DIPLOMATIC BUNGLE: FACE OFF BETWEEN O'NEILL AND BISHOP
A diplomatic row between the PNG and Australia over the latter's plans to open a diplomatic mission in Autonomous Region of Bounganville has captured the headlines in recent days. It has raised two important issues firstly who is telling the truth whether or not there was any consultation between the two Governments and secondly the presumptuous position the Australian Government has taken to make a budget commitment on such a sensitive issue years ahead of any declaration of independence for Bougainville.
On the first issue our Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and his Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato have publicly announced they were shocked by the move. Prime Minister O'Neill claimed he only first learned about it from the media coverage of the Australian Abott Government Budget. He said "we don't want governments to go around creating offices everywhere around the country that will create the wrong interpretation and wrong meaning to our people". Meanwhile Pato has described it as outrageous and mischievous, both proclaiming there has been no consultation by the Abott Government.
A spokesperson for Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has rejected the claims by O'Neill and Pato stating and that Ms Bishop can't fathom the reaction from the O'Neill Government. To support her position Ms Bishop submits evidence of ABC report in December 2014 confirming that she had discussed her proposal to open a secondary post in PNG while on her visit to Autonomous Region. Further that Australian High Commissioner to PNG had also formally advised the O'Neil Government of its intention to establish a new diplomatic presence in the lead up to the 2015 budget.
So on the issue on who is telling the truth I believe it would be safe to assume it would be Ms Bishop. In my opinion our Prime Minister has one of the worst track records for being untruthful further still being deceptive and evasive when it comes to the truth of most issues.
The second more contentious issue is why the Australian Government would seek to make a budget commitment to establish a diplomatic mission in the Autonomous Region of Bouganville in 2015 when a referendum isn't likely for several years. In principle they seem to be putting the cart (foreign mission) before the horse (Boungainville's Independence).
Most Papua New Guinean's know little of the Bougainville Referendum or the terms of the Peace Agreement signed in 2001 that brought an end to the 11 year conflict promising Bougainville Autonomy and independence from PNG through a referendum.
Ten's of thousands of people died as a direct or indirect result of the conflict, which began in 1989 and dragged on until the early months of 1998. Suffering on the island was widespread, it was reported that 70,000 of a population of 180,000-200,000 were displaced in care centres or camps. In October 1997 a truce was agreed that lead to the introduction of 250 Truce Monitoring Group (TMG), headed by New Zealand and included members from Australia, Fiji and Vanuatu deployed from until April 1998. In April 1998 a permanent ceasefire was reached.
An Australian-led Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) was then deployed to replace the TMG to end of July 1998. They were succeeded by the deployment of the United Nations Observer Mission on Bougainville (UNOMB).
On 30 August 2001, a Bougainville Peace Agreement was signed in Arawa. The agreement included a weapons disposal plan and provided for elections for the establishment of an autonomous government on Bougainville. It also promised for a referendum, 10 to 15 years after the election of an Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), on the question of Bougainville's independence.
The PNG Government amended the PNG Constitution to provide the legislative framework and foundation for the terms reached in the Bougainville Peace Agreement. In essence it was no longer just a mere agreement but Constitutional law.
The constitutional amendments provided for Bougainville's own Constitution, the establishment of it's own structure of Government, Parliament, Police, Judicial System, CIS, Public Service etc. The most revealing point in the Bougainville Constitution is that it's preamble declaration expresses self-determination of the people through both autonomy arrangements and the referendum on independence; and to recognize the sovereignty of the people.
Both PNG and Bougainville Constitutions provide the promise of Referendum for Independence. Section 338 of PNG Constitution states a Referendum shall be held on a date agreed after consultation by Bougainville with National Government, that it shall not be held earlier than ten years and no later than 15 years after election of the first Bougainville Government. Following the peace agreement the first Bougainville Government was elected in June 2005. The ten year anniversary is June 2015, which means the Referendum is now on the table for the next five years until June 2020. A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate in this case Bougainville Provincial Electorate will be asked to vote on whether or not to seek independence from PNG.
The law states that the date of Referendum shall be determined only after considering whether weapons have been disposed of in accordance with the Agreement; and the Bougainville Government has been and is being conducted in accordance with internationally accepted standards of good governance. Which includes democracy, the opportunity for participation by Bougainvilleans, transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights and the rule of law.
The legislation does provide that the Bougainville Referendum may not be held if so decided by the Bougainville Government 3/4 majority of its 40 members decides after consultation with the National Government.
So for many Papua New Guinea's who take objection to Bouganville breaking away from PNG by achieving independence it's clear from the terms of the peace agreement crafted during the term of Skate & Morauta Governments your views or opinions have no useful purpose.
O'Neill Government raises the issue of lack consultation with regard to Australia's plans to open a new foreign mission on Bougainville on the same token it seems our Government failed to consult 5-6 million people of the Independent State of PNG before making the monumental decision promising Boungainville independence.
The central issue that lead to the Bougainville conflict and it's people seeking independence was brought on by a corrupt PNG Government. Even after almost 26 years the same issue of corruption still exists today.
What is certain from Prime Minister O'Neill comments in the media is that his Government may not honour the terms of peace agreement seeing Bougainville obtaining independence. The dispute will most likely end up in in the Courts delaying any Referendum for some years to come. So any plans by the Australian Government set up a high commission in Bougainville should be reconsidered and reverted back to the drawing board.
