Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama said arson attacks on heavy equipment will not halt plans to reopen the Panguna copper mine, closed since the late 1980s civil war. A deal with Lloyds Metals and Energy aims to lead redevelopment, but opposition remains over past environmental damage and profit distribution. The mine's revival is central to Bougainville's economic strategy as it pursues independence—97% backed independence in a 2019 referendum—and deeply intertwined with the region's traumatic history.
Arson at Panguna Won't Stop Reopening, Bougainville President Says
Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama sees reopening the Panguna mine as a crucial part of the region's bid for independence. (DAVID GRAY)
Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has vowed that recent arson attacks on heavy mining equipment will not derail plans to reopen the long-dormant Panguna copper mine.
Images shared on social media over the weekend appeared to show lines of mining trucks and other heavy machinery set ablaze at the Panguna site, located on the island of Bougainville east of Papua New Guinea's mainland. The region is eyeing the mine as a major revenue source as it moves toward political and economic independence.
"The government and people of Bougainville will not be intimidated by individuals or factions seeking to undermine our efforts to redevelop the Panguna Mine," Toroama said in a statement. "We will not cower to terroristic acts of violence designed to cause disunity and distract us from our agenda of creating a socio-politically and economically viable Bougainville."
Toroama negotiated a deal that would see Indian resources firm Lloyds Metals and Energy take the lead in efforts to restart mining at Panguna. While officials say the project could generate substantial revenue for the autonomous region, not all residents support the move.
Under previous ownership by Rio Tinto from 1972 to 1989, Panguna was one of the world's largest open-cut copper operations. Local anger over extensive environmental damage and perceived unfair distribution of mining profits sparked an uprising that led to the mine's closure and triggered a civil war.
The conflict lasted through the 1990s and is estimated to have killed up to 20,000 people — roughly 10% of Bougainville's population at the time. In a 2019 referendum, about 97% of voters in Bougainville backed independence from Papua New Guinea, underscoring the mine's importance in the territory's economic and political future.
President Toroama condemned the sabotage as the work of a minority seeking to undermine government authority and collective efforts, and said authorities will continue with plans to redevelop the site while addressing community concerns.
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