The Panguna mine on the Pacific island of Bougainville is owned by Rio Tinto subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd. Operation of the mine led to a war of independence against Papua New Guinea.
Women oppose Panguna review
THE women and children of Bougainville are not ready for the reopening of Panguna mine, said a representative of the Bougainville Indigenous Women’s Landowners Association and sister of renowned Bougainville Revolutionary Army leader, late Francis Ona.
See http://www.thenational.com.pg/?q=node/14914.
BRA’s stand on mine reopening
Letter to the press from former General in the Bougainville Revolutionary Army: Following all the media coverage in the recent weeks and the recent meeting by the so called landowners of Panguna Mine with the President for Bougainville, I would like to highlight certain issues that need to be taken into consideration before continuing discussions and plans to reopening of the Panguna Mine. To set the record straight, the so called Panguna Landowners ‘Did not close the mine’. Let it be known that it was the ‘Bougainville Revolutionary Army’ that closed the mine because of environmental damage and for the interest of everyone on the Island.
See http://hutnyk.wordpress.com/2010/12/14/bougainville-2/.