The Bougainville Peace Agreement did not come about easily for the people of Bougainville. Peace was restored after countless negotiations and failed attempts over the years.
Now that the people of Bougainville have voted in a referendum on their political future, many have questioned why Bougainvilleans voted in a referendum and others questioned why there was a referendum at all.
The PNG NRI Issues Paper No. 41; Peace by peaceful means: A brief look at the History of the Bougainville Peace Agreement by Martha Waim, former Project Manager of Bougainville Post-Referendum Research Project, presents a brief history of the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) as a way to better understand the issue and possibly answer the questions posed above. The paper also seeks to highlight the difficult negotiations that transpired in the lead up to the signing of this agreement which ended the Bougainville Crisis.
The Issues Paper, attempts to briefly highlight the significant peace negotiations and the lessons that can be drawn from the failures that built up to the permanent peace agreement signed as the BPA.
The information generated can inform current negotiations for Bougainville’s future as well as for future generations to appreciate the patience, respect and regard for the differing views and the roles played by different parties in the peace negotiations.
The Publication can be accessed on the PNG NRI website https://www.pngnri.org.