Landowners slam report on Panguna

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Wednesday 01st of October, 2014

 NINE landowner associations in areas affected by the Panguna Mine have condemned a report by Jubilee Australia.

The report claims that the voices of mine-affected communities “have been distant from recent public discussion” about the possible reopening of Panguna, closed since 1989 as a result of the Bougainville conflict.

The report is critical of the Autonomous Bougainville Government consultation with landowners, which Jubilee suggests has largely excluded communities around the mine. 

An independent statement by the nine chairpersons of the landowner associations supports a previous statement issued by ABG President John Momis.

The signed statement said the report Voices of Bougainville: Nikana Kangsi, Nikana Dong Damana (Our Land, Our Future) gives the implication that ABG was forcing the mining agenda without proper consultation with the landowners.

The report incorrectly referred to the Unite Panguna Mine Affected Landowners Association (UPMALA), which consists of nine landowner associations from the six mine lease areas, which the chairpersons clarified by saying UPMALA had ceased 12 months ago and that there were four and not six mine lease areas.

The statement also questioned why the report was done secretly without proper consultation with the landowners associations and the ABG to help gather accurate information to provide an object view of the research.

The nine associations said the 65 subjects of the report whose views opposed the reopening of the mine were not anywhere near a majority and could be used to represent every single landowner in Panguna.

“These interviewees were not picked randomly so there is no possible way the report could be representative of everyone’s views,” the statement from them said.

Chairpersons are now calling on Jubilee Australia to apologise to the people of the mine affected areas for presenting a wrong, misleading and divisive picture of what the landowners really think about mining.

The nine landowners are Bernadine Kiira, the chairperson of Lower Tailings Association; Theresa Jaintong, thechairperson of Siokatei Association; Jude Genu, the chairman of Uruawa/Rorovana Association; John Simiko, chairman South West Coastal Corridor Association; Lawrence Daveona, chairman of the Special Mine Lease Association; Lawrence Uakai, chairman of the Bolave Fish Owners’ Association; Paul Tavuio, chairman of Mid Tailings Association; Michael Parui, chairman Upper Tailings Association;  and Peter Miriona, chairman of Port Mine Access Road Association.