Papua New Guinea’s parliament is finally going to talk about Bougainville. The house resumed in Port Moresby on Tuesday. From Thursday, MPs are due to debate whether to ratify the 97.7 percent vote Bougainvilleans cast for independence in their 2019 referendum. That vote was non-binding. Under the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement, which ended a civil war in the 1990s, the national parliament has the last word. Prime Minister James Marape told the country this is not a routine sitting.
“The Referendum was legitimate, peaceful and overwhelming in its result, and we respect the voice expressed by the people of Bougainville,” he said in a statement. He also told MPs and the public not to turn the week into a fight — no threats, no regionalism, no hostility. “Every member of parliament will have the opportunity to speak. Every member will ultimately have to exercise his or her responsibility according to conscience, guided by the Constitution and the interests of our country.” He prayed with MPs for wisdom before the debate.
“This is a difficult task but duty demands that we do this,” Marape said. “This is not an ordinary parliamentary debate. It concerns our Constitution, our sovereignty, our national identity, the aspirations of the Bougainville people and, above all, the peace that our people have worked so hard to maintain.” It is still unclear whether a ratification vote will come as soon as the speeches end, or later. Parliament set a three-quarters majority bar earlier this year. The Autonomous Bougainville Government has said it still plans to declare independence in 2030 and is using the time to get ready.
Sources: RNZ Pacific; Asia Pacific Report.