The nine landowner associations around the Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea's Bougainville are mystified by claims local villagers oppose a return to mining.
The NGO, Jubilee Australia, spoke to 65 villagers and says many remain traumatised by the civil war, have not been properly consulted and do not back a return to large scale mining.
But the nine landowner groups say the research is wrong and Jubilee Australia should be ashamed.
Therese Jaintong is the chair of one of the groups, the Siokatei Association.
She says if they were critiquing why did they not check with the landowner groups, which have strong support around the mine site.
"That is our concern. If some people are speaking against us, we are hearing loud and clear, but the majority have spoken through the regional forums. We feel that we are doing everything right on the ground. We are not leaving any stone unturned. We are consulting with our people, widely."
Therese Jaintong, the chair of the Siokatei Association on Bougainville
An aerial view of Arawa, Bougainville Photo: RNZI