 PANGUNA
MINE
Bougainville is rich in copper,
and possibly gold. The mine at Panguna had been perhaps the most
major sticking point between Bougainville and Papua New Guinea
(PNG). It was vitally important to the economy of PNG,
but the people of Bougainville were seeing little benefit from
it. Bougainvillean leaders alleged that the mine had been responsible
for devastating environmental consequences.
 They also claimed that Bougainville
Copper had set up a system of apartheid on
the island, with one set of facilities for white workers, and one
set for the locals. They accused Bougainville
Copper Ltd.(BCL), of being responsible for poisoning the
entire length of the Jaba
River, and causing birth defects, as well as the extinction
of the flying fox on
the island.
In 1987,
a meeting of landowners was held at Panguna, and as a result, the
Panguna Landowners' Association was formed. They demanded billions
in compensation from Conzinc Rio Tinto Australia (CRA) - a total
of half the mine's profits since it began in 1969. In November
1988, the Bougainville
Revolutionary Army (BRA) was formed.
They held up the mine's
magazine, stole explosives, and committed numerous acts of arson
and sabotage. They also cut the power supply to the entire mine
by blowing up power pylons. They continued to conduct hit-and-run
raids on mine property and government installations. The campaign
was successful, when the mine was shut down on 15
May 1989, after attacks
on mine employees.
During
Op Bel Isi all members were prohibited from flying over or visiting
the Panguna Mine. As of 2007,
the mine remains closed.
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