Two shot and several arrested following mine clashes in Papua New Guinea
At least two individuals were shot and multiple arrests were made in Bougainville, Papua New Guinea, following an arson attack on equipment owned by an Indian firm preparing to reopen a major untapped copper and gold mine.
The arson attack targeted a mining camp belonging to Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd, an Indian company that was controversially chosen by Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama to reopen the long-shuttered Panguna mine, which is estimated to hold $160 billion in precious metals, OCCRP reported.
The attack, which sparked a shootout and retaliation, came three weeks after an OCCRP investigation raised questions about Toroama’s decision to choose Lloyds.
The investigation revealed that Toroama had signed a memorandum of understanding with Lloyds shortly after accepting an offer from its managing director for the president’s wife to travel to India and have a life-saving kidney operation at no cost.
It also quoted an expert and some locals warning that anger over the Indian company’s involvement could erupt into violence.
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