The president of the Autonomous Bougaville Government
(ABG) has condemned the arson attack on a foreign mining
company’s equipment at the Panguna mine site.
Armed
men are alleged
to have entered the site and set fire to heavy haul
trucks and other equipment belonging to Indian company
Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited.
President Ishmael
Toroama said he strongly condemned the actions of those who
assaulted personnel and destroyed equipment at the Lloyds
Metals camp.
He said his government and the people of
the autonomous Papua New Guinea region will not be
intimidated by people seeking to undermine efforts to
redevelop the Panguna Mine.
Toroama said while the
majority of Bougainvilleans look forward to this
development, certain elements have chosen to undermine
it.
“The actions of these individuals are selfish and
serve only their own greedy intent,” Toroama said in a
statement late Sunday.
“They do not have the best
interests of our government or our people at heart. This
type of behaviour has no place in Bougainville and will not
be tolerated.”
Lloyds was selected by the ABG almost a
year ago as one of the developers involved in assessing the
future rehabilitation and possible reopening of the copper
and gold mine.
Regarding the attack on Lloyds
personnel and equipment, Toroama said those responsible for
this incident will face the full force of the law through
the Bougainville Police Service.
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“A coordinated
community effort is also underway to apprehend the suspects
and prevent any further incidents of this nature.”
The
president said the incident will only strengthen the resolve
of those behind the effort “to enforce the government’s
mandate to reopen the Panguna Mine.”
“Let me be very
clear: this government is of the people and by the
people.
“We will not cower to terroristic acts of
violence designed to cause disunity and distract us from our
agenda of creating a socio-politically and economically
viable Bougainville.”
Sincere apology
The
Panguna Landowners Interim Council issued a statmement on
Monday, also condemning the attack.
“We strongly
condemn this act of arson and make it clear that the five
landowning clans and the Panguna Landowners Interim Council
do not condone, authorise or support criminal acts,
destruction of property, intimidation or violence,” the
Council’s chairman Samson Kaissy said.
The Council has
distanced itself from the incident.
“The legitimate
interests of the Panguna landowners must not be confused
with the actions of individuals who choose to break the
law.
“Our customary land ownership carries with it a
responsibility to protect the integrity of the land, the
people and the future development of Panguna.”
Kaissy
said the Council is calling on those responsible, and anyone
who may have information about the incident, to cooperate
with the appropriate authorities and allow the matter to be
dealt with through the proper legal processes.
“I wish
to express our sincere apology to Lloyds Panguna Metals
& Energy Ltd (LPMEL) for the deliberate burning and
destruction of your
machinery.”
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