ABG holds historic “Tampa Ungko” customary ceremony to mark unity of Panguna Landowners and launch of drilling program
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) today marked a historic milestone in Panguna through a small but highly significant customary ceremony known as “Tampa Ungko”, held in Panguna to publicly acknowledge and affirm the unification of the five major Panguna landowner clans in support of the ongoing Panguna redevelopment process.
The ceremony was led by the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government and Minister for Mining, His Excellency Hon. Ishmael Toroama, accompanied by senior Central Bougainville political leaders including Chairman of the Central Parliamentary Committee Hon. Justin Borgia, Minister for Central Bougainville Veterans Hon. Junior Dake, host Panguna Member for Ioro Constituency Hon. David Miringtoro, and also witnessed by the Central Bougainville Veterans representatives, the ABG Department of Mining and Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) and Lloyds Metals & Energy Ltd (LMEL) representatives.
As part of the customary process, the ABG presented live pigs to each of the five Panguna landowner clans as a goodwill gesture of respect, unity, and recognition of the customary landowners’ authority over Panguna land. The ceremony also acknowledged and honoured those who lost their lives during the Bougainville conflict and the sacrifices made by the people of Panguna and Bougainville.
During the ceremony, Central Bougainville Veterans pledged their continued support to the ABG and Panguna landowners in progressing the Panguna redevelopment process in a peaceful, respectful, and orderly manner.
The Panguna Landowner Interim Council (PLIC) responded positively during the ceremony and reaffirmed its commitment to work together with the ABG, BCL, and LMEL to progress Panguna redevelopment while continuing the consultative process to address landowner issues and concerns.
Landowner representatives called on individuals and groups to stop politicising and manipulating the sensitive Panguna issue on social media. They appealed to aggrieved individual landowners and splinter groups to come forward through the recognised Panguna landowner representative structures and ongoing dialogue process instead of creating division and refusing engagement.
Representatives of the five clans publicly declared during the ceremony that the five Panguna clans are together as one united voice in support of the ABG President and the redevelopment of Panguna for the future benefit of Bougainville.
The landowners stated that through the “Tampa Ungko” ceremony they are symbolically and publicly opening Panguna under unity and reconciliation. They further declared that the ceremony signals the unification of the five clans and reflects the combined position of the customary landowners regarding Panguna’s future.
Landowner representatives also called upon persons currently carrying out unauthorized mining within the Panguna pit area to vacate the area out of respect for the united position now publicly demonstrated by the five customary landowner clans.
Today’s customary ceremony also coincided with the official launching of the Panguna EL01 drilling program by President Toroama, marking the return of active drilling operations to Panguna for the first time in 37 years since the Bougainville conflict commenced in 1989. Drilling activities under the Panguna EL01 work program will subsequently commence following completion of the customary program and associated operational preparations.
The presence of an operating drill rig in Panguna during today’s ceremony was described by leaders and landowners alike as historic and deeply symbolic of a new chapter for Panguna and Bougainville.
The ABG reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the Panguna process continues in accordance with the Bougainville Mining Act 2015, ongoing stakeholder consultations, and respect for customary authority, peace, unity, and inclusive dialogue.
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