Bougainville President, Ishmael Toroama said the appointment of Assistant Commissioner of Police, Anthony Wagambie Jnr as Deputy Chief of Police in the Bougainville Police Service is not recognized by the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
Toroama’s comments follow a change of command directive issued by police commissioner, David Manning.
“This appointment will not be recognized by the Autonomous Bougainville Government as it is unconstitutional and breaches the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Toroama said in a statement.
Wagambie was transferred to Port Moresby from Lae and served as the NCD and Central Divisional Commander until his suspension in January over the riots in Port Moresby.
Under Section 26 of the Organic Law on Peace Building on Bougainville and Section 237 of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, “The appointment of the hierarchical officers in the Bougainville Police Service by the Commissioner of Police is to be based on the direct nomination of a suitable candidate by the ABG through the Bougainville Executive Council”
Toroama said the National Government through the Commissioner of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary had ignored his government in this decision
” We were never consulted nor privy to the process of appointing the Deputy Chief of the Bougainville Police Service,” Toroama sai.
He commented further that PNG’s disciplinary forces are barred by the Peace Agreement from instituting any decisions, be it administrative or tactical on Bougainville without the knowledge and input of the Autonomous Bougainville Government.
“I am dissatisfied with the manner in which the National Government of Papua New Guinea has yet again usurped the role of the Autonomous Bougainville Government in implementing the parameters of the Bougainville Peace Agreement,”Toroama said in a statement.
The joint creation of the Bougainville Peace Agreement by the National Government and the people of Bougainville legally requires the joint implementation of its provisions.
‘I want to be clear to the National Government that Mr. Wagambie’s appointment to the Bougainville Police Service by RPNGC Commissioner David Manning is neither welcomed nor recognized by the Autonomous Bougainville Government,”Toroama said.
The Bougainville Peace Agreement does not exist merely to protect the civil liberties of the people of Bougainville and resolve the Bougainville Conflict. The peace agreement is also intended to empower the autonomous arrangements for Bougainville that came into existence as a direct result of the agreement in 2001.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government has given too much quarter to the National Government in usurping the legal process in the administration of Bougainville’s autonomous arrangements and the Post Bougainville Referendum consultations.
