The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has rejected Prime Minister James Marape’s statement calling for a nationwide consultation on Bougainville’s 2019 Referendum for Independence results.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has rejected Prime Minister James Marape’s statement calling for a nationwide consultation on Bougainville’s 2019 Referendum for Independence results.
PNG NEWS | Inside PNG: Thursday, 25th August, 2022.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has rejected Prime Minister James Marape’s statement calling for a nationwide consultation on Bougainville’s 2019 Referendum for Independence results. The ABG’s response is to Prime Minister James Marape’s inaugural statement delivered when he was elected as Prime Minister on August 9th.
The ABG maintains that ratification of the 2019 Referendum will be done by the National Parliament and does not require the citizens of Papua New Guinea to consult on the matter.
ABG Attorney General and Minister for Bougainville Independence Mission Implementation Ezekiel Masatt clarified that there is no legal basis for the proposed nationwide consultation as Prime Minister Marape alluded to.
Masatt highlighted the provisions of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement which called for a referendum and the results to be discussed in Parliament alone.
“Per the requirements of the same laws, the ABG and the National Government are the only two parties that will consult the overwhelming 97.9 per cent outcome of the referendum, there is no mention of a nationwide consultation on the matter,” said Minister Masatt.
Masatt said it has become clear that the National Government lacks the institutional memory to fully understand the intentions of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement and urged the National Government to stick to the agreements reached by both Governments in the joint consultations.
