The Bougainville Civil War was a conflict that took place from 1988 to 1998 on the island of Bougainville, part of Papua New Guinea. The war began as a response to environmental damage and social issues caused by the Panguna copper mine, which was operated by the Rio Tinto company. Local communities felt marginalized and sought greater autonomy and control over their resources. The conflict involved the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), which fought against the Papua New Guinea government and its military. The war resulted in significant loss of life and displacement of people, leading to a peace agreement in 1998 that eventually paved the way for a referendum on independence, held in 2019.