Aloysius Laukai | New Dawn
The member for Central Bougainville and Minister for Communication in the Papua New Guinea National Government, Jimmy Miringtoro told New Dawn FM from Port Moresby that he was not happy that the ABG has rushed this bill on the eve of the ABG General elections.
He said that the ABG should have let the passing of the bill to the next government after more scrutiny from all stakeholders on Bougainville.
Mr. Miringtoro said that pushing the bill on the eve of the ABG Elections is not proper as other outstanding issues were still not resolved on the future of mining on Bougainville.
He said that from day one he had warned the ABG against the bill especially when the people are still in the dark of this bill that could take away their rights form their land and resources forever.
Mr. Miringtoro also said that the bill was written by outsiders like the Adam Smith International who have been involved in controversial development policies in the third world.
He said that it was unfortunate the government did not listen to the cries of the citizens and passed the bill.
Meanwhile, New Dawn FM understands that if there are some issues that have not been highlighted can now be done through an amendment of the Bougainville Mining Law by the next ABG Government that will come after the ABG General Elections.
The writs for the election will be issued by the Speaker, Andrew Miriki at 4pm this Friday March 27th.
Papua New Guinea Mine Watch 
Dear Mr Jimmy Miringtoro, Member for Central Bougainville and Minister for Communication in the Papua New Guinea National Government,
The Bougainville Freedom Movement (Australia) are also wondering why the ABG have passed the Bougainville Mining Act 2014, “when the people are still in the dark of this bill that could take away their rights form their land and resources forever”.
The Bougainville Freedom Movement (Australia) is concerned with the speech President Momis gave today, 26 March 2015, where he says:
“With our new Mining Bill, we are completely rejecting that terrible past.”
Does this mean that President Momis is forgetting his own history and the shocking history of Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) in its mining operations on Bougainville and what the mining company did to the people of Bougainville and the environment?
It is a “terrible past” and will not be forgotten but it should not be “rejected”.
Not once has Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) or Rio Tinto mining company ever apologised or compensated the people of Bougainville for the environmental devastation it caused and the extremely wicked atrocities it inflicted on the people of Bougainville.
We received an email from New Zealand today about the new Mining Bill which says, “With the bill being written by an outfit named after Adam Smith the right wing economist (“The hand of God” (rules the economy)) you can imagine what rights the people will have!”
Whilst it does not surprise us that BCL have probably paid bribes to the Autonomous Bougainville Government to pass the Mining Bill, it also makes sense knowing that Rio Tinto and Bougainville Copper Limited think more of their companies, their shareholders and their profits.
The Rio Tinto AGM is on 16 April 2015 in London, England.
The Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) AGM on 29 April 2015 in Port Moresby.
The Rio Tinto AGM on 7 May 2015 in Perth, Australia.
It is perfect timing for the ABG to pass the Bougainville Mining Act 2014, so now Bougainville Copper Limited and Rio Tinto mining can let their shareholders know how they can now continue to fill their greedy pockets with money taken from the poor and underpriveleged people on Bougainville.
Let us remember how Bougainville Copper Limited treated the people of Bougainville from the time it found gold and copper, started the Panguna mine , created environmental devastation and killed an estimated 15,000 – 20,000 people on Bougainville when the people decided to stop the Panguna mine from operating. LEST WE FORGET.
Look what President Momis has written and please note where it has been published…. The Bougainville News website…. supported by the pro-mining lobby and Bougainville Copper Limited.
MOMIS: “Ultimately, the main reason why we in Bougainville are considering allowing large-scale mining again is because we need revenue to advance or development. WE lack even the most basic acceptable standards in essential services, like health and education. WE lag behind the rest of the world. Without significant ABG revenue, that situation will never change.”
FACT: “There is little evidence to demonstrate where mining has had a positive effect on peoples’ levels of poverty or indeed ‘lifted’ people out of poverty.” (www.aidwatch.org.au)