The exercise of recovering remains of missing persons will just be like another weapons disposal activity, which will cost a lot of money.
This is why funding must be made ready, the Bougainville Consultative Committee for missing persons’ (BCCM) second meeting in Arawa was bluntly told last week.
Chairman of the Buin Peace Volunteers and also committee member, Dr Patric M Diou, in his presentation at the workshop, said funding must be made available before venturing into such an exercise.
“It is and will be just like another weapons disposal, digging out remains, DNA testing, cultural obligations repatriation and reconciliation. This is a costly and very sensitive exercise, and even committee members’ safety is of paramount importance,” Dr Diou said.
“We all did our group discussions in this workshop, all regions, North South and Central, and we even discussed the amounts to work along with.
“North and Central came up with the same figure – K5 million – but that I can say will be used just as a startup funding. In the long run it will be about K20 million even more.”
Dr Diou, who is very experienced in the way he handled the Konnou crisis down in Buin, further stated that even though the exercise will be costly, it must be taken off the ground because it is a very significant step towards referendum.
“No matter what we still need to do it, this exercise still needs to be accomplished for the sake of families still dying to know where their loved ones are buried,” Dr Diou said.
(Missing persons placard in AROB.)