Bougainville referendum

But disseminating this information to ordinary people is a challenge for the National Research Institute, who has undertaken the PNG NRI Bougainville Referendum Research Project.

The national think tank has been carrying out independent research to inquire and inform stakeholders.

To date, at least four findings on this has been shared for public knowledge.

But the challenge, according to Dr Thomas Webster, is that NRI does not have the capacity to extend that information out to ordinary people.

He made the commitment during the closing of the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Port Moresby on Friday (Dec 15).

The conclusion of the JSB meeting began with ironing of technical agreements, which then led to a negotiation scenario.

After two hours and with both sides satisfied, binding documents were signed.

Later in a joint media conference, PM O’Neill announced that at the heart of the meeting was the referendum agenda, particularly the setting up of the referendum transitional committee.

Vice-President Raymond Masono welcomed the research team to Bougainville on Friday (Nov 10) and thanked the Speaker for taking a proactive approach to informing Members of Parliament.

“Bougainville needs to be strategic and learn about how other societies have gone about these democratic exercises,” Masono said.

“Right now Bougainville Members are busy preparing their constituencies – we want them to disseminate factual and neutral information about the referendum to help people make an informed decision.”

Director of the Veterans Affairs in the Bougainville Administration, Dennis Kuiai, when commenting on weapon disposal and unification, said: “We have achieved a satisfactory milestone in the last 2 years; since 2015.”

This is according to Dr Thomas Webster from the National Research Institute.

Project manager of Bougainville Research in the Governance Program at NRI, Dr Thomas Webster says that as the new government is put in place, work on the Bougainville Referendum must continue.

 Dr Webster says there needs to be effective and ongoing dialogue between all stakeholders involved as the last meeting was held in April of 2016.

Papua New Guinea researcher engaged with the PNG National Research Institute, Dr Thomas Webster says people need to understand that the Referendum is not about Independence.

Dr Webster said Independence is an option, but people need to understand it in the context of the Peace of Agreement.

The Civil War which started in 1988 on Bougainville lasted for almost a decade with more than 10 000 people killed, deterioration of infrastructure, no services and no schools for a decade of generations.

Peace negotiations leading to the Peace Agreement began in 1998 to 2001.

The Bougainville Referendum is an important national event with significant implications for both PNG and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville with June 19 2019 as the target date.

The Referendum is to determine whether ABG will gain independence or remain autonomous.

Following the launch of Bougainville Referendum Research Project to be carried out by the PNG NRI, Dr Webster said PNG needs to have good solid preparations for the Referendum.

He explained that good preparations will result in a good sound process Referendum and the outcome will be credible.

The Bougainville Referendum is an important national event with significant implications for both PNG and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville (ABG).

The Referendum will determine whether ABG will gain independence or remain autonomous.

The aim of the project, launched today, is to generate research-based information for informing relevant stakeholders in order to ensure that the process and outcome of the Referendum is credible.

A village chief from the Konnou area of Buin, South Bougainville, told Loop PNG that the awareness for the referendum needs to be more aggressive now.

Joe Patuai said: “There needs to be more funding put into these awareness programs and people need to travel the full length of this island, even into places where service doesn’t go to, awareness has to go.

The Minister of Public Service Dr Puka Temu and Personnel Management Secretary John Kali will lead a high powered head of government agencies delegation to the Autonomous Region  of Bougainville to execute a joint Memorandum of Understanding with ABG for the drawdown of powers as per the Bougainville Peace Agreement.

It is in line with a joint understanding through the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) for the National Government to dissolve a lot more of its powers to the Bougainville Government.