Chief John Momis

Momis disappointed with statement

Chief Momis had to verify claims by a former member of parliament, Daniel Tulapi, about the constitutionality of the Bougainville Referendum.

Momis in a statement said it is disturbing that at the eleventh hour, after nearly 20 years since the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement by the National Government, a former National Government minister is now making absurd claims that the referendum is somehow unconstitutional.

Momis pleased with progress

His view follows the recent Joint Supervisory Body meeting held in Arawa. 

The meeting addressed concerns on funding, appointments of the Bougainville Referendum Commission including weapons disposal.

An agreed funding of K1.2 million that has been made available by both governments to kick start BRC operations will assist this exercise to happen immediately.

The BRC will be working closely with Village Ward Recorders with a goal of having a grassroots check on the accuracy of the roll.

Referendum: Criteria for non-B’ville residents

They have agreed on the criteria for non-Bougainville residents to take part in the Referendum.  

In the recent JSB meeting held in Arawa, both the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, under section 55, 1 of the Organic Law on Peace Building in Bougainville, agreed on two criteria to determine the links with Bougainville, that a non-resident Bougainvillean must have in order to vote at the Referendum.

The first criteria is that; the person is a Bougainvillean, as defined in section 7, 1 of the Bougainville Constitution.