Source: Post-Courier

MANY in Bougainville are wondering why Bougainville Copper Limited’s (BCL) parent company Rio Tinto wants to make the domang minta (bel kol) payment.

The payment will be a compensation for loss of lives and properties during the decade-long conflict.

The period for bel kol has lapsed, say some, adding that Rio Tinto-BCL should now pay compensation outright.

“Bel kol should have been done right after the war, not many years later,” says David Dapoung who is paramount chief of Isina of Kongara 2 in Central Bougainville.

“Custom-wise this is all wrong. Our culture is becoming a laughing stock. Now is the time for compensation,” Mr Dapoung said.

Awareness teams made up of officers from the Bougainville administration visited the region saying the cost of the bel kol by Rio Tinto-BCL is K900,000. The payment is scheduled for December.

BCL will contribute 50 percent of the bel kol while ABG will chip in the other half.

BCL’s contribution will be disbursed to the ABG Mining Department trust account while ABG’s contribution will be accessed through the Finance and Treasury.

The issue of domang minta was first raised by Panguna mine affected landowners in July 2012 during their first meeting with ABG and BCL.

Domang minta was the landowners’ condition to BCL, insisting that it must happen before actual negotiations for final compensation, the awareness team says.

Domang minta symbolises readiness by both parties to reconcile past differences, and forge a new relationship and new agreements.

According to the awareness team the bel kol will re-establish relations between BCL and the people, severed during the crisis.

“They’re overlooking the compensation of Bougainvilleans and showing off with the bel kol ceremony,” Mr Dapoung added.

“It is now time to compensate, not perform domang minta.”