President Toroama stands firm on Independence
Bougainville’s push for full political independence remains firm, with President Ishmael Toroama issuing a strong and direct message on Monday.
During the New Zealand-facilitated moderated talks, Toroama is calling for a clear pathway towards independence and warning the National Government against any further delays.
Speaking at the historic Burnham Military Camp, site of the 1997 peace talks that ended the Bougainville Crisis, President Toroama underlined the significance of these current talks as the final chapter in Bougainville’s thirty-year-long journey. He expressed growing frustration with the National Government’s handling of the Bougainville issue since the 2019 referendum.
President Toroama demanded a clear, binding agreement that outlines Bougainville’s move to independence, stating that two previous consultations failed to produce a lasting solution.
He strongly rejected the National Government’s proposals of alternative arrangements such as 'free association' or 'federated states' stressing that Bougainville would only accept full independence as mandated by the 2019 referendum.
President Toroama is pushing for the Burnham Talks to conclude with a solid framework, such as a Heads of Agreement, that formally recognizes Bougainville’s path to independence as defined by the people’s vote.
He warned that if the current moderation process does not deliver a decisive outcome, Bougainville will consider all legal and political options available.
He accused the National Government of intentionally stalling the process and revealed that the Bougainville Constituent Assembly will convene later this month, where it could adopt a constitution and declare 1st September 2027 as the official date for independence.
While a fourth and final round of moderation talks is scheduled to take place later this month in Bougainville, the current Burnham session is shaping up to be the final opportunity for a negotiated outcome before Bougainville considers going its own way.
President Toroama made it clear that Bougainville will accept nothing less than full independence. The ball is now in the National Government’s court to provide a substantive response or risk Bougainville advancing its own unilateral course toward nationhood.
