Papua New Guinea - Bougainville Conflict

Papua New GuineaPapua New Guinea- Bougainville Conflict- Bougainville Conflict

11Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

By Arundathie AbeysingheLecturer in English

International Aviation AcademySriLankan Airlines

IntroductionIntroduction

Bougainville Civil War, also known as Bougainville Civil War, also known as the the Bougainville ConflictBougainville Conflict - an armed conflict - an armed conflict fought between fought between Papua New Guinea and Papua New Guinea and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), who were fighting for independencewho were fighting for independence

Largest conflict in OceaniaLargest conflict in Oceania since the end of since the end of World War IIWorld War II


BackgroundBackground

Bougainville Copper Limited Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) (BCL) , a multinational , a multinational company started operations in the company started operations in the world’s largest world’s largest open – cut copper mine in Bougainvilleopen – cut copper mine in Bougainville

Influx of workers from PNG Influx of workers from PNG alienated and alienated and marginalized natives of Bougainvillemarginalized natives of Bougainville

Revenue of mine Revenue of mine was was distributed between PNG distributed between PNG andand BCL BCL

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Background….Background…. Disappointed land owners Disappointed land owners attacked attacked

employees of the mine and employees of the mine and sabotaged sabotaged operationsoperations

A A civil war civil war broke out in 1988broke out in 1988 The The conflict passed stages of escalation conflict passed stages of escalation and and

resulted in the most resulted in the most disastrous civil wardisastrous civil war, the , the world has ever experiencedworld has ever experienced


Background….Background…. International community International community including including United United

Nations (UN)Nations (UN) and the and the New Zealand New Zealand governmentgovernment intervened intervened to solve the conflictto solve the conflict

Through Through a series of negotiations a series of negotiations natives of natives of BougainvilleBougainville the the Bougainville Peace Bougainville Peace Agreement was signed Agreement was signed in in 20012001

Autonomous Government (Bougainville) Autonomous Government (Bougainville) was was established within established within PNG in 2005PNG in 2005


Conflict Analysis Tool – C.R.SIPABIOConflict Analysis Tool – C.R.SIPABIO C – C – Contextual factorsContextual factors RR – – Relationship factorsRelationship factors S – S – SourcesSources I I – – IssuesIssues P – P – PartiesParties A A ––AttitudesAttitudes B B –Behaviour–Behaviour I – I – InterventionsInterventions OO- - OutcomeOutcome


ContextualContextual

• An island in the An island in the eastern part of PNGeastern part of PNG• 200 km long and 40 km wide200 km long and 40 km wide• Surrounded by Surrounded by Buka and many small Buka and many small

islandsislands• PopulationPopulation of the group around of the group around 150,000 -150,000 -

160,000160,000


PoliticsPolitics

• Politically separated since 1800s Politically separated since 1800s through through an agreement an agreement between between UK and GermanyUK and Germany• After World War I After World War I became part of the became part of the

League of Nations League of Nations mandated territory of mandated territory of New Guinea, administered by AustraliaNew Guinea, administered by Australia• In 1946In 1946, the , the UN appointed trusteeship of UN appointed trusteeship of

PNGPNG including including Bougainville to AustraliaBougainville to Australia88Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

Politics….Politics….

• PNG chartered a legislative council PNG chartered a legislative council in 1949 in 1949 and a and a House of Assembly House of Assembly in 1964in 1964• From From 1950 – 1960 1950 – 1960 PNG agitated for PNG agitated for

independenceindependence• PNG gained independence PNG gained independence in 1975in 1975• Bougainville refusedBougainville refused t to be a o be a part of PNGpart of PNG


Politics….Politics….

• Presence of the mine Presence of the mine created created a dual a dual economy economy financially (financially (from employment, from employment, consumptionconsumption) and ) and traditional sector traditional sector (mostly islanders’ earnings)(mostly islanders’ earnings)• Panguna mine Panguna mine was the was the second largest second largest

source of incomesource of income for the for the new government new government of PNGof PNG after after foreign aidforeign aid


Socio culturalSocio cultural

• Women – custodians of the land Women – custodians of the land (Matriarchal Society)(Matriarchal Society)• Mineral rightsMineral rights were were with the statewith the state• Historical, cultural and trading links Historical, cultural and trading links to to

the the Solomon IslandsSolomon Islands


EconomicEconomic

• Semi commercial system Semi commercial system after after World War IIWorld War II

• Prime agricultural lands Prime agricultural lands taken over by taken over by European interests European interests and used to produce and used to produce export crops, mainly copra export crops, mainly copra (dried coconut)(dried coconut)• Discovery of huge copper and gold Discovery of huge copper and gold

depositsdeposits in 1960in 1960


PowerPower– Power of extended familiesPower of extended families– Power of womenPower of women– Wealth, infrastructure development Wealth, infrastructure development and and

job opportunities job opportunities enabled enabled BCLBCL to expand to expand its power its power

Relationship FactorsRelationship Factors


PatternsPatterns

• Sabotage of operations of BCL Sabotage of operations of BCL by by Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA)Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA)• Violent reactions by Papua New Violent reactions by Papua New

Guinea Defense Forces (PNGDF)Guinea Defense Forces (PNGDF)


Patterns….Patterns….

• Emergence of a pro-independent group – Emergence of a pro-independent group – Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF)Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF)• Absence of key figures such as Francis Ona Absence of key figures such as Francis Ona

(Leader of the BRA) for important (Leader of the BRA) for important occasionsoccasions• Lethargic attitudeLethargic attitude of of law enforcement law enforcement

authoritiesauthoritiesArundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 1515

BondsBonds

– Copper mine - Copper mine - cause for BCL to get cause for BCL to get attracted to Bougainvilleattracted to Bougainville

– Strong attachment of nativesStrong attachment of natives of of BougainvilleBougainville to the to the island and each island and each otherother


SourcesSources Inequality in participation and distribution Inequality in participation and distribution of of

economic activitieseconomic activities Impact of mining, plantations Impact of mining, plantations and other related and other related

activities on the activities on the natural environmentnatural environment, (, (impact impact on wildlife, ancestral land and sacred placeson wildlife, ancestral land and sacred places))

Social effects of economic development Social effects of economic development (arrival (arrival & settlement of outsiders on native land)& settlement of outsiders on native land)


AttitudesAttitudes Respect towards women Respect towards women by the societyby the society Demanding fair and justifiable compensation Demanding fair and justifiable compensation

for the for the damage caused by the BCLdamage caused by the BCL Reluctance of the armed forces Reluctance of the armed forces to accept the to accept the

outcome of outcome of withdrawing prematurelywithdrawing prematurely Strong belief of the BRA Strong belief of the BRA that that they could win they could win

the warthe war1818Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe

BehaviourBehaviour

Women used status in the family Women used status in the family to to negotiate peace in their communities negotiate peace in their communities

Used influences to maintain constructive Used influences to maintain constructive dialoguesdialogues

Collapse of every agreement Collapse of every agreement in the early in the early period - period - followed by escalation of violence followed by escalation of violence


Behaviour....Behaviour.... Genuine and honest efforts of PNG government Genuine and honest efforts of PNG government to to

prevent the conflict prevent the conflict were were undermined by its own undermined by its own law-enforcement bodylaw-enforcement body

BRA forced withdrawal of the police and soldiers BRA forced withdrawal of the police and soldiers from the areafrom the area

PNG Government withdrewPNG Government withdrew public servants, all public servants, all bank offices, services, communication links, bank offices, services, communication links, resulting in resulting in collapse of all government authoritiescollapse of all government authorities


InterventionsInterventions New Zealand InterventionNew Zealand Intervention

– Endeavour AccordEndeavour Accord– Burnham Declaration Burnham Declaration – Burnham TruceBurnham Truce– Lincoln Agreement Lincoln Agreement

United NationsUnited Nations– UN Observer MissionUN Observer Mission


Interventions....Interventions....

Australian InterventionAustralian Intervention– Peace Monitoring GroupsPeace Monitoring Groups• Multinational Un-armed Truce Monitoring Group Multinational Un-armed Truce Monitoring Group (New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji)(New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu and Fiji)

United NationsUnited Nations– UN Observer MissionUN Observer Mission


OutcomesOutcomes 22ndnd March 1990 - The Bougainville Ceasefire Initiative March 1990 - The Bougainville Ceasefire Initiative 55thth August 1990 – The Endeavour Accord August 1990 – The Endeavour Accord 55thth October – Kavien Agreement October – Kavien Agreement 2323rdrd January 1991 – Honiara Declaration January 1991 – Honiara Declaration August 1994 – Tambe AccordAugust 1994 – Tambe Accord October 1994 – North Nasioi AgreementOctober 1994 – North Nasioi Agreement 2525thth November 1994 – Mirigini Charter November 1994 – Mirigini Charter 1818thth May 1995 – Waigini Communique May 1995 – Waigini Communique October 1997 – The Burnham TruceOctober 1997 – The Burnham Truce


Outcomes....Outcomes.... 2424thth November 1997 – Cairns Commitment on November 1997 – Cairns Commitment on

ImplementationImplementation 2323rdrd January 1998 – Lincoln Agreement January 1998 – Lincoln Agreement 3030thth April 1998 – The Lincoln Agreement annex – April 1998 – The Lincoln Agreement annex –

Agreement covering Implementation of the CeasefireAgreement covering Implementation of the Ceasefire April / May 1999 – The Matakana and Okataina April / May 1999 – The Matakana and Okataina

UnderstandingUnderstanding 2929thth June 1999 – The joint Bougainville Negotiating June 1999 – The joint Bougainville Negotiating

PositionPosition 1010thth July 1999 – Hutjena Minute July 1999 – Hutjena Minute

Arundathie AbeysingheArundathie Abeysinghe 2424


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Papua New Guinea - Bougainville Conflict