzentrierte. Das zweite Vatikanische Konzil brachte eine Aufbruchsstimmung mit sich, Laien und Kleriker wurden gleichermaßen in die Verantwortung genommen. Ohne die Hilfe ausländischer Hilfswerke, abgeschnitten von der Weltmission oblag es den Gemeinden die Verantwortung für ihre Priester zu übernehmen, sie zu bezahlen und zu versorgen. „Wenn eine Gemeinde Gottesdienst feiern will, muss der Priester abgeholt werden.“

Im Laufe des Abends in Bischofsheim stand auch immer wieder die Frage im Raum, wie Europa von Papua Neuguinea lernen kann. „Strukturen zurückfahren und aufbrechen, die den gelebten Glauben behindern“, ist der Rat von Bischof Bernard Unabali. Natürlich brauche es auch Struktur, aber eine gute Mischung, bei zu viel Struktur, verliere man sich in der Struktur und lebe nicht mehr aus dem Glauben heraus. „Europa braucht mehr Flexibilität, Bougainville mehr Strukturen.“

Die Kirche biete so viel für die Menschen an, der Mensch aber möchte selbstverantwortlich sein und sich aktiv an der Kirche beteiligen. Andererseits haben Kleriker oft Berührungsängste mit dem einfach Volk. Bischof, Priester und Ordensmitglieder sondern sich ab. „Sie wollen nicht mit ihm in Kontakt kommen.“ Bischof Unabali geht einen anderen Weg, in seinem Heimatland fährt er gerne per Anhalter. Steigt bei den Menschen ins Auto, kommt mit ihnen ins Gespräch, dazu braucht er keine Amtsrobe und Würdenzeichen. In Filmbeiträgen wurde sein Kontakt zum Volk eindrucksvoll verdeutlicht. Und er setze er in der pastoralen Arbeit eben auf die Gründung christlicher Gemeinschaften, die nach den bürgerkriegsähnlichen Zuständen der Vergangenheit Versöhnung, Neuausrichtung und Wiederherstellung des Gleichgewichts im täglichen Leben bringen. Ob wirtschaftlich, spirituell, sozial oder politisch, die Kirche spreche alle Aspekte des Lebens an. Mit einem Erneuerungsprogramm, das von 2013 bis 2020 angelegt ist, soll mit und für die Menschen durch die kleinen christlichen Gemeinschaften vor Ort, neue Lebensperspektiven erarbeitet werden.

Viel gebe es auf Bougainville anzupacken, Bischof Unabali rät sich auf die kleinen Dinge zu konzentrieren und dies anzupacken. „Groß denken und im kleinen umsetzen“, ist eines seiner Leitsätze. Trotz allem Realismus gilt er als Träumer, aber als ein Träumer mit Mut und Visionen, der die Menschen im Blick hat und mit ihnen sein Land aufbaut.

15.10.2012

Source: The National

Buka woman gets three months for drugs 

A 19-YEAR-old woman in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville has been jailed for three months for possessing marijuana.

Lucianes Kerry appeared in the Buka District Court last Friday where she pleaded guilty to possessing the illegal substance on Aug 21.

Magistrate Bruce Tasikul said the offence was stipulated under section 3(1)(d) of the Dangerous Drug Act.

The court heard police had received an anonymous phone call giving them the description of a woman carrying a bag suspected of containing marijuana. When police approached Kerry, she told them her bag only had cigarettes but, after a search, they found marijuana.

“This includes the seriousness of the offence and the effect that marijuana has caused to society,” Tasikul said.

“You have not given any reason why you decided to carry around such illegal substances.

“Drugs such as this have contributed to law and order problems in communities. Therefore, tougher penalties must be imposed to deter others from dealing with such substances.”

Tasikul said in the past few months, there had been an increase in marijuana cases brought before the Buka District Court. And although the court had imposed custodial sentences, “people still have not learnt their lessons”.

“As a woman, you must not expect the court to be lenient on you. Those who commit such criminal acts must be treated the same, especially where the offence carries mandatory penalties.”

14.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

CHIEF APPEALS

 By Aloysius Laukai

Chief JOHN FABU this morning appealed to the young generation of Saposa island to uphold the work of the United Church into the future.

He was speaking at the thanksgiving service on the island.

MR.FABU said the United Church on Saposa was 84 years old since early missionaries arrived on their island.

He said the people are the church and they should contribute to the work of spreading the gospel to new areas.

MR.FABU said that the older generation have done their part to continue from where the missionaries left.

Today's fundraising was to raise funds to support missionaries serving in the highlands region.

The seventy six year old John Fabu said that contributions should be made with no reservations.

Meanwhile, their local ABG member for MAHARI, JOHN TABINAMAN also called on the islanders to work together to support their missionaries.

He said if everybody contributed to the work of the church they should be able to support church work on their island.

13.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Leaders called to be visionaries

 By Tapo Tovilu

A political figure in Bougainville has challenged Bougainville leaders to be visionaries in the building of the Bougainville foundation for Bougainville’s future.

 The figure says that as Bougainville is going through the very important part of its build up, leaders must have vision also for Bougainville’s future.

 He called on all members to look ahead and not only of what is to be achieved today as this will strengthen the region.

 He gave an example saying that Japan during its years of basic growth had put a lot into their visions of the future and today they are one of the greatest countries in the world.

 He says that this all can be achieved if the leadership of the ABG today has a strong vision to push Bougainville ahead and to strengthen its future.

 More must be done for Bougainville as this is a crucial time in its development and growth for the future.

13.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

ABG to keep Open Campus building

 By Tapo Tovilu

The Bougainville Executive Council announced that it would still be occupying the open campus building until a new Parliament building is built at the capital of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville.

 The cabinet decision now has backed up the proposal to construct a parliament in Buka.

 It is believed that the BEC had sought final advice from the Buka Open Campus Director who approved the ABG to remain in the institutions building.

 The advice defeats a petition received from the Buka Youth calling on the ABG to vacate the building with a report on the petition still pending.

13.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

New Crest to recruit in Buka

 By Tapo Tovilu

The New Crest Mining Company which is currently mining in Lihir and Misima will be herein the region for a mass recruitment program next week.

 The program helped at helping the unemployed in especially qualified persons now living in the rural areas.

 Francis Posuana from the New Crest Human Resource and recruitment office will be heading the recruitment next week Thursday at Kenny’s Hall.

 He says that as part of their community work they plan on employing those who have qualifications but who are currently unemployed.

 Posuana called on all Bougainvilleans to be prepared for next week as it will be a good opportunity for employment.

13.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Stealing on the rise

 By Tapo Tovilu

Stealing in Buka town has been on the rise in recent weeks becoming a big concern for residents in Buka Town.

 An elder in the Buka town residential area has called for something to be done to help cut down on the break and enter and stealing currently occurring.

 He says that if the issue is not addressed stealing and theft might become very common in Buka town.

 In recent weeks he says there have been a number of incidents where residents have reported stolen property from their homes.

 Also many business men are complaining of numerous breaking of their containers at the main wharf in Buka town.

 He added that with the town being a peaceful and safe place for all who commute to and fro this reputation must be upheld.

 He called on community leaders and police to come up with a program to help youths and to cut down on stealing in the Buka Town area.

13.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

O’NEILL TO VISIT BOUGAINVILLE

By Gorethy Kenneth

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill hopes to visit Arawa this month when he makes it to Buka Town for the first time since being sworn in as the official chief executive officer of the country.

And he has appealed to the leaders of Bougainville not to spend the K100 million presented two weeks ago on claims or other related matters – but purely on developing infrastructure on Bougainville.

Mr O’Neill was asked to comment on the issue of referendum for Bougainville and where the PNG Government stood with two years away.

At FM 100 Talk Back Show last week, Mr O’Neill said that the National Government was fully committed to making sure development for Bougainville was intact.

He spoke about the K100 million which was officially handed to ABG President John Momis two weeks ago. Mr O’Neill stressed to the leaders of Bougainville 

that the money was for infrastructure development and for the future of the children of Bougainville. 

He said Bougainville leaders needed to work together to rebuild the island and take ownership of Bougainville Peace Agreement where it stipulates the road to referendum.

Mr O’Neill spoke about the weapons disposal issue which was taking a slow pace but assured that these would be the highlights of the Joint Supervisory Body meeting which will be held in Kokopo on the 17th of this month. The PM will visit Buka on the 16th. 

He spoke about the Japanese Bridges that were built with the K90 million fund from the Japanese Government and the need to fix Aropa Airport, Kieta Wharf and especially the rebuilding of Bougainville to total normalcy.

13.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Linus Dino & the coming of BCL to Panguna

by LEONARD FONG ROKA

LINUS DINO WAS A YOUNG MAN when the CRA arrived in his Dapera village in the Panguna area in the 1960s. 

He was employed by the company firstly to clear the Pangkirangkuu area (pegging with the surveyors) then later as a cook.

In its effort to accustom themselves, CRA and other sub-contractors took a participatory-action approach with the landowners. Employment was localised and the foreigners had a cordial and mutual relationship.

Every BCL camp mess or catering service had local garden produce from the Panguna area, Kieta and parts of South Bougainville. According to Dino, and many other old folks, every week BCL had pick-up trucks that travelled the villages to buy food to feed the company employees and also to stock the supermarkets.

The locals had a steady income from BCL that empowered them and built a business climate. In fact, the last North Solomons Province premier and first Autonomous Government president, the late Joseph Kabui, had his education funded under this cordial BCL-people relationship.

My late great-grandmother, Joseph Kabui’s mother, earned a sufficient and steady income to pay for his education by selling her garden produce to BCL which enabled her son's political career.

She often sprouted lamentations that the BCL did us good earlier but later began killing us by systematically bringing non-Bougainvilleans into our land.

In the late 1970s this fine co-existence slowly ebbed for the ordinary people, but not for the educated elite of Bougainville who already held an upper hand in dealing with the company.

The Journal of Pacific History vol 33 cites that a 1964 patrol report described the people of the area [Panguna] as “among the least sophisticated in Bougainville". So, BCL's good relationship with the locals from the beginning was a time-buying period of stripping their conscience before imposing western conceptions of business administration without providing a concrete base of intellectual capacity-building. 

Carefully, according to Dino, the BCL administration began to get rid of these local people to accommodate educated Bougainvilleans in its established offices.

The company also began importing food from Australia and Papua New Guinea and made greater use of more established non-Bougainvillean food growers around Arawa and other urban areas.

Local labourers in the mining operation were replace with Papua New Guineans and whitemen. Instead of saving the company by localising the workforce through educating the locals to take ownership of the mining operation on their own land, BCL made Dino and other people jobless and nobodies in their progenitors’ land. 

Dino says there was no hope for our dream of being developed like the European. The dream was shattered. Many locals left school, especially in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and became involved in the 'art of crime'.

The conflict was now a blame game (sometimes true and sometimes not true) between the marginalized people like Dino and the elite locals who had permanent jobs with the company. 

Dino was often caught up in boozing fights and brawls with local people who enjoyed steady company wages while he just waited for any part-time job opportunity from sub-contractors in repatching the roads with tar and so on.

The Journal of Pacific History says that there was “localised dispute amongst the landowner groups suffering from the destructive impact of the massive Panguna copper mine operated by BCL and precipitated violent attacks by some group members on the mine property”. This supports the old man’s story.

BCL was cunning. The people gave them sweets to build a mine on their land that would fund the development of others who were absolute strangers to the Panguna people.

The far reaching impacts the mine offered people like Dino were loss of land, limited and unfairly distributed compensation, diversion of social inconvenience compensation into a 'business arm' which delivered little [but benefited the elite], environmental degradation and poor standards of living for the relocated people.

This was what the ordinary people had to face. Before their eyes they were being raped to by BCL and foreigners. 

And, in 1988, these people like Dino were to give their blessing to young men to join the militancy and help free Bougainville.

13.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LERA ON MINING

 By Aloysius Laukai

Regional member for Bougainville, Chief JOE LERA wants the 300 thousand people of Bougainville to have money in their pockets first before any mining is started on Bougainville.

He said that although understands the need to raise funds for the Autonomous Bougainville Government, he still thinks Bougainville needs to develop other ways of raising these funds.

MR. LERA made these remarks during his awareness campaigns in South and Central Bougainville last weekend.

He said if mining is started only the educated and trained operators will find jobs whilst Bougainvillean youths will totally miss out.

The Regional member said however if Agricultural projects are encouraged everybody no matter if they are educated or not will have employment opportunities.

He said in his first ONE HUNDRED DAYS in office he wants to see some technical schools established on Bougainville.

MR. LERA will still cover the rest of Bougainville including the Atolls with his awareness campaigns before the end of this year.

12.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Athletics ready for PNG Games

 By Tapo Tovilu

The Autonomous Bougainville Team to represent the region in the upcoming PNG National Games in Rabaul is in full training in preparation.

 President of Athletics Bougainville, Coach and Trainer Toney Karau says that the Team Autonomous Bougainville Athletics squad has been hard at training for the last month for the PNG games.

 He says that in track events his best runners have dropped their best times from 12.5 seconds to 11 and 10 seconds.

 He also says that Bougainville has a very strong team in their bar jump and shot-put athletes showing promising results during training.

 He says that this year’s PNG National Games will be better for Bougainville as a strong side has been selected.

 He encouraged all athletes to be faithful and put more into training for the upcoming games and to put Bougainville up there in sports.

12.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Miriki reveals plans

 By Tapo Tovilu

The speaker of the House of Representatives for the Autonomous Bougainville Government has revealed plans by the ABG for additional infrastructure for its members and staff.

 This decision came about after the Director for the University of Papua New Guinea Open Campus in Kubu, Buka put forward a request for the ABG to vacate their building.

 Speaker Miriki in response has being compelled to put together a budget for additional infrastructure for the ABG.

 He says that as the speaker he wants a building that is fitting for the ABG House of Representatives.

 The plan will include a new wing to accommodate the Committee Secretariat, Finance and Administration and function rooms for members.

 He added that the area will be completely fenced by 2013 and will also include a car park for staff and members.

 He says he is also looking at the possibility of improving the House of Representatives sitting chamber

12.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Buka Celebrates eye care day

 By Tapo Tovilu

For many today was a day to commemorate the gift of sight and what sight has given to the human race.

 Bougainvilleans also commemorated this day with a half day ceremony held at the Bel Isi Park in Buka town.

 Giving the opening remarks Dr Cyril Imako of the Buka Hospital encouraged people in Buka to look after their eyes as it was a very essential tool in life.

 He says that sight being one of basic fundamentals in communication and generally life, people must appreciate their sight.

 He added that without sight or without eyes people would not be able to contribute and accelerate in pressuring their ambitions in life.

 He called on all young people to be extra cautious in today’s busy life and to look after their eyes as without it their lives wouldn’t be colourful.

 The day also was a time to remember those who have no sight and also to continue the eye care awareness for the people of Bougainville.

12.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE SPORTS MUST PREPARE

 By Aloysius Laukai

A certified Sports Administrator on Bougainville, JAMES HASUNN is calling on Bougainville’s Sports Administrators to prepare sportsmen and women to be competitive in National and International tournaments.

He told New Dawn FM that Bougainville has been reversing in its placings due to no planning by these sports administrators.

 MR. HASUNN said that because Bougainville sports selectors have been making kitchen selections the region will never be successful in future.

 The sports administrator said that as planners for sports in the region the Autonomous Bougainville Sports Foundation must look at the science to find out which codes should be played in these National and International competitions.

 MR. HASUNN said looking at the size of Bougainvilleans he does not think Rugby League and Rugby Union, Basketball and Volleyball has any chances in the competitions.

 He said to make it worse many sports do not run competitions and yet will have representatives at the PNG Grassroots games in Rabaul.

 MR. HASUNN’s comments come at the time Bougainville is preparing to send 500 plus contingent to the Grassroots games in Rabaul in November this year.

12.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

PM to make maiden visit to ARB

By Gorethy Kenneth

PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill hopes to visit Arawa this month when he makes it to Buka town for the first time since being sworn in as the official chief executive officer of the country.

And he has appealed to the leaders of Bougainville not to spend the K100 million presented two weeks ago on claims or other related matters – but purely on developing infrastructure on Bougainville.

Mr O’Neill was asked to comment on the issue of referendum for Bougainville and where the PNG government stood, with two years to its expiration.

At FM 100’s Talk Back Show last week, Mr O’Neill said that the national government was fully committed to making sure development for Bougainville was intact.

He spoke about the K100 million which was officially handed to ABG President John Momis two weeks ago. Mr O’Neill stressed to the leaders of Bougainville that the money was for infrastructure development and for the future of the children of Bougainville. He said that Bougainville leaders needed to work together to rebuild the island and take ownership of the Bougainville Peace Agreement that stipulates the road to referendum.

Mr O’Neill also spoke about the weapons disposal issue, which was taking a slow pace.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WHO STANDS TO ASSIST

 By Aloysius Laukai

World Health Organization Representative on Bougainville, DR.SALIM ,MOHAMMAD has vowed to assist the Health Division on Bougainville to carry out awareness on Eye Care throughout Bougainville.

 Speaking at the World Sight Day in Buka this morning, DR. SALIM said that the World Health Organization has a mandate to assist in the improvement of health services for all and is ready to assist with any awareness in Eyecare on Bougainville.

 DR. SALIM proposed that the Health Division in collaboration with PNG EYE CARE establish network with all the health facilities throughout Bougainville so that this services can reach the majority in the rural areas.

 He said the biggest problem these people often face is in their ability to pay for glasses and he called on the health authorities to seek sponsorship in the purchase of glasses that they can be given to these rural population.

DR. Salim said that eighty percent of the world’s population have problems with their eye sights.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

MANAGE WASTES

 By Aloysius Laukai

A Bougainville youth leader FRIEDA BASSE is calling on the people of Bougainville to manage wastes to protect lives and also contribute to reduce global warming.

She told New Dawn FM this afternoon that the management of both human wastes and other hard factory made products must be disposed properly as it is contributing to the overall unmanageable climate change and also contributing to many health problems facing the region today.

MISS BASSE said that a lot of plastics and hard materials dumped into the sea was endangering marine lives and must be stopped immediately.

She said before we can blame industrial countries for the global warming, we must also do our part as a responsible people.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Lera calls for unity

 By Aloysius Laukai

The Regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA is calling on the people of Bougainville to unite and work together for one vision for Bougainville.

He made this call when talking to the people of Haisi in Siwai and Panguna at the weekend.

MR. LERA whilst explaining his vision to get Bougainville to independence in the next coming years said that this will only happen if the people of Bougainville can work together for one common good.

He said his vision and plans needs all Bougainvilleans to contribute their bit as stakeholders of the process.

MR. LERA said that he had accommodated Papua New Guinea’s Vision 2050 and the Bougtainville Autonomous Government President JOHN MOMIS’s plan with his vision to move Bougainville forward.

The Regional member also announced projects that he intends to deliver in his first one hundred days in office.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Lera initiated paramount Chief

By Aloysius Laukai

The people of Tokunotui in the Haisi area of Siwai District, South Bougainville elevated themselves during a historical ceremony at the Haisi Catholic Mission Station to support their son, the newly elected Regional MP for Bougainville, Joe Lera in his five years of politics in the 9th PNG Parliament.

 The ceremony began from Chief Lera’s birthplace at Sumikatume village, where prayer warriors bestowed him God’s Blessing, then his mother’s relatives led him in a procession to the Haisi Catholic Parish and handed him over to the father’s relatives who initiated him as paramount Chief.

 Clan Chief Aloysius Luku performed the initiation ceremony and presented the Hon. Chief Joseph Lera to the people of Bougainville.

 He said the people of Haisi had pride in their victory and pledged to support Joe Lera in providing leadership in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea as a whole.

 He said the ceremony was also the first of its kind performed during these modern days and children including students of Haisi Primary School and the people from the nearby villages of Rino Constituency had the opportunity to witness and learn about their culture.

 Chief Lera also had time to educate his people about the National Government’s priorities and his five year strategic plan for Bougainville.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

BOUGAINVILLE PREPARE FOR PM

 By Aloysius Laukai

Bougainville is preparing for the first visit to the region by the Prime Minister Peter O’Nie l next week.

According to reports reaching New Dawn FM office, the Prime Minister will visit Bougainville next Tuesday.

He will be welcomed by ABG officials at the Buka airport and would then hold talks with the ABG Government officials.

The PM is expected to also visit Arawa in Central Bougainville before returning to Port Moresby.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Arson attempt in Tung

 By Tapo Tovilu

Buka Police are still investigating an arson attempt which occurred at Tung Village in West Buka last Tuesday night.

 They say that the house belonging to a man that was suspected of practicing sorcery was torched by some village youths who were upset over some major issues with the victim.

 Investigations reviled that a next door neighbour saw the fire starting and raised the alarm.

 Police said also that the victim of the arson attack was also missed by an arrow fired by one his fellow villagers relating to the practice of sorcery.

 The matter is being dealt with by Community Auxiliary Police members in Tung headed by Buka police officers.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

15 year old raped

 By Tapo Tovilu

A 15 year old school girl was dragged from her home by her maternal cousin into the bushes and raped.

 The incidentoccurred at 7:00 on Thursday the 4TH of October last week at Muire Village, in theKeriaka area of North-west Bougainville.

 Police say that the suspect is still at large in the surrounding mountains of the area. The members of the public are urged to assist police in turning in the suspect.

 In a similar incident also Buka police are investigating a 16 year old primary school student for the rape of 18 year old female from the Habung hamletin Bekut Village on Buka Island.

 Police say that the village girl was returning from doing her laundry at a nearby creek at around 11 am when the suspect grabbed her and later raped her.

 Police investigations are continuing on this matter with the suspect claiming that the female had consented to having sex with him.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Family help desk for Buka

 By Tapo Tovilu

 Families in Bougainville now will have more help in addressing family issues especially family violence.

 This has been made possible through the launching of a new help desk which will now assist families.

 Acting judge for Bougainville Peter Toliken in his speech said that the desk will serve the purpose of helping those families in need of assistance in family violence issues.

 “The idea of starting the help desk began in 2010 and was in response to the escalating issue surrounding family violencenot only in the region but also the country as a whole.” Toliken said.

 He further said that the setup of the desk was part of the nationwide campaign in the fight against violence against women and family violence.

 The project which was funded by AusAid came at a cost of K32 000 with half of the money been given to assist the previously set up general help desk against violence against women.

 Also present at the launch of the desk was representatives from AusAid, Bougainville woman’s association, police, local chiefs and other stakeholders.

 Judge Toliken also stated that the launch of the help desk was to help promote the ABG’s constitution on the importance of strength and unity in the family unit.

 He said the launch would be followed by more awareness on the roles of the family help desk and what services they will be offering to the families of Bougainville.

11.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Students begin exams

 By Tapo Tovilu

Today marking the second day for the Higher Education grade 10 exams saw Hutjena high school students streamlined for Business studies undertake their business studies exams.

 A total of 175 students began the two week long exams yesterday at Hutjena secondary school.

 Visiting invigilators from Bishop Wade Secondary School revealed that not all students were present for the mathematics exams which kicked off the exams yesterday.

 The four secondary schools along with the seven high schools in the region have all commenced examinations this week.

 They say that the exams will be for two weeks and will end on Friday on the following week.

11.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Exams start well in ARB

by Winterford Toreas

THE 2012 National Grade 10 examinations in Bougainville are progressing well and without any hiccups.

Students from the four secondary schools and seven high schools located throughout Bougainville started on Tuesday with their maths papers. 

Buin Secondary School principal, Tony Malamo, said that the 270 grade 10 students at Buin got off to a good start.

Bishop Wade Secondary School on the northern tip of Bougainville, which has a total of 207 grade tens, also started off well.

Only Hutjena Secondary School had six of their students missing out on the first day. But generally, no major problems were encountered.

Pictured are the students of Hutjena Secondary School in Buka, doing their business studies exams yesterday.

11.10.2012

Source: The National

Autonomous government reshuffles 

THE Autonomous Region of Bougainville has a new minister for Women, Youth and Churches.

In the reshuffle of the cabinet this week, Minister for Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches Rose Pihei was moved to the ministry for Culture and Tourism after the death of Joseph Egileo.

Member for Eivo Torao, Melchior Dare will take up her former post from Central Bougainville.

Chief Magistrate Bruce Tasikul swore him in this week at the Bougainville House of Representatives.

President John Momis, cabinet ministers, members and officers of the Bougainville House of Representatives attended the swearing-in ceremony.

House of Representatives Speaker Andrew Miriki congratulated the new minister, saying the realignment and changes were necessary as they strengthened the capability of the government to administer the region.

He reminded the new minister it was a sign of confidence by the government to be allotted the new mandate.

In his congratulatory speech, Momis acknowledge that the member represented his people well and made invaluable contributions to policies and legislations, and with his new appointment, he now had an added responsibility to execute and implement, and to make laws and decisions in accordance with this parliament.

He said being mandated as a member for the Bougainville Executive Council (BEC) meant that he was now part of a body that was responsible for making good policies and to uphold cabinet solidarity as well as promote the best interests of the people of Bougainville.

Momis said he had confidence in the new minister as he had proven himself to be a good representative of his constituency and he looked forward to his contributions in the cabinet.

Dare pledged his loyalty and commitment to serving the ABG and the constituency

11.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

‘Embassy’ in Vienna

By KOLOPU WAIMA 

IT would be useful for Papua New Guinea to open an embassy in Vienna, says Governor-General of PNG Sir Michael Ogio. 

Sir Michael made this remark on Monday on the occasion of the presentation of the letters of credence by Dr Helmut Boeck, Ambassador designate of Austria to PNG. Dr Helmet is replacing former Ambassador Dr Hans Porias. 

Sir Michael said the Austrian Government’s hosting of the United Nation’s Office in Vienna with several different offices present such as the international Atomic Energy Agency, Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty Organisation, United Nations Office on Drugs, and Crime and the united Nations Industrial and Development Organisation, that collectively deal with challenges such as Climate Change, Nuclear Technologies, Terrorism, Disarmament and Developmental issues is commendable. 

He said that was clearly an indicative of Austria’s leadership on this issue on the international level and thereby the initial majority support by Member states of the United Nations for this subsidiary United Nations Organisation’s headquarters to be based in Austria. 

He said: “Given the long standing bilateral relationship between our two countries, the multi-dimensional role of the United Nations headquarters in Vienna, and PNG’s emergence as a regional and global player, it would be useful to open PNG Embassy in Vienna. It would be better for PNG to consider carefully, as opening more overseas missions is a costly exercise in any particular country or region of the globe.”

Sir Michael said it was an issue that the Government of PNG would at some point review as the nation’s projected economic growth was set to boom after the sale of LNG gas to Asian markets, commencing in 2014.

He welcomed the new ambassador to continue to visit PNG during his tenure and enhance his vision to contribute to the development of relations between both countries. 

Sir Michael said the bilateral engagements between the two countries had been one of mutual friendship and goodwill. 

10.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

John Roka’s sacrifice for the love of his Bougainville family

by LEONARD FONG ROKA

SINCE 1988 BOUGAINVILLE HAS SEEN many lives lost and much property destroyed in the name of 'freedom'. All the deaths, though unjust, may not be for naught if they result in the betterment of the future of Bougainvilleans.

In this article, I share the life and death of my father, John Roka [pictured], who was killed at the peak of the conflict in 1993. He died at 3pm on 18 March at the Kapanasi hamlet of Siae Village in the North Nasioi area of Central Bougainville.

My dad was born as John Kalago in 1954 at Manopo Village on Bali island of the Talasea district of West New Britain. Later he adopted the name John Roka.

He was educated at home and later was studying to be a Catholic missionary but, due to the economic boom in Panguna, he left for Bougainville. He was apprenticed at the Panguna Mining School and worked as an auto-mechanic at Bougainville Copper Limited's light vehicle workshop.

He met my mother Therese [pictured here with grandson Theophil], a blood niece of later rebel leader, Joseph C Kabui, whilst she was a student at Arawa High School in the late 1970s. They married in 1977 and I was born in Arawa in 1979.

In his own world-view, dad much loved Bougainville and did not even bother to take his family across to his relatives on Bali island. He enjoyed Kieta and the Kieta culture all through his working life and into the Bougainville crisis.

In the early 1980s we had our home in Kavarongnau hamlet in the Tumpusiong Valley of the Panguna District. But in later years our nuclear family, to the liking of my grandfather who was from Kupe-Topinang, resettled at Kupe on land purchased years back by my grandma from her in-laws.

Here we lived as the crisis unfolded in 1988.

My dad was always sympathetic to the early militants fighting in Panguna. He said their actions were good for our future. In the militancy, my uncles were in from the start. 

In early 1990, the PNG Defence Force evacuated the Kupe villages to Kaino village, which had been turned a care centre. Here we lived. 

And here my Bougainville Revolutionary Army relatives from Panguna came to visit for clothing, medicine and a break. The care centre assisted them (it was an all-Panguna affair then).

But, in late 1992, a radio message was transmitted through the Red Cross in Arawa for my dad to go home where his elder brother Joe and a brother behind him, Patrick, had been knifed to death defending their little brother over a sex-affair row.

So dad left through the Solomon Islands.

The night before he departed from Kieta, dad told my aunty Durinu with a laugh, 'I am leaving through Honiara and shall return through Buka. When I arrive here, it is you who will kill me'. 

He was away when the PNGDF recaptured parts of Kieta on 21 October 1992. Without him, mom cared for us in the jungles of Kupe where the PNGDF mortar shelling was routine.

Then one day, dad got on the air. He sent a message (Toksave) through Radio Bougainville, then operating from Rabaul, East New Britain, that he was coming. Nobody knew which route he was following but the Toksave stated he was in Rabaul.

To our shock, he arrived home on 15 March 1993. A few BRA men from Kupe on patrol met him but ignored him for they knew the sort of a man he was. He came through Buka, Wakunai and Arawa. This was the coastal areas controlled by the PNGDF and BRF.

The next day, a self-appointed BRA colonel, BI, secretly wrote a letter to a BRA faction from Kongara calling on the faction to execute him as 'a threat to Bougainville freedom'. 

BI could not do the killing for we shared the same patch, so he had to hide and get somebody else to do the act.

The next day, 17 March 1993, a bunch of men arrived at home and told dad that a BRA team was to interview him. Mom followed dad to Totaisii near the Rumba SDA mission station outside Arawa. He was interviewed by the late Otii, a BRA man from Kongara. 

In the afternoon they returned. On their way home, mom told him she was not feeling well, thus they needed to get home quickly. So we escaped into Arawa. All dad said was, 'This is our home'.

Very early in the morning of 18 March 1993, dad prayed a prayer I had never heard before: 

Lord, thank you for giving me my wife, Therese

and my children Leonard, Justin

Jessica, Dollorose and Theonilla.

Bless our home and the land

You gave us.

There are times I feel bad towards them. I say

Sorry for these moments

After praying, he ordered us to kill a pig. We did that. We were preparing and cooking this food until midday when a pair of errand boys arrived. One was armed but the order was given by a little kid who told mom that Ishmael Toroama (a BRA commando) wanted to interview dad.

So, dad lifted Theonilla, who was our last born, and held her tightly. He patted some of us and left without having the taste of the food he wanted. Mom and an uncle followed him to Piruana where the interview was to take place.

At Piruana, there was no sign of the popular Toroama. So they waited. 

In the late afternoon, armed men arrived and went straight for a kill. People fled but mom stood back in defence near my dad. She brushed away punches aimed at my dad. She shielded him from the guns aimed at him so they had to aim again.

She, in a gesture of love in the face of death stood by in no fear of death. The BRAs struggled with her calling that, 'This [man] is not your father's nephew' as it is required under customary marriage in Kieta.

In the midst of this, a BRA screamed, ‘Shoot them both!’ But another BRA man from Panguna, not in that same company, called upon them to do away with that stupidity.

But then dad peacefully said to mom: 'Leave me to death. If we both die, what will happen to our children?' 

With the power of these words, mom was swept away by the blood hungry men. 

Then BRA 'C' Company commander Steven Topesi's brother, Diu'tepaa, fired a shot that penetrated dad's skull from the back and out of his face and dad landed heavily on a rocky lawn. 

Seeing that he was still struggling in his last seconds, Henry Dupinu from Karikira fired a second bullet through his chest and rested was dad.

My uncle, Steven Perakai, got himself out of the bushes and held his elder grief stricken sister and ushered her home.

The BRA men got some bystanders at gun point and ordered them to bury dad a few metres from where he landed. We were not allowed to take the body home.

10.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Rio plans to cut costs after saving $0.5b

Mining giant Rio Tinto plans to cut costs further after making annual savings of A$500 million.

Despite continuing short-term market volatility, the global miner said its business remained healthy.

Rio is planning further cost reductions in operating, evaluation and sustaining capital costs.

Chief executive Tom Albanese said while significant stimulus efforts had been announced in China, the US and Europe, the impact on Rio Tinto’s markets was uncertain.

“Given this, and the considerable price fluctuations in recent times, we are somewhat more cautious on the outlook over the next few quarters,” Mr Albanese said in a statement.

“Our business remains resilient in this environment and our operations are performing better than our peers, reflecting our consistent strategy of running long-term, cost-competitive operations.”

The company aims to maintain its single A credit rating by driving cost reductions.

Rio also lowered its estimates for Chinese gross domestic product growth this year to below eight per cent as economic growth in China moderates.

The company said the short-term macroeconomic outlook remained volatile while increasing urbanisation in emerging markets meant the longer-term picture was positive.

Rio Tinto expects China's stimulus packages to take effect progressively after the Chinese leadership change.

Iron ore prices had partially recovered after a period of rapid decline, but they would remain volatile in the near future, the company said.

Analysis by the company suggested that around 100 million tonnes of primarily Chinese iron ore production had become unprofitable and there was also evidence that a large proportion of this had already been curtailed.

Rio Tinto expects to achieve a cumulative annual growth rate for copper of 13 per cent between 2011 and 2015.

10.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Lera: Learning lasts a lifetime 

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

MORE than 380 students doing grades 10 and 12 at Buin Secondary School (BSS) in South Bougainville, have been challenged to value their education. 

This call was made by Bougainville Regional MP Joe Lera’s research officer Simon Koraikove, during the school’s graduation ceremony held last week. 

Mr Koraikove encouraged the students to set their goals with positive attitudes and strong spirits as they step out of their comfort zones and into the world.

Mr Koraikove highlighted that favoured jobs were not found on the streets, but were attained through persistence and faith, and therefore should be looked after.

BSS Principal, Tony Malamo, also shared his reflections on during the graduation.

He said that the goal of education was the same as the goal of life — to help young people become more balanced, mature, effective, harmonious and happy — learning that lasts a life time. He also encouraged the graduating students to make the most of what they had learnt in BSS, to enrich their lives in the future, as they start another chapter in their life.

Mr Malamo said that the decision to have the graduation before the examination week was purely to keep the students and staff free for the exams.

The school was also proud to have produced three dux students grades 10 and 12. Kawa Joshua, who received 1st prizes in biology, chemistry and physics, was the grade 12 dux in Science. Mona Ben Davey received prizes in language and literature, advanced maths, economics, geography, accounting and information technology, was the dux in Humanities.

Kore Justina was the grade 10 dux of 2012, receiving the most prizes and in all subjects.

The graduation marked the school’s sixth Grade 12 and 30th Grade 10 graduations.

10.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Business owners told to pay tax to ABG

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BUSINESS owners in Bougainville have been challenged to pay taxes to the Autonomous Bougainville Government.

This is because the tax that they pay will help the ABG raise its revenue to carry out its development plans.

The call was made by a concerned youth, John Taipa, from Ipirai village in the Buin District of South Bougainville.

“If the business people do not pay their taxes to the ABG, then our government will not be able to raise enough revenue to carry out its identified development projects.

“We know that there are only a small number of companies like the Jomik Group of Companies and other good foreign investors operating in Bougainville who are paying their taxes to the ABG. Why can’t other business owners also do the same by also paying their taxes to the ABG,” Mr Taipa said.

Mr Taipa also raised complaints about some Bougainvilleans who always blamed the ABG President, John Momis, saying that he was responsible for inviting foreigners into Bougainville to do their business activities.

“We should not be blaming President Momis because many of these foreigners have been invited into Bougainville by some of us because we want them to come and provide their services to us.

“Sadly, some of us too, who are inviting foreign businesses, only care for their own pockets. That is why they are allowing them to come and settle on our island,” added Mr Taipa.

Mr Taipa said that President Momis’ dream was to invite foreigners, like those from China to come and start up big factories and investments in Bougainville, and not foreigners like those that were currently operating small trade stores in Bougainville.

10.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Seaweed farm to earn K1.5m for Carteret

By Joseph Morokana

SEAWEED farming in the Carteret’s Islands in Bougainville has been forecasted to earn K1.5 million a year for the 4000 plus remote Atoll Islanders.

“It’s forecasted to inject into the Carteret’s Islands, around K1.5 million,” said Mr Kenneth Kumul, a district primary industry (DPI) officer with the Atolls district office in Buka.

Mr Kumul said that such a prospective marine industry was timely for the Atoll Islanders, who had for a long time been affected by high sea waves that had eroded their food gardens and caused severe food shortages.

“Seaweed farming will have a great impact on socio-economic aspects of the lifestyles of the people on the islands,” said Mr Kumul.

Mr Kumul said that developing seaweed as an alternative source of income would greatly help the disadvantaged communities that were financially constrained due to them having no other means of income generation apart from the common sea cucumber and fisheries trade. He added that seaweed farming was feasible due to similar agro-climatic conditions as those in the Solomon Islands, where seaweed is farmed.

In May, 2011, the Bougainville Administration went on a feasibility study trip to Wagina in Choiseul and Rarumana in the Western province of the Solomon Islands to see and assess seaweed farms.

10.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Noro on youth

By Aloysius Laukai

The Executive Manager for Siwai, Joe Noro says there is no youth problem in Bougainville.

Speaking at the initiation ceremony of JOE LERA as the ordained chief of Tokunutui village in Haisi, Siwai South Bougainville, Mr.Noro said that strengthening the traditional system of governance and recognizing it was the way to go.

The Executive Manager said that Bougainville's problem today was managing the communities and recognising traditional authorities.

He also thanked MR.lera for coming down to the roots level to accept the tradional ceremony which he said was the first of its kind in the region. 

09.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

ARB moves on reconciliation

By JOSEPH MOROKANA

THE recent handover of the remains of the former South Bougainville MP, the late Anthony Anugu, by the people of Panguna to his children in Siwai, signifies a major step towards peace and unity in Bougainville.

The remains of the late Anugu, was finally exhumed and handed over to his children by the Panguna people–showing a positive step in the reconciliation process, one of the five key areas the ABG is embarking on.

The other key areas are weapons disposal, good governance, referendum and autonomy. 

The late Anthony Anugu was taken hostage by members of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) in 1990 after a meeting with national government authorities in Honiara, that was intended, amongst other issues, for the return of basic services to South Bougainville. 

His colleagues’ graves are still to be unearthed. 

Regional Peace Coordinator, Jude Aris, said that uniting the people of Bougainville was crucial as it would create an environment of peace, stability.

‘‘There were outstanding reconciliations that needed to be done in the next five years. About 1400 reconciliations are yet to be done throughout the region – as it would need a substantial amount of funding by ABG,” Mr Aris said.

He said that the high impact reconciliation ceremonies were particularly in the Panguna, Buin and Siwai areas.

“Former ABG Presidents, the late Joseph Kabui and James Tanis, have achieved significant progress and we need to continue with that,” he said.

One of the major reconciliation ceremonies being planned for this week, is between ABG President John Momis and former combatants from Tinputz, who had taken Mr Momis hostage in Panguna in 1997.

The ceremony will be held at Tinputz this week.

Chiefs from Buin representing President Momis have arrived in Buka and are due to travel to Tinputz for the occasion.

09.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

LENAPE and ABG to develop Bougainville

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLE Regional MP Joe Lera has again signed another partnership agreement with USA-based LENAPE Development Group last week.

The Agreement commits the LENAPE Development Group, which is based in Hawaii and the Autonomous Bougainville Government to initiate a co-operative arrangement to provide humanitarian and sustainable development on Bougainville.

“I am really confident that all projects outlined in my five-year plan will be achieved and Bougainville will also achieve its political future,” Mr Lera said. 

He also had time to meet the New Zealand High Commissioner to PNG Marion Crawshaw to discuss the future of Bougainville in the content of his five-year plan and how best the plan can be implemented.

Mr Lera also met with the executives of the University of Papua New Guinea and an agreement was reached for UPNG to offer two courses which include the Plantation Rehabilitation and Tourism and Hospitality.

According to the Regional Member’s five-year plan, the Buka Open Campus will be relocated to Arawa to provide space to establish the Institute of Higher Education, Science and Technology.

This will cater for the seven universities in PNG and the other tertiary institutions to offer courses to the people of Bougainville.

Mr Lera’s Higher Education Plan will be in three phases;

- Phase one is to kickstart UPNG courses at the Buka Campus and reconstruction of the Buka Open Campus in Arawa;

- Phase two is to pass legislation to the ABG to offer other courses in partnership with other tertiary institutions; and

- Phase three is the relocation of Buka Open Campus to the new location in Arawa.

09.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Lera seeks assistance for project

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLE Regional MP Joe Lera has big plans in place to fully develop the Bougainville Border Development Project at Kangu in the Buin district of South Bougainville.

He is now planning to seek financial assistance worth K19 million from his development partners to kickstart and fully complete this project.

“The Kangu Border Post is going to be a multi-border post or one-stop-shop border post that will provide all services that would be needed for people when travelling into Bougainville or to the Solomon Islands,” Mr Lera said.

He said all designs have been completed and the commissioning of the two buildings in Buin will soon take place.

Meanwhile, Regional MP Joe Lera said his recent trip to the Wutung Border Post ground-breaking ceremony held about a week ago at Wutung in West Sepik province was a success. 

Mr Lera said his trip gave him the opportunity to meet with the development partners, governors of other border provinces in Papua New Guinea and also learnt about the Deputy Prime Minister’s Border Development Five Year Plan.

He added that because Bougainville is one of the border provinces in Papua New Guinea he will also be working round the clock to seek funding assistance to develop the Kangu Border Post.

08.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Nigel Lalai & the post-war effect: a Bougainville story

by LEONARD FONG ROKA

The said Bougainville conflict affected us in different ways and at different times as we grew up in the midst of the violence and bloodshed. Here I have a short gossip with first year Business Studies student at Divine Word University, Nigel Matte Lalai [pictured], from Buka and Kieta.

Homes were being torched and village Bougainvilleans and New Guinean laborers from plantations and squatter settlements were being rounded up by the North Solomons Provincial Government into care centres in Central Bougainville.

Four months after his birth, Nigel’s dad was killed by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and dumped at Kivirai beach near Aropa International Airport. Without the love of his blood father, Nigel nevertheless made it through the crisis and, now, into Divine Word University.

According to Nigel, his father, Kevin Lalai, was from the Torauan village of Vito in Kieta and was aged 24 when he was killed. His father courted his mother, Delphin Matte, from Gogohe on the east coast of Buka Island and a 1988 graduate from Kaindi Teachers College in East Sepik.

In a short period of time they got married. 

Then the new couple’s life of love was cut short in late 1989.

Nigel recollects his mother’s stories.

“My father and his siblings of Vito were often involved in village conflicts over land issues and other social problems. This led to some of their family’s foes into reporting my father, falsely, as a Panguna militant’s informant whilst he was working with a catering company so he was picked up by the PNGDF and killed.”

The late Kevin Lalai was an employee to the Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) contracted catering company, SHRM Limited. He had no interest whatsoever about the militant activities in Panguna, being occupied with the welfare of his wife and the new born son, Nigel.

Whilst on duty at BCL’s limestone mine at Manetai, Nigel’s father was picked by a PNGDF vehicle that drove in from the direction of Arawa. The soldiers forcefully dragged him out of his workplace and, with a few punches, loaded him onto the pick-up, then drove him away as he shed a stream of tears of innocence and loss.

As his wife Delphin and extended family members were in shock at Vito village that same night, Nigel’s father was undergoing torture on the trailer of a PNGDF truck driving from Arawa to Aropa in the middle of the night.

And it was at the Kivirai village near Arop, that Kevin Lalai’s wail of agony was noted by the villagers.

The curious villagers watched the convoy as it passed and went out of sight. But they observed the moving headlights die, indicating the convoy had come to a halt. 

Later the next morning they went to investigate, and saw the body of a Bougainvillean washed up on the beach with deep knife wounds to its chest. They called the Arawa General Hospital and an ambulance took him to Arawa.

On the day of retrieving the body from the morgue, his agonised mother scooped blood off her son’s body and rubbed it over her face as she wailed. She was beginning to sip that blood but was held back by other relatives. (This story was also shared by the late Kevin Lalai’s elder sister, Marceline Tunim, in Liz Thompson’s film, Breaking Bows & Arrows.) 

This tragedy of the murder of an innocent sibling motivated Kevin Lalai’s elder brother, an auto-mechanic and naturally aggressive character, Justin Kokiai, to join the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA). 

Justin Kokiai married his late brother’s widow, Delphin Matte, and took responsibility for Nigel Lalai’s up-bringing. 

Justin Kokiai is noted as one of the only BRA leaders to maintain some sort of cordial relationship with the pro-PNGDF Bougainville Resistance Forces (BRF) of the Torau area in Kieta. 

He used this BRF connection to gain a constant supply of ammunition and PNGDF high-powered weapons to wage war on the PNGDF until the Bougainville Peace Process came in.

Justin played a significant role in the initial stages of peace negotiations as a BRA commander, also assisting with the weapons containment efforts.

But leadership outside the family and leadership within the family are two different skills and often fail to unite. 

To Nigel Lalai, his step-father was a hard-to-tame person in managing ethics in the family circle. As was the norm with many BRA big men, he became reckless. He was constantly engaged in a wild rage of extra-marital affairs, boozing and domestic violence.

But Nigel’s mother Delphin was designed as a woman that nothing could ever distract from managing her family with pride. As a classroom teacher Bougainville schools she remained steadfast and at ease in her mind. 

She managed her family alone when the father was out running after beer and women.

Nigel grew up watching all this social dirt and, along with his second born brother, even planned to kill Justin for all the bad treatment he was doing to his wife—their mother.

Justin knew he had created a risk for his life because his children had grown up in the gun-culture and knew how to squeeze the trigger.

Then in 2004 he was killed after a drinking brawl near the Manetai Primary School where his wife was teaching.

Nigel Lalai was again in the midst of a trauma. But his mother, so endowed with courage after a long history of nightmares, was always behind him and now he has just completed his first year of studies at Divine Word University.

His dream is to go back after graduating to help Bougainville gain peace and work towards independence that many of his loved ones had died for across the island.

08.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

PIPIRO WANTS SCHOOL

By Aloysius Laukai

MDF Panguna commander, MOSES PIPIRO (picture) has requested his people to be rehabilitated first before any development for Panguna is discussed.

Mr.Pipiro said that his people in and around Panguna must be educated so that they can be in a better to decide the type of development they want for their area.

He was speaking in Panguna this morning during the special meeting with Panguna landowners and the Regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA.

The meeting was attended by Panguna district administration staff,chiefs,women,youths and the general public.

Member addressing the Panguna people

08.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LERA WELCOMED TO PANGUNA

 By Aloysius Laukai

Regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA was welcomed to the Panguna district administration this morning.

 In a brief meeting with chiefs,women excombatants and youths, MR LERA said that he was carrying out awareness to all sections of Bougainvlle marketing his five year vision for Bougainville.

He said he was Bougainville's voice in the national parliament representing ABG President, chief JOHN MOMIS and the government of Bougainville.

He said that the Autonomous Bougainville Government was the only legitimate government of Bougainville

Regional member explained that his five year vision aims to address pressing issues which is affecting the people of Bougainville.

He said he wants Bougainville to develop a middle income society where all the 300 thousand citizens of Bougainvlle have monies in their pockets and food on the table for all the families.

This Panguna meeting is the 13th awareness meeting since the member was elected six weeks ago. 

Regonal member pointing to damaged road near Sovele

Three months of rain has damaged this section of the main highway.

Member will see authorties to carry out emergency repairs of this roads.

07.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Lera meets people

Regional member talking to the people at Haisi

07.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Haisi primary school students

07.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

Chief Lera supported

 By Aloysius Laukai in Haisi

The people of Tokunutui in the Haisi area of Siwai, South Bougainville yesterday created history by commiting themselves to supporting their son the newly elected regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA in the next five years of his reign as the representative of the 300 thousand plus people of Bougainville in the Papua New Guinea national parliament.

In a moving ceremony that started from his village,first the immediate family blessed him to go and serve the people of Haisi, then the clan installed him to be the chief to go and serve the region.

The procession started from the village and went to the parish area where the community witnessed the traditional ceremony in which he had to climb the traditional platform(lauku) for him to be ordained the the chief Aloysius.

The ceremony included traditional singing and dancing.

At the end of the 30 minute procession, students of Haisi Primary school sang the national and Bougainville anthems as the two community policemen present raised the flags.

The activity also had speeches from all sections of the community acknowledging their support for the new Tokunutui chief who was then send to serve the people of Bougainville with their fully pledged support.

06.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

LERA WELCOMED

By Aloysius Laukai in Haisi

Regional member for Bougainville, JOE LERA will be made a traditional chief of the people of HAISI in Siwai today.

The ceremony will start with a procession from his SUMIKATUME village to the HAISI Catholic mission where the traditional ceremony will be performed.

Due to the network coverage, we will not be able to post pictures from the site.

06.10.2012

Source: PNG Attitude

Panguna mine not an adequate account of Bougainville conflict

SIMON KENEMA | Australian Association for the Advancement of Pacific Studies

IN 1989 A GROUP OF DISGRUNTLED LANDOWNERS from Panguna hosting the giant Bougainville Copper Mine embarked on a violent sabotage of mine infrastructure. 

Many reasoned that the violence was a failure on the part of the company and the government of Papua New Guinea to address outstanding landowner grievances. 

Chief among these grievances was the view that the original agreement that gave effect to the establishment of the Panguna Copper Mine project was due for review. This agreement was made while PNG was still a colony of Australia. 

But, just as plans of the need to renegotiate and review the agreement were being swivelled through the political and bureaucratic machinery of the government and the company, an undercurrent of inter-landowner tensions was swirling on the horizon. 

And before any amicable solution could be reached to defuse the situation the disagreements flared into a violent conflict between the landowners themselves and the company. 

It is widely accepted within post-conflict discourse that the tension and conflict was perpetuated by a combination of intergenerational differences between the elderly and young landowners and a range of different factors perceived by the locals to be the source of their exploitation and marginalisation. 

This paper analyses these perceived causalities and how aspects of local cosmological reasoning can help us to understand the tensions that culminated in the violence…. 

An encompassing and detailed investigation of these tensions would require an extensive ethnographic investigation. Only such an investigation would adequately map the often divergent and conflicting sources of tension in the group dynamics of the landowners that eventually led to what became a full scale civil conflict. 

The main aim of the paper is therefore to analyse the different causal explanations of the conflict. The analysis is centred on a dichotomy between post-conflict causal analyses and the existential experience of everyday life in the mine-impacted communities of Nagovisi and Nasioi. 

I argue that the concept and value of 'post-conflict' in the subsequent proliferation of academic literature canvassing the conflict and its array of perceived causes is based on little substantive ethnographic data. 

While it is not easy to discretely separate the historical continuity of events into 'post-conflict causalities' and 'pre-mine existential experience of social life', an attempt will be made here in spite of the complications rather than in ignorance of them. 

This paper is an analysis of the post-conflict explanations of indigenous dissent that are primarily viewed as the object or catalyst for the mining-related conflict on Bougainville…. The four major explanations are presented through an analytic discussion of the different views about the social origins of the conflict as posited by various commentators and academics and my own interpretations of indigenous cosmology as a person from Nagovisi, and partly as an insider who lived on the island during the conflict. 

It looks at the different theories about the origins of the Bougainville conflict and explores divergences in notions of indigenous dissent – as informed by post-conflict literature and the ethnographic conditions of social life before the mine. 

The paper also looks at aspects of sociality among local communities within the Panguna mine area and the nature of their extended relations with other adjacent communities in Nasioi and Nagovisi. 

It is not my intention to discredit any of these past interpretations. But I hope the analysis clearly suggests how interpretations inclusive of, and informed by, indigenous modes of thinking could be more effective, persuasive, and encompassing in describing the complex origins of the conflict. 

My intentions are to provide an analytic description of the numerous, but sometimes conflicting causalities of the same phenomenon – the Bougainville Crisis. These have become mutually constitutive, in deploying core notions of resource development, political activism, mineral resource extraction and human rights, and indigenous dissent and conflict within the Panguna Copper Mine Project. 

Simon continues in his paper to consider five possible causal phenomena: which he terms the environmental destruction paradigm, the mine-induced social disruption paradigm, the unequal benefit distribution paradigm, inventing the economic landowner and the political secession paradigm. He concludes:

Throughout this paper I argued that the conflict between Panguna landowners and the mining company (Bougainville Copper Limited) is immensely complicated. I have emphasised continuously that reducing the locus of indigenous tensions to an a priori set of mine-generated grievances does not adequately account for the reasons for the conflict. 

I have also argued that an encompassing analysis of the conflict is one that draws on insights from local cosmology. The primary question the analysis has tried to address is how can the sources of indigenous disaffection be theorised without generating a reductive analysis that unnecessarily privileges some causes over others? 

Clearly the paper is about how the conflict had multiple causes. They were not just multiple in the sense that the conflict had complex origins but also in the sense that different people tended to offer different explanations. This paper is no exception. Moreover, I hope my analysis does not yield a view that we must 'choose' one explanation as 'the explanation'. 

The juxtaposition between causal explanations that trace their origin to the existence of the mine and its negative impacts illustrates how imported concepts like landownership can be easily misunderstood where there is a lack of conceptual equivalence in local experience. 

What I have also tried to argue is that the life-world of mine-impacted regions operates according to pre-existing systems of cultural logic. We cannot fully comprehend how and why the conflict eventuated without understanding such local logics. 

Simon Kenema, ‘An analysis of post-conflict explanations of indigenous dissent relating to the Bougainville copper mining conflict, Papua New Guinea’, Australian Association for the Advancement of Pacific Studies, Issues 1.2 and 2.1, April 2010 

Simon Kenema is a PhD student in the Department of Social Anthropology at St Andrews University, UK. His first degree was in using communication for development, from the Papua New Guinea University of Technology. He is now studying mineral resource development and the nature of economic, social and political relations between host communities, governance institutions and other special interest groups in PNG. Simon has five years experience of working with communities in the oil, gas and mining industries in PNG. He is interested in seeking how the 'actors' in the industry pursue and attempt to establish sustainable relations

05.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Bougainville in need of more help

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

THE negative impact of climate change is being felt in many parts of Bougainville, resulting in the Bougainville Disaster and Emergency Services being stretched to its funding limits to meet the increased number of requests for relief assistance.

The Disaster and Emergency office’s monthly report, highlights that in September alone, relief supplies had been distributed to the following districts badly affected;

* Selau – 75 bales of 20 kg rice

* Pororan – 445 bales of rice

* Atolls – 2210 bales of rice

* Melelup (Tosuit village and surrounding areas) – 222 bales of rice

* Torokina – 500 bales of rice

* Amun – 85 bales of rice.

Funding for the relief assistance was sourced through the Office of the Chief Administrator.

The chief administrator is also the chairman of the Disaster Committee.

Meanwhile, the Disaster and Emergency services through the office of the LLG has established 13 District Disaster Committees to manage disasters in each of the respective districts.

The committee comprises the Executive Manager as chairman of the committee and includes respective Council of Elder’s chairmen, the Officer in Charge of Health, Technical Services and Police as members and other NGOs as co-op members of the committee.

04.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Lera, Rotary sign MOU

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLE Regional MP Joe Lera has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the PNG and Australian Rotary Club to ship six containers containing library books and hospital beds from Australia to Bougainville. 

Mr Lera said the signing of the MOU which took place last Friday in Port Moresby came about as a result of his partnership with the Rotary Club. He added that this project was one of his goals that he plans to achieve during his first 100 days in parliament.

He added that he cannot deliver services to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville single-handedly but requires the support from friends and development partners.

“Once the shipment arrives in Bougainville, I will present those containing the library books to the Division of Education to distribute to schools with libraries and the containers with hospital beds to the Division of Health to dispatch to health centres throughout Bougainville,” Mr Lera said.

The library books and hospital beds are being funded by Mr Lera.

Meanwhile, scoping for the power lines to be run from Malasang to Kesa and Lonahan to Gagan villages on Buka Island is currently underway.

These projects are also being funded by Mr Lera.

Meanwhile Mr Lera is continuing with his community visits to carry out awareness and also communicate his plans and visions to the people of Bougainville.

04.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

RD TUNA HERE

 By Aloysius Laukai

A strong team of investors from the owners of RD TUNA based in the Philippinnes arrived in Buka this morning for a brief visit to the region.

The team was welcomed at the airport by a Cultural group from Ieta village.

 The team were welcomed by the ABG Minister for finance and planning, ALBERT PUNGHAU.

03.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Former combatants to form association

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

FORMER combatants in South Bougainville will soon be establishing their ex-combatants association. 

The decision to form this organisation follows a meeting which was organised by the South Bougainville former combatants and held on September 20 in Buin, South Bougainville.

This former combatants association will be formed to assist in addressing law and order issues arising in the area.

An interim executive is already in place to oversee the formation of this association.

Former BRA commander Thomas Tarii and Michael Komoiki were elected as the interim chairman and interim vice chairman of this association. 

Further discussions on the formation of this association will again be discussed this Friday at the Buin district office. 

The former combatants’ corporate plan and other social issues affecting South Bougainville will also be discussed during this meeting. 

The current law and order issue in Bougainville will also be discussed during the meeting. 

South Bougainville’s former combatants’ representative in the Bougainville House of Representative, Michael Laita is now calling on the constituency members from South Bougainville in the Bougainville House of Representatives to also attend the meeting.

An invitation has also been given to the Bougainville Regional MP Joe Lera to also attend.

Meanwhile, former combatants in the area have voiced concerns that they also want to be involved in any discussions concerning the Bougainville Copper Agreement review.

They said they want to be considered as a party to the on-going dialogue between the landowners, the ABG and BCL.

03.10.2012

Source: Islands Business / Post-Courier

ABG Cabinet reshuffle 

Bougainville House of Representatives Speaker Andrew Miriki will soon be advised on the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis’ decision to do a reshuffle in the Bougainville Executive Council.  

 PORT MORESBY, PNG (POST COURIER) --- Bougainville House of Representatives Speaker Andrew Miriki will soon be advised on the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis’ decision to do a reshuffle in the Bougainville Executive Council.

The two ministries that were affected are the Ministry for Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches and the Ministry for Culture and Tourism.

Former Minister for Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches and women representative for South Bougainville, Rose Pihei was moved to the Culture and Tourism portfolio.

Pihei takes over the responsibility following the death of the former minister and member for Rau the late Joseph Egilio.

Member for Eivo/Torau Melchior Dare now takes over the Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches ministry.

Momis while advising Pihei on the reshuffle said: “This change was necessitated by the need to improve the ministerial responsibilities in directing the two divisions, Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches and Culture and Tourism to achieve the objectives of the Government by mobilising the youth, women and churches to work together, to build a fair and just society and to promote tourist attractions to overseas tourists,” President Momis said.

He added that the ABG wants to generate much needed revenue for the Government and income for the people of Bougainville.

The same message was also conveyed by President Momis to Minister Melchior Dare.

“As Ministers, we are required to demonstrate solidarity in Cabinet/BEC. I have every confidence in you as ministers that you will provide creative and proactive leadership through your respective divisions,” President Momis said.

He also congratulated both ministers on their new appointments.

The Bougainville Constitution requires that when the appointments are finalised, the President then advises the Speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives on the appointments of the members of the Bougainville Executive Council.

The letter of notification of the appointments to the Speaker, the Instruments of Appointments and the Determination of portfolio responsibilities are then published in the Bougainville Gazette.

02.10.2012

Source: Radio New Dawn on Bougainville

WORLD VISION ASSISTS

By Aloysius Laukai

The use of the river system as toilet in villages as being blamed as the cause of the outbreak of dysentry in the inland areas of Tinputz in north Bougainville.

And health officials have been working around the clock to contain the situation since last lonth.

It has been reported that eight people have died due to the dysentry outbreak.

Pictured is Robin Wesly from World vision(centre) with  Moses Tupah and Philiph Kobua cutting roofing iron for water catchment to provde clean rain water.  World vision will distribute tanks to the afffted community.

02.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Pihei applaud BWF

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

WOMEN in Bougainville have been applauded following the election of the Bougainville Women’s Federation (BWF) and the adoption of the BWF’s Constitution.

According to the former Minister for Community Development, Women, Youth and Churches in the ABG Rose Pihei (picture), the election of BWF executives and the adoption of their Constitution was a milestone achievement which all women should be proud of. 

Mrs Pihei, who was also a former president of the South BWF Sub Region before being elected into the Bougainville House of Representatives, said she had a special reason to applaud women in Bougainville on their accomplishment.

“I have witnessed these historic and necessary proceedings with great joy. Having been a former president of the South BWF Sub Region before I entered parliament, and before that, a member of the Working Committee that began the whole process, I have a special reason to applaud my fellow sisters on all their accomplishments. Only women know the struggle it took to birth this precious organisation,” Mrs Pihei said.

“I am proud to commend every single woman…for standing up to your standard and expectation to achieve this milestone. We fought, humiliated ourselves and named us names during the course of establishing the foundations of what we are celebrating today, but what did they matter as compared to our dreams and aspirations to create a just and peaceful society for our future children, “Mrs Pihei added. 

Mrs Pihei also challenged the executives of BWF and all women throughout Bougainville to work together for the betterment of the organisation.

She said there was no time for petty politics especially when BWF had just elected its executives and endorsed its Constitution.

“We are spiritually armed for battle and we will fight every battle that confronts us on the way because peace on Bougainville is the final agenda women desire to establish in Bougainville, because God gives perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in Him,” Mrs Pihei said. 

Mrs Pihei also congratulated all those that had made it their business in ensuring that the election of the BWF is conducted, and also for the drafting of the BWF Constitution.

Mrs Pihei is now calling on the other ABG parliamentarians to seriously consider future partnerships with the Federation and to assess the merit of increasing budgetary allocations to BWF and women’s projects.

The above statement was delivered by Mrs Pihei during the swearing in of the BWF executives and the launching of their Constitution on Tuesday evening.

01.10.2012

Source: Post-Courier

Ex-combatants join Just Play

THE power of sports has made a big impact on the lives of people in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, after the conflict destroyed lives of the people on the island.

Cletus Noibio is a young man who was once a student before the conflict in the Konnou constituency of the northern tip of the Island of Bougainville.

As a result of the crisis, Cletus became part of the freedom fighters which saw families fighting against each other with many torn apart.

He was a commander but realised that there was no future for him fighting against his own family and decided to contribute to the sports activities organised as a way to attract his fellow rebels to reconcile with each other in their community. 

Cletus is not the only one from the Konnou area to be involved in this community sports program.

Chris Mota, a village elder has a similar past story as Cletus but has now come forward to help his province and people come out of a dark past.

In November 2011, elders in the area proposed a ceasefire ceremony which eventuated later that year.

Ex-combatants, leaders and government officials from the ARB Government were part of the ceremony.

The UNDP saw the importance of the activity and quickly stepped in, proposing a sports competition where youths will be involved to help bring peace amongst each other.

The main idea was to engage the young people in the games which will change their mindset and be part of the program.

This also led to an invitation to take part in the selection trials in Arawa for the PNG Games. 

Soon after, Pikinini Sports was also introduced and children also became part of the sports program.

Proving their ability in staging the children’s games, Bougainville Football Association invited two of the many Konnou people to attend the Just Play Program workshop in Buka last week.

The Just Play program is the latest of the children’s program which only entered the ARB this month.

It also aims to encourage sports participation, gender equality and community involvement through football clinics and coaching for children of ages six to 12. After the workshop, the participants should be able to implement in the grassroots program in their respective communities involving children to prepare them for their football career in future.

Developed by the OFC social responsibility and technical departments, Just Play is designed for children aged six to 12 and promotes physical activity while encouraging community involvement and healthy living.

The results of the grassroots program shows that students who participate in Just Play are more motivated to go to school, improve their academic performance and develop positive citizenship skills while many of the volunteers have demonstrated strong leadership within their communities.

OFC has worked closely with UEFA, the Australian government and Football Federation Australia to implement the program across the Pacific over a three-year period between 2009 and 2012.

It was launched in Tonga and is now also running in American Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, New Caledonia, PNG, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tahiti and Vanuatu.

The confederation has also been working in New Zealand with Special Olympics on a Just Play program for people with mental disabilities and has launched the same initiative in Samoa and Fiji.

Just Play has reached more than 100,000 children – 43 per cent of whom are female – across the Pacific and trained over 2000 teachers and volunteers.