Decision to reopen Panguna mine lies with landowners

The head of one of the Bougainville landowner groups affected by the Panguna mine, says any decision on re-opening the mine is for the landowners to make.
The Panguna mine was at the centre of the ten-year Bougainville civil war, forcing its closure in 1989 when it was PNG’s biggest export earner. But there is renewed talk of bringing the closed mine back into production, initiated by the Panguna Development Company Ltd, which has brought together almost all the landowner groups.
Agreement has been reached to support the former miner, Bougainville Copper Ltd’s quest for an exploration licence, and for the landowners to be given shares in the company.
There has been widespread opposition to a return to mining at Panguna but Siokate landowners’ group chair Therese Jaintong said it’s for them to decide.
“The landowners are empowered by the Bougainville Mining Act, so what ever they say they have the power with the government – all of us talking together,” she said.
“We are coming close to finding some good solutions.
Jaintong said they wanted to bring all the interested parties together to discuss the mine’s futuure. – RNZ