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Office of the President Autonomous Region of Bougainville AUTONOMOUS BOUGAINVILLE GOVERNMENT OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT Telephone No : 973 9061 Box 322 Facsimile No : 973 9057 BUKA, ARoB, PNG Hon. Peter O’Neil MP 2 December 2014 Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea Office of the Prime Minister Morauta Haus Waigani, NCD My dear Prime Minister, I have been advised that on Thursday 9th October you held a three hour meeting with a team form the ‘Me’ekamui Government of Unity’ (‘MGU’), organised through the office of the Member for Central Bougainville, Hon. Jimmy Miringtoro, and attended by his Press Secretary, Mr. Chris Baria. Minutes (two pages) from that meeting, apparently prepared by the ‘MGU’ team, have been provide to my Government. They are attached to this letter. You will perhaps be aware that this meeting, and the views reported by the ‘MGU’ team to have been expressed by you have caused great consternation to many Bougainvilleans. In the Minutes you are reported as saying: ‘John Momis is going ahead of me with important issues – PNG can’t allow that’. In this context you are reported as saying that you believe that mining powers and functions have not been validly transferred to the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and that the Bougainville Mining (Transitional Arrangements) Act 2014 is invalid. Issues about ownership of Panguna land and resources, and the future of large-scale mining there, were a focus of the meeting. The Minutes report you as saying: ‘Ok Tedi is your model to help you with mining in the future’; and ‘We have given the Western Province 20% ownership of Ok Tedi’; and ‘I will give 35% to Bougainville in any mining in the future’. I understand that in this context you proposed that the National Government purchase shares held by Rio Tinto in BCL and control future mining operations at Panguna, similar to arrangements with Ok Tedi. I also understand that you suggested to the MGU group that they should consult with me and my Government about the issues that you discussed with them. While I welcome that advice, I have grave concerns about the above your reported views. Amongst other things: (a) Given the various decisions made since January 2008, jointly between the National Government and the ABG (through the Joint Supervisory Body), about the transfer of mining powers to the ABG, and the multiple efforts made by the ABG to consult the National Government about development of the Bougainville Mining (Transitional Arrangements) Act 2014, it would be a matter of the gravest concern if you did in fact express the reported views concerning the transfer of mining powers and the Bougainville Mining (Transitional Arrangements) Act 2014. (b) There are few issues of greater sensitivity to Bougainvilleans than those concerning the future of mining in Bougainville. A key goal of autonomy recorded in clause 4(b) of the Bougainville Peace Agreement(BPA) is to ‘empower Bougainvilleans to solve their own problems, manage their own affairs and work to realize their aspirations’. In the light of Bougainville’s experience of mining, it is no coincidence that the first set of powers that the ABG requested to be transferred included mining. (c) Bougainvilleans regard it as essential that all decisions about future mining be made by the ABG, on behalf of all Bougainvilleans. The concept of the National Government operating mining at Panguna (or anywhere else in Bougainville) – whether on a basis like Ok Tedi or on any other basis – is completely unacceptable to Bougainville. (d) Any attempt by the National Government to control mining in Bougainville could cause most Bougainvilleans to lose all faith in the BPA, and to refuse to work with the National Government any more. Many would want to seek immediate independence. It would be a recipe for severely undermining, perhaps even destroying, support for the BPA. I met with you in Port Moresby on Friday 3rd October (just six days before your meeting of 9th October) and again on Tuesday 18 November. In both meetings our discussion focused on your views about issues concerning Bougainville. Yet you made no mention at all in either meeting of the views you advanced in the meeting on 9th October. It is difficult for me to understand how you could have been unwilling to discuss with me the views you are reported to have stated to the ‘MGU’ team on such important, sensitive and potentially divisive issues. If such views were expressed, they have serious potential for undermining relationships between the ABG and the National Government. In the interests of maintaining a working relationship between your Government and mine, it is essential that you clarify your position on the matters raised in this letter, and that you do so as a matter of urgency. Chief John L. Momis President cc. Hon. Stephen Pirika Kama MP Minister for Bougainville Affairs and Member for South Bougainville Hon. Jimmy Miringtoro, MP Minister for Communication and Member for Central Bougainville Hon. Joe Lera MP Member for Bougainville Regional Hon. Lauta Atoi Member for North Bougainville Hon. Patrick Nisira MHR Vice President, ABG Hon. Michael Oni MHR Minister for Natural Resources, ABG Hon. Albert Punghau, MHR Minister for Finance and Treasury Mr. Manasupe Zuerenoec Chief Secretary, Waigani, NCD Dr. Lawrence Kalinoe Secretary, Department of Justice Mr. Shadrach Himata Secretary Department of Mineral Policy and Geophysical Hazards Mr. Philip Samar Director, Mineral Resources Authority Mr. Chris Siriosi a/Chief Secretary Bougainville Public Service Mr. Stephen Burain a/Secretary, Bougainville Department of Mineral and Energy Resources Mr. Raymond Masono Director, Office of Panguna Negotiations Mr. Philip Miriori ‘Me’ekamui Government of Unity’ Panguna, Panguna District Autonomous Region of Bougainville Mr. Chris Uma ‘Original Me’ekamui’ Section 6, Arawa Autonomous Region of Bougainville .
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