The Bougainville Copper company of today is quite different from the Bougainville Copper that I reported about in 2004 and 2007. Another significant shareholder, Graeme Kirke, is the founder of Kirke Securities where Mr Forrest previously worked. Once the backbone of the Papua New Guinea economy, Panguna has been idle since the civil war began more than 30 years ago - a war the mine was at least . In an act of goodwill BCL should publicly disclose the depth of its involvement in the security force operations on Bougainville. They cannot rely on the land anymore to produce what they need.. Engitech is a values-driven technology agency dedicated. web pages In its heyday, the mine, which would take an estimated $US5 billion in infrastructure spending to restart, was a productive asset for Rio Tinto, then known as Conzinc Rio Tinto. The Evidence of BCL's role in the Bougainville Conflict: A Reluctant Response to Axel G. Sturm's Open Letter. In a paper out on Wednesday The Scramble for Resources - The International Race for Bougainville's Mineral Wealth, Jubilee Australia has laid out the steps . Nevertheless, the company continued to provide material assistance to the security forces. Paul Toohey 7 min read June 4, 2013 - 5:36PM News Corp Australia Network mining The Getty Images design is a trademark of Getty Images. Already, former Rio subsidiary BCL and Australian-Toronto based RTG Mining have been slugging it out via statements on their websites or on the Australian Securities Exchange. Following the discovery of vast copper ore deposits in Crown Prince Range, Bougainville Copper Limited (Bougainville Copper or the company) operated a large open pit mine and processing facility at Panguna in central Bougainville in the North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) between 1972 and 1989. I consider that issue now resolved.-- * Kristian Lasslett is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Ulster and he sits on the Executive Board of the International State Crime Initiative. On November 23, Bougainvilleans will go to the polls and are expected to vote overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea. They also used information from stories compiled by the Catholic Diocese of Bougainville from affected communities between 2017 and 2019. Find himon Twitter: @johnccannon. The transnational company Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), a joint venture of the Australian based companies Conzinc Rio Tinto and Broken Hill Corporation, began prospecting in 1963. A peace agreement was signed in 2001 and Bougainville was given greater autonomy within PNG, with a non-binding referendum in favour of independence . Bougainville Copper's bloody "hidden past" exposed Published by MAC on 2012-05-01 Source: ACT NOW!, Papua New Guinea Mine Watch . That may have been true for the duration of the conflict, Adams said. Now, the mines longtime operator, the British-Australian company Rio Tinto, must make amends, they argue. Bougainville Copper, a company in which the local government (known as the Autonomous Bougainville Government) has a 36.4% stake is up 200% over the past three weeks with a rise from 6.5. They operated the Panguna mine for 17 years, and many scholars and journalists have written quite favourable pieces on their corporate record during this period. Local workers work the mine and ships in the bay in the new economy 27:44. However, I was told by a senior BCL executive that the company was supportive of the blockade for two reasons: "One was the ability of the militants to get more weapons to increase the level of their militancy. Geographically, Bougainville is the largest of the Solomon Islands, located near the northern end of that chain. We believe that [Bougainville Copper] was compliant with applicable regulatory requirements up until the mines operations were suspended in 1989, a spokesperson told Mongabay. Had he, Mr Sturm would have discovered that my findings are based upon interviews with General Managers and three Managing Directors who steered BCL during the 1987-1991 period. Eighteen months later, Rio Tinto decided to divest from its local subsidiary in control of the Panguna mine, Bougainville Copper Limited, handing over its majority stake to the governments of PNG and Bougainville. Heavy trucks sit rusting on the edges of Panguna copper mine, closed in 1989 as a result of sabotage.Credit:Friedrich Stark / Alamy Stock Photo. BCL operated the copper, gold and silver mine at the Panguna mine on Bougainville Island in PNG from 1971 to 1989. Bougainville Copper Limited 10:15. Sale today only. Today, its in the immediate vicinity of the abandoned mine pit. If you wish to join the group, please state who you are and what relationship you had with Bougainville. However, in light of recent personal attacks on my credibility as a researcher and scholar, I feel compelled to summarise the empirical evidence on which my recent suggestions were based. Louis-Antoine de Bougainville was a French admiral and explorer. Autonomous Bougainville Government president John Momis. Concrete is poured for foundations 16:15. Mining operations were officially halted on 15 May 1989, due to militant activity . The company is blamed by many locals for contamination attributed to the mine. I am more than happy to engage in further probing dialogue with anyone who cares to comment; but I will not react to any further personal attacks, or ill informed judgements on the rigour of my research. BCL company secretary Mark Hitchcock said from his office in Port Moresby that the company retained strong support among landowners and rejected suggestions the company had lost its social licence to operate. The moratorium is a dramatic turnaround in policy from the Autonomous Bougainville Government, which determined landowners felt BCL didn't deserve a social licence to run the mine. Under his Prime Ministership the Papua New Guinea security forces - in an effort to reopen the mine - executed and tortured civilians, systematically destroyed villages, and imposed a blockade on Bougainville, which included the denial of humanitarian aid. Check the amazing fares on selected routes from as low as K19*. Moreover, noted McLeod, Bougainville is "right in the middle of a number of territories in the South Pacific. The ore processing consists of four stages as the rocks are crushed into less than half inch units 3:40. [1], The mine at Panguna was opened in 1972 and was majority-owned by Rio Tinto. The issue of compensation went to the High Court of Australia, where it was found that the compensation was inadequate under ordinary federal Australian law, but that as an External Territory, Papua New Guinea was not guaranteed the same standards that applied to mainland Australia. Website http://www.bcl.com.pg/ Industries Mining Company size 11-50 employees Headquarters Port Moresby,. Prince Philip tours the mine 22:53. The PNG national government received a 20% share of profit from the mine, of which the Bougainvilleans received 5% - 1.25% share of the total profit. In particular, the former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister (1988-1992) of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Somare, alleges that the Chairman stated lets "starve the bastards out". "Some of these are within the control of the company itself, others less so. Available ONLINE ONLY! It cannot be the case that a company can be seen to improve its environmental social governance standards, simply by cutting and running from any projects that pose a high risk and high liability to them, Adams said. With Buka Island and several island groups, it forms the autonomous region of Bougainville. "Bougainville Copper Limited shareholding", "Bougainville imposes moratorium on Panguna mine over fears of civil unrest", "BCL takes Bougainville Govt to court over licence non-renewal", European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC), Bougainville Copper Limited - All Annual Reports since 1967, Blood and Treasure - SBS documentary 2011, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bougainville_Copper&oldid=1142268123, Copper mining companies of Papua New Guinea, Companies listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 13:11. The Conversation contacted Rio Tinto for comment. It was a resentment bred of an insensitive approach on the part As this dearth of inquiry is particularly evident in South Pacific economies, this paper examines the management of Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), an Australian mining company that operated in Papua New Guinea (PNG) until it was violently expelled by local communities in 1990. [11], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}61855S 1552947E / 6.31528S 155.49639E / -6.31528; 155.49639. Following PNG security forces heavy-handed intervention allegedly under strong political pressure from Bougainville Copper the rebellion quickly escalated into a full-blown separatist conflict that eventually engulfed all parts of the province. There was no answer from Caballus in response to a series of questions, including regarding its links to Bougainville Advance Mining and how it achieved such a prime position. The mine was operated by Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL), an Australian subsidiary of Rio Tinto, and sought to tap large deposits of copper, gold and silver in the Emperor mountain range. Last month the President of the European Shareholders of Bougainville Copper (ESBC) Axel Sturm publicly raised concerns over the volatility of BCL's share prices. Equipment from Japan arrives for storage at the mine 24:00. They say that waste from the copper and gold mine is causing health problems for 12,000 . Discontent was brought to a head in 1988 by a long-running dispute over the uneven economic returns and environmental impacts from Panguna copper mine. Water flows were blocked in many places, creating large areas of swampland and disrupting the livelihoods of hundreds of people in communities downstream of the mine. This followed the departure of Rio Tinto in mid-2016. A truck drives through a large quarry 1:50. The first Bougainville independence movement began to arise in the late 1960s, as people began to air their grievances against the then Australian colonial government over the handling of the Panguna mine. 2. Bougainville Copper Project 1969/1970 Photos The copper slurry is then pumped to the seacoast 4:38. Computers tabulate the needs for materials and labor 11:52. During these meetings security force operations were discussed in detail. 7. On 1 July 2016, Bougainville Copper Limiteds major shareholder, Rio Tinto, transferred its 53.8 per cent shareholding for distribution to the Autonomous Bougainville Government, for the benefit of Panguna landowners and the people of Bougainville, and to the Independent State of Papua New Guinea. For example, the company's charitable arm - the Bougainville Copper Foundation (BCF) - had surveyed homes lost to village burnings, which were conducted en masse by the Mobile Squads and the PNGDF during 1989. on June 23, 2020, This is a 1960s era, color movie about the Bougainville Copper Project in Papua, New Guinea. The 156 complainants live in communities around and downstream of the mine. Rios former subsidiary BCL is still in the race for a mining licence, though Rio divested its shares and walked away in 2016. Photo: The Panguna mine was abandoned in 1989 after an armed uprising known as the Bougainville Crisis. Control room and men monitor the equipment 26:35. I took it from Mr Sturm's statement, he had not bothered to familiarise himself with my research on the Bougainville conflict. In 1988, disputes around the notorious Panguna mine sparked a lengthy civil war in Bougainville, leading to the deaths of up to 20,000 people. Liked by Angus Seka. Banner image of the Panguna mine tailings wasteland courtesy of the Human Rights Law Centre. Adams said an independent review, conducted while the mine was still operational, revealed the companys failure to manage copper levels in the effluent from the mine which the company had agreed to do had completely obliterated the fish life downstream. Construction continues at a rapid pace 25:27. "Overall, income and costs were generally within budget, administration and exchange losses being over, offset by a similar amount under budget for BCA renegotiation," he said. Bougainville has a long human history with the first inhabitants arriving around 29,000 years ago. Rio Tinto, therefore, is of the view that it is for the people of Bougainville to determine their future, including any potential redevelopment of the mine.. Over 10 years we help companies reach their financial and branding goals. In 1975, the people of Dapera were relocated to make way for mining activities. PANGUNA, Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, Sep 7 2016 (IPS) - The Panguna copper mine, located in the mountains of Central Bougainville, an autonomous region in the southwest Pacific Island state of Papua New Guinea, has been derelict for 27 years since an armed campaign by local landowners forced its shutdown and triggered a decade-long civil war in the late 1980s. Luke Fletcher, a long-time Bougainville watcher and executive director of think tank Jubilee Australia warns of the resources curse that has plagued PNG. As a leading mining company with world-class expertise, we constantly assess opportunities to build on our operational reputation to drive future growth through product diversification and asset development, chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said. 4. The Panguna mines footprint was gigantic, stretching across the full breadth of the central part of the island. The entry of Caballus sparked fears among Bougainville locals specifically those linked to rival miners that a three-way fight for Panguna would erupt. Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer announces US$65m aid for Bougainville as a ceasefire ending the civil war was signed at Arawa in 1998. Economic structure and growth 1. These allegations were previously denied by BCL's former Chairman, but Dr Lasslett insists on their veracity. Clearly it is up to the people of Bougainville to decide how they wish to manage their natural resources. The Bougainville Copper Project. It was a critical but hopefully constructive piece, on how BCL might mend certain bridges with communities on Bougainville, using fairly orthodox transitional justice techniques. Lets examine what led to the ongoing crisis. The movie opens on a beach with palm trees. Re-opening Panguna would be a disaster., Rebel guerillas above the Panguna copper and gold mine in Bougainville in 1994.Credit:Ben Bohane. Kalias bid is financially supported by a company run by Australian polo patriarch Peter Yunghanns. Copyright 20102023, The Conversation Media Group Ltd. A no-go zone around the Panguna mine, set up by the Meekamui Defence Force, is signposted in Bougainville, 2008. Locals amid the ruined mine buildings at Panguna (Photo: Catherine Wilson) In 1989, the Nasioi on Bougainville were the world's first indigenous people, angered by inequity and environmental damage, to shut down a multinational mining venture. As one General Manager informed me: "We knew the riot squads were heavy handed, that was well known in PNG. Upla sa complain lo governor blo upla na tok trym putm u kam daun lo level blol grass roots And here em governor blo mipla WNB (Kimbe) Action im | 23 comments on LinkedIn A supplied image shows locals taking shelter from rain under a local administrative building at the former Bougainville Copper Limited's (BCL) Panguna mining operation located on the Pacific Ocean island of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, March 29, 2017. Contributions to the National Government in the form of taxes, duties and dividends were approximately 17 per cent of internally generated Papua New Guinean Government revenue during that time. The two governments signed a peace deal in 2000 under which Bougainville remained part of PNG but was allowed a measure of governing autonomy. Photo: Francis O'Neill, April 1994: . Bougainville Island, easternmost island of Papua New Guinea, in the Solomon Sea, southwestern Pacific. I remained somewhat aloof during the controversy elicited by an SBS report in June 2011, as I feel my research speaks for itself - on reflection, I perhaps erred in not correcting factual inaccuracies that were subsequently reported in the media (see Callick 2011). The war continued well after the mine closed as a battle of control for the country raged between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Heavy machinery mines the mountainside 1:30. I also interviewed senior state officials in Papua New Guinea, including the former Prime Minister Sir Rabbie Namaliu (1988-1992), and senior military officers involved in the operations on Bougainville. [6], In his first statement on Radio Australia Pacific Beat on 8 June 2010, the newly elected President of Bougainville, John Momis, declared that the Panguna mine has to be reopened to assure Bougainville's future economic growth. 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