280314 BOUGAINVILLE WOMEN WANT PANGUNA RE-OPENED.
By Aloysius Laukai

The two-days Special Bougainville Women’s Forum on Mining that ended in Buka yesterday fully recommended that the closed PANGUNA COPPER AND GOLD MINE must be opened to help ABG meet the number three pillar of the Bougainville Peace Agreement that is ECONOMIC SELF RELIANCE.
In the final recommendations made in Districts by Districts, the women also recommended that outstanding issues must be addressed before the mine is re-opened.
From recommendations made by the women of South Bougainville, they recommended that the mine must support the overall goal by the people to gain independence and said that Independence with no Economy would be only a dream.
The women of Central Bougainville divided in two, the women of Panguna/Torau and Panguna called for the grievances for the landowners must be met first and that included allocation of land for their resettlement before the mine is opened.
And the women of Wakunai agreed to resettle the PANGUNA landowners at KURWINA Plantation and supported the re-opening to create employment for Bougainvilleans as priority.
The women of Atolls, and Tinputz fully supported the re-opening questioning who will compensate for the death of the people of North Bougainville who fell depending Panguna.
And the women of Kunua/Kereaka wanted the re-opening of Panguna but wanted the ABG to own the company one hundred percent so that the people of Bougainville can truly benefit from the operation.
Nearly all women did not want the moratorium to be lifted and recommended only one mine should be allowed to operate and quickly invest in Tourism and Agriculture.
The two-days Special Bougainville Women’s Forum on Mining was broadcasted live on New Dawn FM.

Ends

Comments

[Seb]

We have to be cautious of before we start. Its no use crying over spilt milk.

Most of us are where today and gone tomorrow. Be mindful about the future.

[observer]

I have to stress again that any development has to come with its price. Why are we so big on environment issues when the advantages overshadows the cons in regards to the mine.

[joseph]

Quote: The women of Atolls, and Tinputz fully supported the re-opening questioning who will compensate for the death of the people of North Bougainville who fell depending Panguna. unquote...

What a great paradox....(Or is it a great contradiction?) How can you be defending it and the next moment allow back your enemy to have access to exactly what or where you have been defending? hmmmnnnn... The mind boogles...!!

yufala...mi nomore kasim ya!

[Seb]

People are crazy at the moment.

[Joseph]

Quote "...the women also recommended that outstanding issues must be addressed before the mine is re-opened...they recommended that the mine must support the overall goal by the people to gain independence and said that Independence with no Economy would be only a dream unquote:

I listened to Sister Lorraine Garasu in Port Moresby last year (2013) when she delivered her presentation at the Gateway: The take-home message from her presentation was that Bougainville is still wounded and is not fully healed yet: Sister Lorraine has hard data & facts to support her claims as she works directly with women throughout the region "Women from all walks of life":

The message is clear "Outstanding issues must be settled first":

Joseph