ABSTRACT
In 1989, the Pacific Island of Bougainville was thrown into a conflict that lasted for ten years and was described as the worst conflict since the Second World War. Fuelled by frustration brought about by the destruction wrought on the environment by a multinational mining company and local needs for political independence, peaceful Bougainvilleans were brought into a struggle that would ultimately result in a form of self-government, but at a heavy cost. Significant violence resulted in many deaths, rapes and dispossession from homes and villages, and the island’s infrastructure was extensively destroyed. This chapter reviews the conflict that erupted in a once peaceful land and
examines the various approaches to peace that were undertaken during and after the conflict years. The chapter begins with a brief overview of the issues that led to the conflict. It then reviews the efforts of those at various levels of society, from the family, through to the village and the region, to political initiatives, in moving towards a positive resolution. In the final part of this chapter I will consider the lessons learned from this conflict and suggest how Western approaches to mediation might change to better reflect the needs of those living in the Pacific region.
