Photo credit: RNZ / Johnny Blades
A positive first meeting of the Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Assessment Oversight Committee was held in Buka in 2021.
Representatives from clan, landowner, and community organizations, as well as the Papua New Guinea government, Rio Tinto, Bougainville Copper Limited, and the Human Rights Law Centre, were hosted by the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
The committee gathered to examine the next steps in analyzing the old Panguna mine's environmental and human rights implications.
"This process is equally vital and necessary for all parties, the people of Bougainville, ABG and BCL," Geraldine Paul, representing the ABG, said in her opening remarks.
She praised Rio Tinto and BCL for agreeing to collaborate with ABG and stated that "ABG has offered its full support for the Panguna Mine Impact Assessment to be carried out through the executive council."
Furthermore, Hon. Geraldine Paul informed the committee that a political timeline for Bougainville's independence has been established, and that this process is timely in order to support the people of Bougainville's political ambitions.
Rio Tinto’s representative on the Committee, General Manager for Closure Delivery, Mr. John Dumbill said, “Rio Tinto is sorry that we did not come forward earlier to understand the impacts from the mine. We are ready and willing to participate in this process with you. I hope that I can help to move this forward, and I am personally committed to making sure this process is fair and representative."
The Honourable Theonila Roka Matbob of the ABG, who is also the spokesperson for the Panguna Complainants group and has recently won an international award for her efforts to seek justice for affected communities, thanked him for the apology and noted that Rio Tinto had been constructive in working through the complaint brought against them by communities through the Australian National Contact Point (AusNCP):
“This meeting marks what we hope is the start of a new chapter for the communities impacted by the Panguna mine. Personally, it fills me with great hope to see all these stakeholders come together to discuss a way forward to find solutions to the huge problems our people are living with. We are looking forward to working with the Committee to ensure work on the ground can start as soon as possible," Hon. Theonila Matbob said.
Following the meeting, the committee issued a statement through its Independent Chairman, Mr Martin Brash of the Tanorama Consulting Group, said “All parties at the meeting have committed to collaborating in a fair and effective process that helps address the concerns of affected communities.
In this first meeting, the committee has established operating arrangements for the process and have also finalised and endorsed a procedure to go to market to find a professional firm to complete the technical impact assessment.”
The committee also approved a motion from the ABG's Honorable Geraldine Paul to conduct the next meeting in Panguna in February of this year, when they will get a desktop report tracing available pertinent background information regarding the environment and population in Panguna. The committee and the impact assessment contractor, who will be nominated by the committee in April 2022, will benefit from this study.
Reference: Autonomous Bougainville Government (12 January 2022). “Panguna Mine Legacy Impact Committee holds first meeting”
