A policeman in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville says he thinks the Panguna mine will not be reopened for another 20 years and says the people don't want it.
Constable Reginald Sogen, who is a coordinator of the training programme run by New Zealand for the community auxiliary police, says there are many problems in the area, which need to be solved first.
He says police face issues of armed robberies and domestic violence, fuelled by drugs and alcohol, and there must be peace before the mine opens.
He says Bougainville can rely on other industries such as agriculture, which don't require such a large investment.
Constable Sogen says the people need to be educated first and many people are still illiterate.
"The people here they don't want the mine to be opened, the landowners. There are weapons here, and also the whole people here, they don't want the mine to be reopened. Many deaths have occurred during the crisis and when you talk peace, we want peace. Do not put the mine in, cause it only creates anger."
Constable Reginald Sogen.
