A landowner group at the site of the Panguna Mine has asked the Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape to intervene in its dispute with the Bougainville Mining Department.
Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The group, the Special Mining Lease Osikaiyang Landowners, or SMLOLA, has written to the prime minister detailing its concerns that it is being shut out of involvement in any re-opening of the mine.
A resumption of mining at Panguna, closed by the civil war, has been touted by several groups as the way for Bougainville to develop a viable economy.
SMLOLA said since Raymond Masono became Mining Minister two years ago it has been shut out of any talks, despite it being one of the groups which own the minerals under the Bougainville Government's Mining Act.
It said it feared the Mining Department was driving secret, controversial changes to this measure without the support of the wider Bougainville Government.
And it said a call for a travel ban on executives from its Australian partner, RTG, was disrespectful.
SMLOLA said the claims from the Bougainville Government about these executives causing disharmony by disrespecting local custom are "misleading and without factual substance".
Attempts by RNZ Pacific to reach Raymond Masono for comment have been unsuccessful.
