Watch Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight

Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight is a 1998 documentary film that tells the story of the Bougainville Crisis, a civil conflict that took place in the Papua New Guinean region of Bougainville between 1988 and 1998. The film is directed by Wayne Coles-Janess and produced by Australia's SBS Television. The film opens with a brief overview of Bougainville, an island rich in natural resources, including copper, gold, and silver. The discovery of these resources in the 1960s led to the establishment of the Panguna copper mine, which would become the source of the conflict. The film then introduces two key figures in the crisis: Joseph Kabui, the leader of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, and Francis Ona, the founder of the secessionist movement.

The documentary is structured around a series of interviews with Kabui, Ona, and other key players in the conflict, including Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister at the time, Julius Chan, and Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Archival footage is also used to illustrate key events from the conflict, such as the destruction of the Panguna mine and the subsequent military intervention by Papua New Guinea and Australian forces.

The film provides a nuanced portrait of the conflict, exploring the complex political, economic, and cultural factors that led to the crisis. One of the key issues at stake was the land rights of the indigenous people of Bougainville, who had been displaced by the establishment of the Panguna mine. The documentary shows how the Bougainvilleans' growing sense of disempowerment led to the rise of a secessionist movement, and how this, in turn, led to the armed conflict.

Throughout the film, Kabui and Ona offer their perspectives on the conflict, providing insight into the strategies and tactics employed by the Bougainville Revolutionary Army. They also reflect on the human cost of the conflict, which saw thousands of Bougainvilleans lose their lives, homes, and livelihoods.

Despite the intensity of the conflict, Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight also highlights moments of hope and reconciliation. One memorable scene shows the visit of Bougainvillean leaders to Port Moresby, where they met with Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister to discuss a peaceful resolution to the crisis. The film also underscores the importance of cultural traditions in Bougainville, showing how traditional forms of dispute resolution were used to promote peace and reconciliation.

Overall, Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight is a powerful and thought-provoking documentary that sheds light on a little-known conflict in the Pacific region. The film provides a comprehensive overview of the Bougainville Crisis, and offers a nuanced exploration of the complex social, political, and economic factors that led to the conflict. Through its intimate interviews with key players in the conflict, the film humanizes the Bougainvillean struggle for self-determination and shows how the crisis affected the lives of ordinary people. In sum, Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight is a compelling and informative documentary that is well worth a watch.

Bougainville - Our Island, Our Fight is a 2006 documentary with a runtime of 54 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 8.4.