An abandoned building at Panguna mine site in Bougainville Photo: supplied
A spokesperson for a Bougainville group opposed to a resumption of mining says hardly anyone supports the plan.
The government in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region wants renewed mining to help ensure that Bougainville has a viable economy in time for the planned vote on independence in June 2019.
At the centre of this push was the controversial Panguna mine, which a civil war closed nearly 30 years ago.
But Lawrence Mattau, who is part of the group calling itself 'Bougainvilleans United Against Mining', said most of Bougainville was against re-opening Panguna or any other mining ventures proceeding.
Mr Mattau said the Autonomous Bougainville Government had placed its energies into mining but failed to sort the basic concerns people have.
"The problem is that the last 12 years has been wasted because people have been dreaming about re-opening the mine without first of all addressing the issues involved with the mine. We know what was wrong. We know why it was shut down."
"No one has ever addressed these issues - that is the problem," he said.
Inside the pit of abandoned Panguna mine in Bougainville Photo: supplied
