Report - Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights

The following is a pressing example that began during <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> colonization and continues to this
day. On Buka Island, across from <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn tip <strong>of</strong> Bougainville, Buka airport is <strong>the</strong> only airstrip
currently used by commercial as well as government aircrafts.
The Buka airport and township lies on <strong>the</strong> land directly belonging to my fa<strong>the</strong>rs Clan; and <strong>the</strong> terminal,
car park, <strong>the</strong> old civil aviation workshop and part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> run way belonged to my grandmo<strong>the</strong>r. She
used to make her gardens in <strong>the</strong> days before <strong>the</strong> Japanese landed on Buka Island and forced <strong>the</strong> people
to flee.
The Japanese occupied that land belonging to my grandmo<strong>the</strong>r, and <strong>the</strong>y made <strong>the</strong> airfield that was
used throughout world war two. At <strong>the</strong> end <strong>of</strong> world war two <strong>the</strong> Australian Administration
Government took over <strong>the</strong> airfield and turned it into an airport as we know it today.
Just September this year, <strong>the</strong> Ieta people have closed down <strong>the</strong> airport, and wharf twice in protest that
<strong>the</strong>y have not been properly paid by <strong>the</strong> government for <strong>the</strong>ir land. This is <strong>the</strong> only access 200,000
Bougainvillean have to <strong>the</strong> outside world. So our rights to freedom <strong>of</strong> movement are now in conflict within
our people’s rights to <strong>the</strong>ir own land that is so necessary for subsistence living and residential needs.
The Ieta people live in town or near town and face <strong>the</strong> costs <strong>of</strong> urbanisation (noise, traffic, businesses)
on <strong>the</strong>ir land. They need to be respected and honoured as helping <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> Bougainville with
communication and transport for goods and services. The government has to respect <strong>the</strong>ir claim and
negotiate with <strong>the</strong>m.
Case study 1 – Destruction <strong>of</strong> a village developed through personal initiative
Ieta village is surrounded by <strong>the</strong> Buka Township situated on <strong>the</strong> east coast <strong>of</strong> Buka Island, and lies
along <strong>the</strong> coast facing <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn tip <strong>of</strong> Bougainville. When I was growing up in <strong>the</strong> early 1960’s,
<strong>the</strong> village had an organized system where <strong>the</strong>y established a savings and loan Society, with <strong>the</strong> aim
<strong>of</strong> raising <strong>the</strong> money to build better housing including access to fresh water.
By <strong>the</strong> late 1960’s and early 1970’s with money from <strong>the</strong>ir interest and o<strong>the</strong>r personal sources, families
were already building permanent houses. By <strong>the</strong> late 1980’s most houses in <strong>the</strong> Ieta village had access
to town electricity and a few people were beginning to install telephones in <strong>the</strong>ir homes.
By May – June in 1990, on a Sunday early evening some members <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bougainville Revolution Army
(mostly from <strong>the</strong> rascal element) came and looted what ever was in <strong>the</strong> homes and torched down <strong>the</strong>
houses, not a single house was left. People did not have time to pick up valuables, clo<strong>the</strong>s, and all
<strong>the</strong>ir belongings. They just picked up <strong>the</strong>ir babies and children and ran away into <strong>the</strong> neighbouring
villages which were miles away. Families were displaced; <strong>the</strong>y were dependent on <strong>the</strong>ir neighbours
who were <strong>the</strong>ir relatives.
In October 1990 <strong>the</strong> PNG Defence Force landed on Buka Island, <strong>the</strong>y set up camp at Ieta village, using
heavy equipments to clear <strong>the</strong> land, changing <strong>the</strong> whole features <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> village, cutting down fruit, nut,
and coconut trees to build army bunkers as barricades against <strong>the</strong> enemy. The PNGDF occupied <strong>the</strong>
village from 1990 to 2002.
By mid 1990’s some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> families at <strong>the</strong>ir own initiative moved back into some part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> village
that were not occupied by <strong>the</strong> PNGDF. With no outside assistance it has been really difficult for <strong>the</strong>
people to rebuild what <strong>the</strong>y have been able to build to a certain standard over a period <strong>of</strong> 30 years.
150 WOMEN’S RIGHTS TO ADEQUATE HOUSEING AND LAND