by Jack Lapauve Jnr – EM TV, Port Moresby
Autonomous Bougainville Government President John Momis has criticised Australian NGO Jubilee on its report on Panguna landowners.
President Momis described the report has biased, defective and divisive.
He said the report was deeply flawed and that the interviews with 65 individuals and one focus group around Panguna Mine defers from the views of the 10,000 people in affected areas.
President Momis said those who support the reopening of Panguna are deeply critical of past mining and oppose future mining without fundamental change.
Mr Momis has written to Jubilee’s chairman Luke Fletcher for the report’s withdrawal; however, Mr Fletcher said the withdrawal will be assessed on merits.
“It is a request that we take very seriously,” Fletcher said.
“I would say it is very unlikely and I would say that for this particular reason… All the questions that are being raised about the report are questions we had with ourselves and very deeply before we released it.”
The report, titled Voices of Bougainville, alleged universal dissatisfaction with the consultation process led by the autonomous Bougainville government (ABG).
The report was launched by Australian Greens Party senators in Canberra last month.
