After being marginalized and polluted both socially and environmentally for so long, Bougainvilleans decided enough was enough. They rose and fought. There were casualties from all sides. The PNG Defense Force lost many good men who fought for what they believed was right for PNG. The Resistance and Bougainville Revolutionary Army, brothers that fought against each other and went to the extent of killing a brother for what each believed was for the good of his people. The women and children had their lives turned upside down and witnessed many atrocities that even to this day many will not speak of what they experienced.

The only ones that I can't for the life of me see as having lost anything other than money is Rio Tinto and Bougainville Copper Limited. These two monster alien corporations were powerful enough to influence the government of the day, who directed the PNGDF to go into Bougainville and placate the 'rebels' using whatever force they thought necessary.

Funny how the people that have the soil of this land called Bougainville running through their veins and have fertilized the soil in this land with their blood - are called 'rebels'! The irony of being from a place and having outsiders have the power to try to discipline you! These two monster's Rio Tinto and BCL together tried to intimidate, kill and (the term used in the SBS Dateline Report is) 'starve out' Bougainvilleans from the land that they spent the past 40 000 years on, toiling and forming a relationship with. Rio Tinto and BCL thought that Bougainvilleans would bend, fall and scatter. But they didn't count on the land, whose side would the land be on? Of course the land gave, protected and nurtured the people that had had a relationship with her for thousands of years.

So instead Bougainvilleans rose, persevered and fought until they had almost nothing left. But the land together with their ingenuity made sure that the people of Bougainville survived. Then they won that part of the battle.

The next part of the battle is weeding out the lies and the deception so that the truth can shine a beacon of light on the correct path to take.

It won't be an easy journey and there are many forks on the road. But the most important thing is that whatever path Bougainvilleans decide to take - it will be for the better of not now but for the better of tomorrow and that it is a path that is dictated by the people of Bougainville for the people of Bougainville.

Many Bougainvilleans will greet the below story from the Post Courier with happiness. Referendum is a beacon of hope, what many would assume is the natural progression after the crisis.

© Klaireh

Source: Post Courier

Momis: Referendum to be held

By WINTERFORD TOREAS

BOUGAINVILLE will still be having the referendum to decide its political future as stipulated under the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA), that’s the assurance from the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis.

Speaking during the official opening of the Second Regional Forum on Panguna Negotiations held in Buka early this week, Mr Momis said the referendum process would still take place, even if Bougainville did not fully achieve the three pillars stipulated under the Bougainville Constitution.

The Bougainville Constitution stipulates that the three pillars that need to be addressed before referendum can take place include weapons disposal, fiscal self-reliance and good governance.

“If we do not remove the weapons, we are not self-reliance, and if we do not achieve good governance…referendum will happen,” Mr Momis said. 

The president said the onus was now on Bougainvilleans to prepare and achieve the identified outcomes that would enable the referendum process to take. He said it was important for Bougainvilleans to grasp this unique opportunity which had come about following amendments being done on the PNG Constitutions.

This amendment was made to allow Bougainville to have the referendum between 10-15 years following the establishment of the ABG. 

Mr Momis then stressed that failure to achieve the referendum would bring great shame on Bougainvilleans, not only in the eyes of PNG but the rest of the world. 

According to Section 191 Subsection (7) of the Bougainville Constitution, the referendum should take place not earlier than 10 years and not more than 15 years after the election of the first Bougainville Government.

Since the ABG was formed in 2005, by law the referendum should be held between 2015-2020. 

This now means that Bougainville only has between two to seven years left before the referendum is held.