Bougainville truce
NZPA-Reuter Panguna, Papua New Guinea Militant landowners have accepted a Government truce and will hold talks aimed at ending a campaign of violence that has closed Papua New •Guinea’s largest copper mine, a Catholic bishop said yesterday. Bishop Gregory Singkai,' the highest-ranking Catholic on Bougainville Island, said in an interview he had received a brief note from a militant leader, Francis Ona, accepting a 15-day truce announced by the Government on Wednesday. Bishop Singkai, who will head a mediating group at the request of the Government, said he would seek personal guarantees from the Prime Minister, Rabbie Namaliu, to ensure the safety of Ona. “Ona has placed full
trust in me. Nothing should go wrong. If he is killed the Church will be blamed,” he said. Mr Namaliu has already said that Ona would be given safe passage from his jungle hideout and would not be harassed or arrested if he decided to take part in the talks. For the first time in several days the jungle areas around the massive mine fell silent with no shooting incidents on Saturday night, police said. Ona’s note to Bishop Singkai was the first sign of a thaw in Ona’s hardline stance since he and over 50 militant landowners launched a sabotage campaign in November.
They initially demanded SUSI 4 billion (SNZ23 billion) in compensation for environmen-
tai damage to the island. They later expanded their demands to include a permanent closing of the Australian-owned mine and secession from Papua New Guinea.
Ona and his men, armed with shotguns, spears, and bows and arrows, have been conducting hit-and-run raids on mine workers and security forces. At least 15 people have been killed and dozens injured in the last eight months. The mine, operated by Bougainville Copper Limited, said last week it saw no quick settlement to the troubles and would give its 3000 workers early leave until operations were restored.
The mine, which provides Papua New Guinea with 17 per cent of its revenue, has been closed since May 15.
Bougainville truce
Press, 29 May 1989, Page 8
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