PNG warned of instability if Bougainville referendum not ratified
PNG faces the risk of renewed instability in Bougainville if Parliament fails to ratify the 2019 referendum result where 97.7 per cent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence.
Former Bougainville veteran and Secretary of the South Bougainville Veterans Association, Steven Kopana of Buin, issued the warning as the PNG Parliamentary Bipartisan Committee concludes nationwide consultations on Bougainville’s political future.
 |
| PNG warned of instability if Bougainville referendum not ratified |
He said any deliberate action by the PNG Government to delay or disregard the clear will of more than 370,000 Bougainvilleans would be viewed as a serious provocation.
Kopana noted that public submissions across the regions—Goroka, Lae, Port Moresby, Kokopo, Buka and Arawa—showed overwhelming sympathy for Bougainville’s quest for full independence, with the hearings streamed live by Parliament Media.
He highlighted examples including Kokopo’s Mataungan Association openly supporting Bougainville’s aspirations, and leaders in Lae revisiting long-standing grievances stemming from the civil conflict that cost an estimated 20,000 lives.
Reflecting on the early peace process, he recalled former Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer’s role in brokering a non-binding referendum, telling PNG that rebuilding the region might keep Bougainville within the country, while assuring Bougainville leaders the process would unify their people.
Kopana said PNG ultimately failed to rebuild Bougainville, while the region succeeded in uniting behind independence.
He warned that Bougainvilleans are resilient and will seek external support if the referendum result is ignored, stressing that the vote represents a binding moral commitment that must be implemented to prevent future instability.
Also read
Post a Comment