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The Bougainville conflict, also known as the Bougainville Civil War, was a multi-layered armed conflict fought from 1988 to 1998 in the North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) between PNG and the secessionist forces of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), and between the BRA and other armed groups on Bougainville.
Sandline had subcontracted most of its crew for the Bougainville mission through Executive Outcomes, a South African mercenary provider. The first mercenaries arrived on an Air Niugini flight from Singapore on 7 February 1997. After a week, a total of 44 had arrived, 8 from the UK, 5 from Australia and the remainder from South Africa.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement decreed that all personnel should be withdrawn from the island by December 2002. However, the group's presence was extended by the applicable governments and withdrew completely by 23 August 2003. A much smaller Bougainville Transition Team (with orange T-shirts) succeeded the PMG but has now also withdrawn.
The vast majority of mine workers were from the mainland and the mine was causing environmental damage, leading to tensions. The people of the islands of Bougainville felt a greater cultural and geographical connection to the rest of the Solomon Archipelago, such as the nation of Solomon Islands, than they did to mainland Papua New Guinea. [4]
Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire were the first Europeans to sight present-day Bougainville, skirting Takuu Atoll and Nissan Island in 1616. In 1643, another Dutch expedition led by Abel Tasman was the first to make contact with the islanders and describe their appearance.
After World War II the airport became one of Bougainville's main airports. The airport was partially destroyed during the Bougainville Crisis of the 1990s and had been closed since then. For many years the airfield was disused and overgrown with bush. In February 2012 the owners announced their intention to reopen the airport.
It was established in the late 1990s as a representative body during the Bougainville Civil War, and was led by former Premier Joseph Kabui. [1] [2] In the lead-up to autonomy for Bougainville, Kabui opposed the introduction of political parties into the province, stating "the people of Bougainville regard political parties as divisive and given the hate, killings, ill-feelings and divisions ...
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