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RNZ News
6 days ago
- Politics
- RNZ News
Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing 'Melanesian Agreement'
The Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama, left, and PNG Prime Minister James Marape signed the Melanesian Agreement on Thursday. 26 June 2025. Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government The leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea have signed a deal that may bring the autonomous region's quest for independence closer. Called 'the Melanesian Agreement,' the deal was developed earlier this month in ten days of discussion at the New Zealand army base at Burnham, near Christchurch. Both governments have agreed that the national parliament in PNG has a key role in the decision over the push for independence. They recognise that the Bougainville desire for independence is legitimate, as expressed in a 2019 independence referendum result, and that this is a unique situation in PNG. That is the agreement's attempt to overcome pressure from other parts of PNG that are also talking about autonomy. The parties say they are committed to maintaining a close, peaceful and enduring relationship between PNG and Bougainville. Both sides said to bring referendum results to the national parliament both governments will develop a sessional order, which is a the temporary adjustment of parliament's rules. The said that a Bipartisan Parliamentary Committee on Bougainville, which will provide information to MPs and the general public about the Bougainville conflict and resolution is a vital body. The Parties said the will explore the joint creation of a Melanesian framework with agreed timelines, for a pathway forwards, that may form part of the Joint Consultations Report presented to the 11th National Parliament. Once the Bipartisan Committee completes its work the results of the referendum and the Joint Consultation Report will be taken to the 11th National Parliament. The parties said they will accept the decision of the national parliament, in the first instance, regarding the referendum results, and then commit to further consultations if needed, and this would be in an agreed timeline. In the meantime, institutional strengthening and institutional building within Bougainville will continue. To ensure progress is made and political commitment is sustained, the monitoring of this Melanesian Agreement could include an international component, a Parliamentary component, and the Bipartisan Parliamentary Committee, all with UN support.
RNZ News
25-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
PNG and Bougainville leaders to finalise independence agreements on Thursday
PNG Prikme Minister James Marape and Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama duringmoderation talks ealier this year. Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government Leaders of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville are due to hold a one-day meeting on Thursday to sign off on agreements related to the autonomous region's quest for independence. The meeting will likely mark the end of the involvement of former New Zealand governor-general Sir Jerry Mateparae. Sir Jerry was brought in to help find a way forward after a years' long stalemate over the tabling of the results of Bougainville's independence referendum. His involvement is set to end as Bougainville enters its election process, with writs expected to be issued at the end of next week. Most recently, ten days of meetings in Burnham, New Zealand, orchestrated by Sir Jerry, appear to have failed to achieve significant progress. The PNG and Bougainville governments have largely refused to talk about the issues publicly. Meanwhile, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is set to attend a major peace and reconciliation ceremony between PNG and Bougainville in September. PNG Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko has confirmed Guterres' attendance. The Post-Courier reports Tkatchenko saying the UN chief will be in Port Moresby from 2-3 September for the national reconciliation. The national reconciliation was originally going to be staged in 2019 before Bougainvilleans had voted in their independence referendum, but it did not go ahead.
ABC News
16-06-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
President Toroama ino wanbel long toktok blong PM Marape
President Ishmael Toroama itok, Autonomous Bougainville Gavman na pipol blong Bougainville oli less pinis long pasin Praim Minista James Marape na Gavman blongen ibin wok long dileim Independence blong Bougainville. President Toroama itok pipol blong Bougainville ibin pait, oli mekim planti sakrifais, oli dai na oli vout long kamap independent. So em itok, sapos ol displa Moderation Consultation ino mekim klia or ino mekim fainol disisin long independence, orait bai Bougainville i bihainim ol narapela option or rot blong kamap independent. Mr Toroama i mekim displa toktok bihain long namba 3 moderation toktok long Burnham military base blong New Zealand long last wik wantaim Papua New Guinea Gavman. Em i sutim tok olsem ibin PNG Gavman ibin wok long dileim displa issu blong Bougainville Independence. Em itok Gavman blongen i bilip olsem PNG Gavman ilaik dileim independence, long hope olsem bai gat senis blong gavman long ABG eleksen. Tasol President Toroama itok, nasinol gavman imas save olsem displa Bougainville Constituent Assembly bai em i bung long last wik blong June, we em i tok bai ol iken adoptim displa Bougainville Independence Constitution na setim date blong namba 1 September 2027 olsem Independence Day. Em itok, bai nogat nid long holim narapela raun blong Moderation Consultation sapos Constituent Assembly i disaed olsem. Mr Toroama itok, displa 2019 Referendum we oli holim aninit long PNG Constitution, em i askim tupla kwesten tasol, wanpla em Greater Autonomy or Independence - na 97.7% oli laikim independence. Olsem na em itok, ABG em i kondemim hau PNG Gavman iwok long tok olsem outcome blong referendum em i "non-binding". Mr Toroama itok wanpla bikpla disappointmen blong ABG em long kain we displa moderation process iwok long kamapim gen tingting blong sampla narapela kain model blong Gavman em Bougainville iken bihainim - olsem free association na feferated states. Em itok, Bougainville bai no akseptim narapela kain model laikim tasol independence olsem oli tok pinis long referendum.
RNZ News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
'Melanesian relationship agreement' endorsed at Bougainville independence talks
Former New Zealand governor general Sir Jerry Mateparae, right, with PNG Prime Minister James Marape, and Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama in Port Moresby. 3 October 2024 Photo: Facebook / The National Daily Delegates to this week's deliberations at Burnham Army base in New Zealand over Bougainville's quest for independence from Papua New Guinea placed emphasis on shared values and commitments. Bougainville's Government has stated that it wants to be independent by September 2027 . The critical issue going into these talks centred on the difficulties the autonomous province has faced getting the results of its independence referendum tabled in the PNG parliament. That referendum vote was overwhelmingly in favour of independence. The meeting was closed to media . This week's talks, held at what the PNG Prime Minister James Marape dubbed the "spiritual home of the Bougainville peace process" led to a recognition of a need for a 'pathway to peace by peaceful means'. In a statement, the parties reveal they want a solution that is homegrown and maintains a close, peaceful and enduring familial relationship between PNG and Bougainville. The delegates called this a 'Melanesian Partnership'. They agreed to the establishment of a bipartisan parliamentary committee on Bougainville, which would aim to inform the country's MPs about the crisis and the subsequent peace process. The talks concluded with the endorsement of a proposed 'Melanesian relationship agreement' that will be taken to the leaders of PNG and ABG during the last week of June. The parties and the independent moderator, former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae, expressed deep appreciation for the support of the government and people of Aotearoa New Zealand and the United Nations.
RNZ News
11-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Progress reported out of Bougainville independence talks near Christchurch
The PNG government agreed to a Bougainville request for a moderator to be brought in to solve an impasse over the tabling of the region's independence referendum. Photo: 123RF / RNZ Pacific Reports in Papua New Guinea say the governments of Bougainville and PNG have agreed to table the 2019 independence referendum results in parliament. While talks are ongoing some degree of consensus has been reached during the talks, being held at Burnham Military Camp , just outside of Christchurch in New Zealand's South Island. The talks are not open to the media. 97.7 percent of Bougainvillians voted for independence in 2019. Former Bougainville president, John Momis, told delegates in Burnham to "take the bull by the horn" and confront the independence issue without further delay. Both governments have agreed to present three highly pivotal documents to the PNG National Parliament. Apart from the referendum results, there will be the moderator's report, and the parliamentary bipartisan committee's findings. The commitment was formally conveyed by PNG's Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Manaseh Makiba. The launch of the Bougainville Digital Democracy Project is about empowering our citizens, said Bougainville President Ishamel Toroama. 25 March 2025 Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government Meanwhile, the ABG President Ishmael Toroama said Bougainville would not accept a governance model that did not grant sovereignty. This comes amid talk of other options, such as self-government in free association. To achieve membership of the United Nations sovereignty is needed. Writing in the Post Courier , journalist Gorethy Kenneth said the Bougainville national leaders, for the "first time have come out in aligning with the Bougainville team in New Zealand". She reported Police Minister and Bougainville regional MP Peter Tsiamalili Jr saying he was in a peculiar position but he represented the 97.7 percent who voted for independence and he would go with the wishes of his people. The ICT Minister, and South Bougainville MP Timothy Masiu also said his one vote in Parliament would be for independence as far as his people are concerned. The PNG Government has spoken previously of fears that independence for Bougainville would encourage other provinces to seek autonomy. Provinces, such as New Ireland, have made no secret of their dissatisfaction with Port Moresby and desire to control more of their own affairs. But the Bougainville Minister of Independence Implementation, Ezekiel Massat, said Bougainville's status is constitutionally "ring-fenced" and cannot set a precedent for other provinces. He said "under the Bougainville Peace Agreement, independence is a compulsory option".
