Bougainville support

Wednesday, September 7, 1994 - 10:00

Bougainville support

By Michael Unger

ADELAIDE — The Bougainville Action Group (BAG) celebrated the anniversary of Bougainville's 1975 declaration of independence on September 1 with a stall outside the Commonwealth Building in Currie Street.

Copies of a letter addressed to Senator Gareth Evans were handed out to passers-by calling for them to sign and send to Parliament house.

The letter calls on the Australian government to take action over the findings of the recent delegation, led by Senator Stephen Loosley, to Bougainville.

The delegation acknowledged that there can be no military solution to the conflict and recommended that humanitarian assistance be available to all Bougainvilleans.

Paul Davies, from BAG, told Green Left Weekly, "For the recommendations to be carried out, the Australian government must stop supplying military equipment, arms and training to the PNG Defence Force".

The letter also states that the Panguna Copper Mine (owned by CRA) has been central to the war on Bougainville. "If the mine did not exist, then there would be no war", said Davies.

From GLW issue 158