ENB Bougainvillean’s support Independence

The Bipartisan Committee on Bougainville Matters, members, Abau MP, Sir Puka Temu, Rabaul MP, Dr Allan Marat, the Committee Chairman, and West New Britain Governor, Sasindran Muthuvel, in Kokopo recently (Image: PNG Parliament)

Bougainvillean's residing in East New Britain have overwhelmingly made their intentions known that they want complete independence from Papua New Guinea.

Their call further strengthen Bougainville's decisive 97.7 percent majority who voted for self-determination cast in the 2019 referendum.

The plea was made to the Bipartisan Committee on Bougainville Matters during a consultation meeting held in Kokopo on Thursday.

The committee was headed by the Rabaul MP, Dr. Allan Marat, as the chairman, and two other members, the West New Britain Governor, Sasindran Muthuvel, and Abau MP, Sir Puka Temu.

The three men panel was hurled with questions and recommendations.

The discussions were centered around two primary questions.

If Parliament decides to ratify the referendum result in favor of independence, how will we manage this process over what agreed period of time?
If Parliament decides not to ratify the Referendum result in favor of Independence, how can both sides manage this through peaceful means?

The two questions sparked a series of insightful discussions and strong recommendations from Bougainvillean's living in East New Britain. Maclaren Vengiau - ENB Bougainville Association President, had this to say.

The people of East New Britain and Bougainville gathered at the one-day consultation in Kokopo recently (PNG Parliament)

While many have shown keen interests to see the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to be politically independent, they equally argue that there are voids that needs to be filled.

These include outstanding reconciliations, better health, education and road infrastructures, law and order, a functioning judiciary system and the recognition of indigenous land rights.

Sir Puka Temu told the participants that a perpetual approach may seem fit for Bougainville’s post-independence.

The perpetual relationship is an approach similar to PNG and Australia that continues to maintain even after PNG’s independence.

For the Bougainvillean's, their message is clear. Here is what Esrom Toligur Jnr, ENB Bougainville resident, had to say.

A Bougainvillean woman shares her views on Independence (PNG Parliament)

There is now mounting pressure from both the PNG and the Autonomous Bougainville Governments as the two parties struggle to find common ground to agree on Bougainville’s independence.

Given the two years’ timeframe before the 2027 proposed independence, many critics remain skeptical if ABG can really convince the PNG government.