MAF has just started flying in Bougainville, including services to Buin district. When we talked with Buin local Steven Kopana, we found out he’d been a frequent flyer with us, years ago…
Story by Matt Painter
“I used to charter MAF from Arawa to Buin,” says the white-haired 73-year-old. “It was a five-seater single-engined aeroplane — I used to give ten dollars, and they would take me to Buin.”
From the age of 18, Steven Kopana worked for Bougainville Copper Limited at the mine in Panguna, 50 kilometres as-the-crow-flies from Buin.
“I played so many roles there. I was employed in many sectors,” he says. “At that time, there was no road system — the roads were useless. The only means of transport was MAF. And the cost was low.
“MAF transportation was very effective, you know. When I wanted to come to Buin, it was only 17 minutes.”
MAF first began operations in Bougainville in 1966, eventually becoming Bougainville Air Services and handing over the operation to the government in the mid-1970s.
“Bougainville Air Services finished when the crisis started,” he adds, speaking of the civil war that killed more than 20,000 and destroyed infrastructure across the region.
When the conflict began to die down, Steven was chosen as the Peace Chairman for Buin district. In 1998 he was part of a team that travelled to Christchurch and talked with the Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands.
“We talked to find a peaceful resolution to the problems of Bougainville,” he says. The region was granted autonomy rule in 2001 after a peace agreement was signed.
“When I went to New Zealand, I saw the services in all those developed countries – it was very good. If Bougainville is talking about independence, I think it’s about time we had an air service, too.
“I see that there is still need for MAF. We need somebody to rescue us. If MAF comes, that’s a rescue team.
“Here in the south, the rain doesn’t take a day off, it comes every day,” says Steven, who has observed continual rain from January to September this year. “Normally, it used to rain from June to August – three months only. The weather pattern has changed now. It’s really bad.
“About every month the road will get blocked. When it rains a lot, it starts up landslides. If you want to go to Arawa or Buka, you must wait two or three days.”
Steven believes that an air service is valuable for emergencies, government transport, the business sector and the general public.
“It’s a direct link,” he says. “Even though cars are here, we still need the air service.”
Now the secretary for the veterans’ association in South Bougainville, the father of six has been blessed with many grandchildren. There are so many he struggles to count them.
Even though cars are here, we still need the air service
“Oh goodness, I have maybe twenty,” he says, chuckling.
Steven has seen much in his lifetime. But he’s not looking backward.
“My hope for the future is that people live well,” he says. “I hope that they have peace, security, and can move around safely without hindrance or danger; that they can do the work that needs doing.”