Bougainville - Nuts and Bolts

There are no nuts or bolts. There are very minimal services on the island of Bougainville. Like the great words from Gilligan's Island, "No phones, no lights, no motorcars. Not a single luxury." Things are improving daily. Bougainville is 200 kikometers long and an average of 80 kilometers wide, yet there are 19 different languages spoken. Thankfully, a pidgin form of English is one of them. It is only 20 kilometers from the Solomons, but is connected politically to PNG. It is mountainous terrain covered with tropical jungle, complete with misty mountains and steaming vents. The highest point is actually an active volcano, which adds a bit of drama to the whole affair. Most of the 156,000 residents live along the coast, with about 12,000 people living in the embargoed area of south Bougainville.

Embassy/Contacts

Passport, onward/return ticket and proof of sufficient funds required. Visitor's permit issued on arrival for stay up to two months in one-year period. Remember, you will probably be refused entry to Bougainville, so ask first about prevailing conditions and don't expect an intelligent answer.

Contact Papua New Guinea Embassy

Third Floor, 1615 New Hampshire Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009

Tel: (202) 745-3680

Fax: (202) 745-3679.

Embassy of the United States of America

P.O. Box 1492

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

Tel: 321-1455

Fax: 321-3423.

Papua New Guinea Consulate

Suite 2700, 145 King Street West

Toronto, Ontario M5H 1J8

Tel: (416) 865-0470

Fax: (416) 865-9636.tan

Martin Miriori (International BIG Secretary in Europe, NL)

Tel: +31-55-577-99-60

Fax: +31-55-577-99-39

E-mail: UNPOnl@antenna.nl (Unrepresented Nations and

Peoples Org.)

Bougainville Freedom Movement (BFM)

Sasha Baer or Vikki John

P.O. Box 134, Erskineville NSW 2043, Australia

Tel:+61-2-9558-2730

E-mail: V.John@uts.edu.au

Bougainville Interim Government (BIG)

Moses Havini (International Political Representative in Asia/Pacific)

PO Box 134, Erskinville, NSW 2043, Australia

E-mail: tuluan@ar.com.au

Tel./Fax: +61-2-9804-7632,

Mobile: +61-(0)414-226-428

Rosemarie Gillespie, Overseas Research Officer

24 Garling Street

Lyneham ACT 2602 Australia

Tel: [61] (6) 257-1298

Map of Bougainville

http://www.datec.com.au/png/

mapframe.htm

Max Watts-(specialised Journalist)

P.O. Box 98, Annandale NSW 2038, Australia

Tel: +61-2-9564-1147

Phone/Fax +61-2-9818-2343 (work)

E-mail: RosieK@bigpond.com

Bougainville Interim Government-Solomon Islands

Martin Miriori, Netherlands

Tel: [31] (55) 577-99-60

Fax: [31] (55) 577-99-39

E-mail: unponl@antenna.nl

(c/o Robin Sluyk)

Resources

http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/24/index-w.html

Sandline Inquiry

http://datecbne.datec.com.au/

sandline.nsf

AusAid Bougainville

http://www.ausaid.gov.au/country/png/bougainville.html

PNG Links

http://coombs.anu.edu.au/

SpecialProj/PNG/Index.htm

The National

http://www.wr.com.au/national/

Post Courier

http://www.wr.com.au/national/

Tok Pisin

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/png/

pnghome.htm