Three key former Bougainville Revolutionary Army commanders in Papua New Guinea have set aside their differences at a meeting on Wednesday at Panguna.
It is the latest step as the autonomous Bougainville province moves closer to a decision on whether the controversial mine at Panguna can be re-opened.
Don Wiseman has more:
"The three men, BRA leader Ishmael Toroama, Moses Pipiro from the Me'ekamui Unity Government and Chris Uma from the original Me'ekamui faction, agreed to reconcile after 17 years of enmity. They had split in 1996 after the then leader, Joseph Kabui, who later became the first president of Bougainville, agreed to start negotiations to end the civil war. Francis Ona, who had initiated the conflict, was opposed and sparked a split, which was often marked by violent clashes, and which delayed the province's recovery from the war. The Post Courier newspaper reports the reconciliation is a step forward for Bougainville's peace process. Mr Uma told those gathered the reconciliation will bear fruit in the near future. All three men say any re-opening of the Panguna mine must be sanctioned by the people of Bougainville and not by them as individuals. Mr Pipiro says his earlier claim for compensation of 3.26 billion US dollars from Bougainville Copper Ltd before the mine can be re-opened still stands."
