ADDRESS THE REAL ISSUE OF BOUGAINVILLE

by FRASIER LIU

Should we fail to address the "underlying" issues of the Bougainville conflict, we will continue to have problems in Greater PNG.

They fought for control and equity over their own resources. This is the underlying issue, that must be addressed, or other similar problems will rise.

Stamping legislation to prevent secession is an antagonistic move that is sure to create dissent, as it fails to deal with fundemental and real issues faced by many ethnic groups in the country.

To understand Bougainville, let's quickly look at history and facts.

In 1964, Australian company Rio Tinto, began drilling in Panguna. The Panguna mine opened in 1969 under Bougainville Copper Ltd.

The first independence movement on Bougainville emerged in the late 1960s, against the Australian colonial government.

This was "solely" due to grievances over the handling of the Panguna mine. "They protested the inadequate sharing of revenues being generated from mining on their land."

The local people sued for compensation and the case went to the High Court of Australia. They did not get a favourable ruling.

In 1972, Australia granted Bougainville some degree of autonomy.

In 1974, a Special Committee of the PNG Assembly, sought to give the island greater autonomy. However, the Special Committee did not agree to give a share of the profits from the Panguna mine to the people of Bougainville and in May 1975, negotiations between the two parties collapsed completely.

On 28 May 1975, the Interim Provincial Government in Bougainville voted to secede from PNG. This caused an impasse between the PNG Assembly and the authorities in Bougainville.

The PNG Government attempted to resolve the situation through June and July, but failed.

The Interim Provincial Government announced that they would declare independence on 1 September, ahead of Papua New Guinea's own planned independence day of 16 September.

On 1 September, they issued the 'Unilateral Declaration of Independence of the Republic of North Solomons'.

They sought international recognition through the United Nations, but were unsuccessful.

In 1976, Bougainville accepted PNG sovereignty.

Later that year, both governments signed the 'Bougainville Agreement', which gave the island autonomy within PNG.

The PNG government promised full independence in 5 years, but did not fulfill this promise.

For the remainder of the 1970s, and into the early 1980s, relations between the two remained tense, but relatively peaceful.

In 1981 disputes re-emerged over the status of the mine, which was the basis of the conflict that became violent in 1988.

Operations of Panguna and sharing of its revenues had been the major conflicting issue between Bougainville and the PNG government.

Panguna was the largest revenue stream of the Government of PNG after Independence.

The national government received a 20% share of profit from the mine and authorised 0.5–1.25% share to the Bougainvilleans.

Revenues from the mine products was vitally important to the economy of PNG, but the people of Bougainville were seeing little benefit from it.

In addition, they realised that there were serious environmental consequences of the mine which they were bearing with little compensation.

The riverways had been poisoned, causing birth defects among local people, as well as the extinction of the flying fox on the island and adverse effects on fish and other species.

Claims were made that BCL had an apartheid type system, with one set of facilities for white workers, and one set for the locals.

In 1988, Francis Ona and Ms. Pepetua Serero decided to stand up against the PNG government. Ona had worked for BCL, and witnessed the effects the mine was having on the environment.

In 1987, Ona and Serero called a meeting of landowners around Panguna, forming the Panguna Landowners' Association. Serero was selected as 'Chairlady' and Ona as General Secretary.

They demanded billions in compensation for lost revenues and damages, a total of half the mine's profits since it began in 1969.

This was refused and led eventually to confrontations that escalated to the civil war.

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From history these key facts can be established:

✅ The "igniting" issue on Bougainville is the Panguna mine and importantly "control and benefits".

✅ This movement started before even PNG got our Independence in 1975.

✅ The PNG Government took the side of BCL over it's own people because it was benefiting more.

The Bougainville people have been fighting before Independence for control of their own resources. This is not unfair to ask. In actual fact, ALL people in PNG want greater control of their own resources.

The way forward should be greater autonomy for districts. Even if we have to redesign our boundaries and change our laws; why not do it?

This is a cancer that has festered in the fabric of our nation since Independence left over by colonial powers. Sir John Guise warned of exactly this during Independence. We didn't listen then, but are we willing to listen now?

The PNG Government today can present a strong case before the Bouganville people with genuine intentions. Firstly giving them full control of their own resources which they have been fighting for all this time. Secondly PNG should move towards a central government that has limited involvement in local internal affairs.

Our brothers will see reason.

Brothers fought a civil war, not enemies. There were honourable men on both sides and losses as well. We must fully understand that it was the colonial laws that set brother against brother.

The colonists are gone, yet we remain under their yoke, desperately holding onto the laws they left for us to live under.

By solving the "core" issue in Bougainville, we will also solve many issues across the country.

Our people are fed up of their lands and resources being controlled by the Government and taken over by other ethnic groups. Look no further than the people of Central Province. This is a real and critical issue that must be addressed nationwide.

We should give the power back to the people, under local governments or even state governments; and form a small central federal style government to unite the thousand tribes under one flag.

A central federal government with limited internal power; overseeing forign policy, national defence, justice and interstate or district issues.

Bougainvilleans, like all of us can be content to be a nation of brothers. It is when another brother or some foreigner comes and takes what we feel is rightfully ours that causes conflict.

Wealth should be created at the local level, and not locked in vaults at Waigani for people to come and beg for equal participation for their own resources. That is our sad present reality.

We are competing with foreigners or someone from another part of the country for opportunities or benefits from our own land and resources. This is utter madness!

We need a system that defines and embraces our distinct ethnic personalities. Laws that respect our ethnic boundaries, lands and resources.

We should see by now that we have been taught to stay in a box, and fight amongst ourselves. The day we stop fighting, and give back control of the land and resources to their rightful owners: the people; then only will we be truly free.

We should specialise and trade within ourselves like our ancestors did for centuries.

From mutual commerce and respect for each others rights and boundaries; an ideal balance that existed in ancient times will again be achieved. Our forefathers lived like this, lest we forget.

Why was this wisdom discarded? Respect and rights over clan ownership of land has kept the fabric of our diverse ethnic groups peaceful for centuries.

PNG received our Independence without bloodshed. Yet much blood was spilt during the civil war. Have we not learnt from this? Is it only Bougainville's struggle for Independence, or is it really our entire nation's fight against colonial laws?

Our brothers in Bougainville fought against a system that is repugnant to our Melanesian culture. The laws of state ownership of resources is an entirely foreign and colonial concept.

Colonial laws have haunted us since Independence; and still today.

Today we are at the crossroads.

May we choose wisely, and learn from our history, so that the many sacrifices made by sons and daughters of our land; have not been made in vain.

It is our diversity that makes us strong. If individually harnessed; that combined strength will be a force of reckoning in the Pacific; from which a mighty nation will rise from the ashes of civil war.

God Bless Papua New Guinea