Philip Miriori

The title holders said Mr Miriori did not represent them and was trying to advance the interests of disruptive third parties, including the small overseas company RTG which has no mineral rights over Panguna.

“Despite the decision of the Bougainville executive council to impose a moratorium over the Panguna project, we the title holders remain supportive of development with BCL’s involvement,” they said in a statement.

“Our position aligns with the ABG’s original decision to reopen the mine in partnership with Bougainville Copper Limited and supports the broader aspiration for a Bougainville that is economically self-reliant.”

The customary landowners said while they respect the outcome of the warden’s hearing it was completely dishonest to describe it as producing an overwhelming rejection of BCL as claimed by Mr Miriori.

“In fact President John Momis described the outcome as only a ‘narrow divide’ and the public should be aware that a submission signed by about 320 of the 367 Customary Heads supportive of BCL was made to the Mining Warden,” they said.

“The ABG and the landowners invited BCL to re-engage and they have done so in good faith and we the title holders believe a constructive dialogue with BCL about a development pathway should continue,” the landowners said.

“BCL is a company that Bougainvilleans hold a major interest in through the ABG’s shareholding. To us landowners there is a strong logic to supporting a company that is owned by Bougainvilleans.”

It is also true that there are legacy issues – both social and environmental – that will need to be addressed and as landowners we have higher degrees of confidence in BCL addressing these issues due to their full awareness, as opposed to alternative developers who will be reluctant to take responsibility.

The landowners said the decision to place an indefinite moratorium over Panguna could also open the way for illegal miners to advance their activities in Panguna with authorities incapable of controlling it in Panguna.

As you see, Mr Miriori represents only a minority  of landowners that oppose to BCL.

Since the beginning of this campaign it had been my impression all that cinema was motivated only by RTG’s desire to influence its share price . Even if RTG’s intentions were honest, such a small company with a few million dollars turnover never would be able to manage a multi-billion mining business like Panguna.

So please, dear colleagues, avoid publishing superficial nonsense, such as the ABC’s Pacific Beat did:

Mining at Bougainville's troubled Panguna copper mine - one of the world's biggest - is being put on hold indefinitely.

The community in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region remains divided, raising concerns the island risks a return to violence.

The mine was at the centre of a deadly civil war in the 1990s.

The Bougainville Government's now imposed an indefinite moratorium on mining, essentially shutting the door on BCL - the company which previously ran the mine - and has been vying to do so again.

But others firms, including one with Australian links say they're still hoping to develop the mine.

Please don’t forget that Mr Momis is already a pretty old man who hesitates to create new problems on the island he stands for. He’s simply afraid to cause new unrest on Bougainville.

But one thing is for sure: Without revenues from the Panguna mine under the leadership of BCL that is owned by the Autonomous Bougainville Government, the independence of  the island will remain a sweet dream.