6 Jul 2011

Workshop begins in PNG for stakeholders in Bougainville's Panguna mine

8:10 am on 6 July 2011

In Papua New Guinea, a weeklong consultative workshop for the stakeholders in Bougainville's Panguna copper and gold mine starts today in Buka.

The huge mine, which sparked the civil war 22 years ago and has remained shut ever since, is at the centre of speculation about when, or if, it'd re open.

The workshop will involve stakeholders from the Panguna area, political leaders, ex-combatants and representatives from the church, companies, landowners, women and the council of elders.

The New Dawn website says it's being facilitated by the Autonomous Bougainville Government's ministry of natural resources.

Minister, Michael Oni, says it aims to identify a coordinated approach to resolving outstanding issues in the Panguna district and Ioro constituency.

Mr Oni says it's also aimed at supporting the overall peace, reconciliation and unification programmes in other parts of Bougainville.