11 February 2019

...[T]he Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG)...has announced its intention to amend Bougainvilles mining laws.

...'These are radical changes and appear to be nothing more than a reckless land grab,' said Dr Luke Fletcher, Executive Director of Jubilee Australia. 'First, this would hand over control of the majority of the island to the President and his foreign partner, Mr McGlinn.

'Second, the President would have the power to unilaterally distribute leases without any consultation or permission from landowners. As a result, landowners will be cut out of the process. These amendments undermine the principal of Free, Prior and Informed Consent, said Dr Fletcher. 'Doing so is both anathema to Melanesian culture and vitally important in the Bougainville context.'

'It is not clear to us that this legislation is even constitutional,' said Dr Fletcher. 'It is a startling and dangerous move. Given the disastrous history of the Panguna mine in Bougainville, which has caused irreparable environmental damage to the Jaba river and was the major cause of the Pacific region's worst ever civil war, forcing through such enormous changes with very little consultation is a reckless and desperate ploy.'

...'As our recent study of the question demonstrates, we are highly dubious that mines like Panguna could ever raise enough revenues to satisfy both foreign investors and the people of Bougainville,' said Dr Fletcher.

'It is certainly impossible that the mine will raise any revenues before the independence vote. It will take years for the building/repair of infrastructure, the completion of environmental studies and other importance processes that need to take place before the mine can generate revenue.'