Customary Heads Media Release

MEDIA RELEASE
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PANGUNA LANDOWNERS FRUSTRATED WITH ABG DECISION TO CANCEL EL01 LICENCE FOR BCL AND VOW NOT TO ACCEPT ANY DEVELOPER INTO PANGUNA

BUKA (17/01/2017): The 367 authorised Customary Heads of the 510 Blocks of land within the Special Mining Lease area of the Panguna mine are deeply disappointed that the Autonomous Bougainville Government has cancelled the Exploration Licence 01 (EL01) currently held by Bougainville Copper Limited.

Speaking through their eight (8) representatives, the Customary Heads said the decision by the ABG meant that the legacy issues over the Panguna Mine have now been “swept under the carpet by our own Government”.

The 367 Customary Heads have nominated eight people to act as their spokespeople on all matters relating to the Panguna Mine. The eight representatives are being supported in their work by another team of younger generation beneficiaries.

They said the ABG has continued to blame disunity among landowners because of a leadership tussle over the SML Osikaiyang Landowners Association and has made decisions that are impeding on the lives of the people of Panguna.

“In 2012, the ABG begged us to go to round table discussions with ABG and BCL as a preferred developer of the Panguna Mine and we agreed with this request because we knew our legacy issues would now be dealt with because BCL was being invited back,” Customary Heads said.

“The ABG as a mandated Government on the ground never really fully supported BCL when they arrived on Bougainville despite having invited them back and instead went globetrotting looking for their own preferred developers. BCL has invested much time and effort in Bougainville to re-establish itself which includes renovating a building in Buka as a permanent office on Bougainville and employing good local people.”

“The decision to impose an indefinite moratorium and now cancel the exploration licence was a major setback not only for BCL but landowners and the people of Bougainville more broadly who hold hopes for economic self-reliance,” the landowners said.

“As per the Bougainville Mining Law, we are the owners of the resource in Panguna and we are frustrated that the ABG has now frustrated the process to re-develop Panguna and is making decisions on Panguna by itself.

“As customary landowners we again call for the originally agreed process to be followed and honoured and that is to continue working with BCL to redevelop the Panguna Mine. The ABG has a large ownership stake in BCL and it makes no sense to throw that all away.


“We will not support any alternative developer at this point and consequently will not allow an alternative developer access to our lands. The President himself has said that it would be untenable for any other company to develop the mine,” the landowners said.

The Customary Heads also reiterated their support for the upcoming fourth mediation at Dapera Village and they are prepared to make their statement in front of Justice Kandakasi when he convenes the mediation process.

“We will reiterate our position that we do not recognize Philip Miriori as the chairman of the SML Osikaiyang Landowners’ Association as he and/or his agents do not represent us and he is self-serving in trying to advance the interests of disruptive third parties, including the small overseas company RTG which has no mineral rights over Panguna,” they said.

“We want to see the upcoming mediation put an end to everything that we are going through and we want to see the views of all our Customary Heads being considered and not just those from Mr Miriori and his small group of noisy followers.”

Ends…

Approved for Release

For any queries contact

Mr Michael Pariu
Landowners’ Working Committee
Mobile: 71279713


Fully endorsed by

_______________________________ Michael Pariu Bimei 1972.115

_______________________________ Joseph Nuasi Damana 1977.16

_______________________________ Anthony Anung Kumpe 1971.288

_______________________________ Lucy Mangona Bakamari 1970.364

_______________________________ Thomas Oni 1977.84

_______________________________ Richard Avero Sioma 1970.228

_______________________________ Stephen Tampura 1969.318

_______________________________ Tony Tapakau Tori 1970.78