By Norm Dixon
A claim by Papua New Guinea's minister responsible for Bougainville, Michael Ogio, that the Bougainville Revolutionary Army has killed 17 civilians involved in restoring services to southern Bougainville is a "deliberate and blatant lie", according to Radio Free Bougainville.
Ogio's claims were reported by Radio Australia's Sean Dorney on January 19. Dorney cautioned that because access to Bougainville "is still heavily restricted ... on the spot confirmation of what has happened ... is not possible". But he said that unnamed sources "independent of the PNG military" confirmed Ogio's charges.
The first attack is said to have occurred on January 15 when a "work party ... from one of the government care centres" was surprised by BRA fighters, who shot six dead and wounded eight. On January 17, according to the claims, another "work party" was ambushed at Liatora near Buin and nine killed, while two other civilians were killed in other attacks near Buin.
Radio Free Bougainville accused the PNG government of attempting to discredit the BRA and save face following recent defeats. RFB accused PNG troops of executing the 17 civilians as a "payback" for casualties suffered. According to the broadcast, BRA fighters launched two separate raids on PNG Defence Force camps at Tokaino and Tabago, killing 17 troops.
Speaking to freelance journalist Max Watts via short-wave radio from Bougainville on January 21, human rights lawyer Rosemarie Gillespie was unable to confirm RFB's accounts of fighting. However, she reported several other recent clashes after speaking to eyewitnesses.
On January 13, the BRA ambushed a PNGDF truck near Tabago. Up to 11 PNG soldiers were killed or wounded. On January 14, another six soldiers died in a BRA ambush near Buin. On January 18, there was a shoot-out at Tunuru Junction, just outside Arawa. PNG troops set fire to a village soon after in revenge.
In response to the reported civilian deaths, Ogio said that PNG had put up with the situation on Bougainville for too long. He now wanted the army to move in immediately.
According to the Bougainville Interim Government, a reliable source in PNG has warned that the PNGDF is preparing to mobilise
"all their remaining military personnel and power" from the Moem Barracks in Wewak and the Taurama Barracks in Port Moresby against the BRA within the next month. Ogio's charges may be designed to justify such an all-out invasion.
It is also claimed that the PNGDF in recent months has recruited a large number of young school drop-outs, unemployed, plantation labourers and "rascal" gang members. It is believed that an increased supply of weapons, ammunition and other military hardware is on its way from Australia.
Joseph Kabui, chairperson of the Bougainville Interim Government, issued a statement on January 19 describing the planned offensive as "totally against the spirit of the resolutions of the United Nations Subcommission on Human Rights and the European Parliament adopted last year which ... call upon PNG without delay to restart negotiations and peace processes".
Kabui added that "no civilised nation should just simply sit back and watch PNG carry out this genocidal plan ...
"This is the very special year for all the indigenous people throughout the world and therefore for the sake of natural justice and the rights of our people, the world must condemn such a plan and try to stop it before it is too late."
Officers of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade refused to comment on the Bougainville Interim Government's claims when contacted by Green Left Weekly.