Bougainville: doubts over autonomy, referendum agreement
By Mark Abberton
"The Bougainville Revolutionary Army's (BRA) patience is fast running out with the Papua New Guinea government's crippling indecisiveness and inability to understand a simple and a clear message from Bougainville", Moses Havini, BRA international representative told a media conference in Fiji on March 24.
The conference followed the signing on March 23 in Port Morseby, after six days of negotiations, of the "Loloata Understanding" by PNG's Bougainville Affairs Minister, Sir Michael Somare, Bougainville governor John Momis, Bougainville People's Congress president Joseph Kabui and the Leitana Council of Elders chairperson Joel Banam.
The agreement is reported to include a commitment by PNG to change the constitution to allow Bougainville a high degree of autonomy and a referendum to be organised by the new government. Somare has indicated that he expects an extended period — several years — to implement the autonomy and that the referendum will occur only after autonomy has been fully tested.
"Past agreements between Bougainville and PNG have been plagued with vague commitments and a lack of genuine commitment from Papua New Guinea", Havini told the media conference. "Whilst I acknowledge the work put into the Loloata Understanding... one sees this lack of responsibility [by PNG] yet again, when the process of self-government and referendum were not addressed in certain and qualified terms."
Negotiations between Bougainville and PNG to end the 11-year war began in 1997 after the PNG government was shamed internationally and within PNG for employing mercenaries from Sandline International, the British company linked to the South African-based Executive Outcomes, to hunt down and destroy the BRA.
Bougainville leaders have attempted to keep independence on the agenda of peace talks since the signing of the Burnham cease-fires between the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF), the PNG-appointed Bougainville Transitional Government (BTG), the pro-PNG "resistance" and the rebel Bougainville Interim Government (BIG)/BRA, in July and October 1997.
However, the PNG government and pro-PNG factions within Bougainville have maintained that negotiations should concentrate on reconciliation and disarmament. The PNG government issued empty statements about giving Bougainville "full autonomy" without outlining how or when this would be applied.
Efforts to set up a Bougainville Reconciliation Government to represent Bougainville (including pro- and anti-PNG factions) in negotiations, and for the withdrawal of PNGDF personnel — the main tasks outlined in the first major political agreement, the Lincoln Agreement, to prepare for a lasting political settlement, signed on January 23, 1998 — have been frustrated and delayed.
During a meeting on October 28, BIG/BRA representatives, former BTG members, the previously anti-independence Leitana Council of Elders and the four Bougainville representatives in the PNG parliament forged a joint position with which to negotiate with the PNG government. The "Hutjena Record" called for the "highest level of autonomy" and a referendum on self-determination. It was submitted to the PNG government in December.
On submitting the proposal to the PNG cabinet, Somare said that the PNG government was ready to consult with Bougainvilleans in developing an autonomy package, but added: "Successive governments and leaders of all major parties and groups in the national parliament have repeatedly said that a separate independence for Bougainville is not a real option".
During the delayed second round of discussions on March 8, Somare said that autonomy should be discussed and implemented before a referendum so that autonomy can be fairly and properly judged. He said the most practical way forward was to agree on broad principles of autonomy and establish a government to negotiate details and cooperate with the national government.
In a media statement, the coalition of Bougainville leaders rejected the government's proposal, which was reported to include autonomy "possibly" by September. Governor Momis said the proposals were intended to postpone negotiations and "a strong anti-autonomy bias underlies the proposal". The Sydney Morning Herald reported Momis as saying the Bougainville leaders' concern centres on the government's continued deferral of the referendum question.
Prior to the March 8 negotiations, Kabui said, "The time for analysis is over and it is time for the right prescription to be applied".
Bougainville leaders adopted a nine-point common negotiating position after the March 8 discussions. It included: implementation of "the highest level autonomy" immediately, guaranteed by a treaty; amendments to the PNG constitution that can only be changed by the Bougainville people; and an agreement to hold a referendum on independence.
Havini said he was not convinced that the March 23 "understanding" had answered the Bougainvilleans' concerns. He said that unless legislation is implemented by the PNG government for real autonomy, there is no guarantee that Bougainville will receive more rights than are already available in the provincial and local government system in PNG.