Latest news with #PNGReferendum
RNZ News
22-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Bougainville independence talks may resume this week
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 There are hopes in Papua New Guinea and Bougainville that talks on the independence issue will resume this week. Bougainville's autonomous government (ABG) wants a commitment from PNG that it will table the results of an independence referendum in its parliament. The Bougainville politicians place a lot of credence in this referendum, which, while non-binding, had a 97.7 percent backing for Bougainville to become independent. Ten days of meetings earlier this month at the New Zealand military camp at Burnham, near Christchurch, failed to reach resolution . Former NZ Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae is the independent moderator appointed to mediate a political pathway between Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. 13 June 2025 Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government The moderator, former New Zealand Governor General, Sir Jerry Mateparae, said that meeting concluded with a proposal for a ' Melanesian relationship agreement' which, he said, would be debated by the leaders in the last week of June. What is in that 'Melanesian relationship,' put forward by Bougainville, hasn't been made clear. But Bougainville Attorney General Ezekiel Masatt, said the ABG will not be accepting the PNG suggestions of 'free association' or some sort of 'confederation' within PNG. Meanwhile, a former PNG Chief Secretary, Isaac Lupari, said the National Constitution doesn't allow for any part of the country to secede, so it up to parliament to decide on Bougainville's status. Sir John Kaputin, a former MP and the former State negotiator for PNG on the Bougainville Peace Agreement, has reminded leaders of the need for compromise. He said: "It's a two-way thing that leaders of Bougainville must be serious about their leadership among our people and it's up for the National Government to listen to what they are proposing."
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
06-06-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Burnham Camp - the spiritual home of Bougainville peace process
ABG President Ishamel Toroama, sitting front (2nd left), with Sir Jerry Mateparae and PNG Prime Minister James Marape at the Joint Consultation Moderator Meeting. 17 March 2025 Photo: Autonomous Bougainville Government The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, says next week's meeting involving the governments of PNG and Bougainville is a milestone in the ongoing post referendum consultations. In 2019 an overwhelming percentage of Bougainvilleans, 97.7 percent, voted for independence from PNG. The referendum, though mandated by the 2001 Peace Agreement, was not binding. The week of meetings is being held at New Zealand's Burnham army camp, near Christchurch. In a statement Marape said Burnham is widely regarded as the spiritual home of the Bougainville peace process, after the role it played in hosting talks in 1997 that led to a cease fire in the civil war and the eventual Peace Agreement. PNG Bougainville Premier Gerard Sinato signs the "Burnham Declaration" in 1997, which set in motion an end to the civil war. Photo: AFP He said the Burnham talks will focus on finalising the process to bring the referendum results before the National Parliament. Marape said the Era Kone Convenant committed both governments to present the referendum before parliament in 2025. He said these steps will determine how that happens and what constitutional steps must be followed and that this will be grounded in mutual respect, dialogue and the spirit of reconciliation. Teams of officials from both the PNG and Bougainville Governments were expected to arrive in Christchurch today.
