PNG unleashes dogs of war
By Frank Enright
The international representative of the Bougainville Interim Government (BIG), Moses Havini, fled from the Solomons Islands on November 1 following reports that the Papua New Guinea prime minister, Sir Julius Chan, has ordered the capture or killing of members of BIG and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
According to Pacnews, Chan's statement, broadcast on PNG National Broadcasting Corporation, went on to say that the "BRA's foreign sympathisers and supporters will also be swiftly dealt with".
"With the collapse of the [peace] talks, the Papua New Guinea prime minister now appears to be backing the PNG army's 'hard men'. Sir Julius Chan has ordered his troops to shoot to kill any member of the BRA", said Havini on arrival in Sydney.
Havini said he left Honiara in fear of his life. Reports from the Solomons' capital recently have spoken of a "hit squad" composed of PNG and Australian military personnel, said to be destined for Bougainville. "Bougainvilleans can expect the war to be renewed with increased ferocity", Havini warned.
BIG chairperson Joseph Kabui claimed on Radio Free Bougainville that Chan was trying to divert the blame for the failure of last month's peace conference, held in the Bougainvillean capital of Arawa, from himself. Kabui said that the breakdown of the peace process was caused by the downplaying of the consultative process, the timing of the peacekeeping operation, Chan's attempts to predetermine the outcome of the conference, cease-fire violations, lack of third party mediators and the failure of the PNGDF to withdraw from designated areas.
"For several months prior to the negotiations we had been receiving reliable intelligence that there was a plot to capture or kill the BRA and interim government leaders in Bougainville using the negotiations as a trap. Sir Julius' statement only proves that this has been on his agenda from the beginning", a disappointed Kabui stated.
Meanwhile, more than 100 organisations from 42 countries have signed a resolution that reaffirms the right of the people of Bougainville to self-determination and calls on PNG to lift the blockade of the island nation. n