A STRONG sense of determination for self-governance and political independence from Papua New Guinea by September 2030 was displayed by President of the Autonomous Government, Ishmael Toroama yesterday.
In his opening address to the Joint Supervisory Body Meeting in Port Moresby, President Toroama said the Autonomous Bougainville Government came to the table not to re-negotiate the past, but to secure the future through a peaceful, jointly created process and through historic constitutional evolution.
Toroama said in all the joint meetings held between both parties, the Bougainville side has kept and met all requirements under the various agreements.
He said while Section 342 of the National Constitution indeed mandates Parliament to make a decision, he stressed that this decision cannot be divorced from the overwhelming democratic mandate of the referendum.
“Combined with the Melanesian Framework, this is the institutional pathway to Bougainville’s self-government and ultimately, to full sovereignty. This pathway reflects Bougainville’s final position on our timeline for self-government and, for political independence,” said Toroama.
Prime Minister James Marape in his opening remarks, said that many meetings have been held between the governments since 2001. He wanted to put on record that the Referendum was done under the Pangu Administration in line with the 15-year timeline set out under the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Marape said he is pleased that the Bougainville people understood that holding a referendum was the first process and now, the full parliament process needed to be carried out in order to complete the process.
“The Peace Agreement says parliament will rectify the results, Section 342 (of the Constitution) sub-section 2 says Parliament will make a decision,” said Marape.
In less than four hours of the meeting, the Melanesian Framework of 2026 has been endorsed as the agreed pathway that the Papua New Guinea Government and the Autonomous Bougainville Government will use, should the National Government endorse the Referendum Results.
This forms part of the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) Meeting Resolutions signed between PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Minister for Bougainville Affairs, Manasseh Makiba on the PNG side and ABG President Ishmael Toroama and ABG Deputy President and Attorney General, Ezekiel Masatt on the Bougainville side.
The second document that was endorsed in the JSB is the Joint Consultation Report which will also be presented as part of the ratification process.
But before the JSB Meeting in Port Moresby today, Bougainville Leaders held a Forum in Buka and endorsed a three-stage pathway on the final position of Bougainville’s future. The pathway includes preparation for self-government until 1 September 2027, a period of self-government from 2027 to 2030, and independence in 2030.
The forum in Buka included representations from Civil Society, Women and Youth’s Group and Veterans who fought in the Bougainville Crisis.
The JSB meeting held at the Melanesian House opposite the National Parliament is the final meeting co-chaired by both governments before the Bougainville agenda goes to Parliament later this month.
Other development partners like the United Nations were present to witness the meeting and signing of the JSB resolutions.
