Photo: Panguna Mine
Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has warned against people seeking to destabilise the Panguna Legacy Impact Assessment that is ongoing within areas affected by the now defunct Panguna Mine.
President Toroama issued the statement following the move by several parties who are trying to raise a class action suit against Rio Tinto for their role in developing the Panguna Mine and the effects it has had on the environment and the communities around the mine.
The Panguna Legacy Impact Assessment is being funded by Rio Tinto through Tetra Tech Coffey who are conducting the assessment.
It is also the first time Rio Tinto has made any commitment to Bougainville since the cessation of mining operations in Panguna, Central Bougainville.
President Toroama said that the assessment took a lot of hard work and time to get Rio Tinto to at least take responsibility for its actions in developing the Panguna Mine and the effects of it that continues to the present.
“These people are opportunists who saw no reason for a class action suit until the impact assessment was being conducted and the revelation of probable data being collected by Tetra Tech Coffey,” President Toroama said.
“Our Late Revolutionary leader, Francis Ona sought a K10 Billion class action suit against Rio Tinto because his intention was for the company to take responsibility for its actions and for the extent of damage caused by the mine including the civil war that caused the loss of thousands of lives,” President Toroama said.
“Since the untimely passing of Francis Ona no one has sought to revive the class action suit nor conduct a proper study on the extent of damage done by the mine,” Toroama said.
“I will not let people with vested interests tarnish Francis Ona’s legacy and undermine the legitimate government of the people of Bougainville,” President Toroama said.
“These are so called players who only appear on the scene only when it is convenient for them but never present during the heavy lifting,” President Toroama added.
“I urge our leaders, the landowners, our people and all stakeholders to refrain from disrupting the assessment and to let it be completed,” President Toroama said.
“Let me be clear, my government is not protecting any other interest but the Panguna landowners and the people of Bougainville who suffered as a result of the mine,” President Toroama said.
President Toroama said that the work into getting Rio Tinto onto the scene must not be in vain. There has to be results that can guide the government and the company to resolving the problems from the mine.
