News and Public Notices

The Moderator for the Bougainville independence consultations, Sir Jerry Mateparae, completed a week of meetings and dialogues with Bougainvillean leaders, youths, stakeholders and students across the region this week.

Sir Jerry Mateparae’s visit marks a vital progress in the post-referendum process, reinforcing the shared commitment to achieving a peaceful and sustainable outcome for Bougainville.

His visit began on Tuesday when he met with Sr. Loraine at Chabai, then onto Arawa Secondary School where he was welcomed by the students, staff and community leaders.

A grade nine student at Arawa Secondary School Belinda Hianu welcomed Sir Jerry and said, “We are glad you have visited us, thank you for coming to Arawa Secondary School and Bougainville as your dedication and leadership during this process have been pivotal in bringing us to the realization of our dreams for a peaceful self-determined future,” she said.

Sir Jerry thanked the school students and staff for the welcome and stressed that his visit was to listen to what Bougainvilleans had to say.

“My main role is to listen to you all, understand the situation and provide guidance for both the National Government and Bougainville find that common ground to address the ratification and final outcome of the referendum,” he said.

Sir Jerry also visited the Central Bougainville leaders and stakeholders at Arawa Sharp Memorial centre on Tuesday evening.

Sam Kauona, a former veteran and prominent leader in Central Bougainville congratulated Sir Jerry on his appointment and stated that Bougainville had followed the due process as required under the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) and it was really now up to the National Government to give Bougainvilleans what they voted for.

“You are here because Bougainville and PNG have reached a stage of impasse,” Sam Kauona said. “You are not new to Bougainville as you were here during the peace talks and your appointment is not a mistake.”

Leaders in Central Bougainville echoed similar concerns, calling on the national government to give them the independence that they voted for as theirs was a fight with blood and lives.

The same sentiments were shared by South Bougainville leaders when Sir Jerry met with the leaders and stakeholders at Bana High School on Wednesday, expressing views that Bougainvilleans had reached a point of no return and there was no turning back from the choice they voted for in the 2019 referendum.

Sir Jerry’s visit was to meet with all stakeholders in Bougainville, to have a dialogue with men, women, youths as well students and civil societies in order to understand the aspirations of the people. He was overwhelmed with the feedback he received most of which echoed similar messages for independence.

Sir Jerry also had a rare opportunity to meet with the women of Bougainville in their Annual Women’s congress in Tsiroge on Thursday.

ABG Minister for Public Service and Member Representing the Women of North Bougainville Hon. Amanda Masono who was present at the congress said it was a momentous occasion for all the women of Bougainville, for the opportunity to be addressed by the moderator.

“Let me remind you that women have been quite active in the peace building process regardless of how far we have come. We continue to be optimistic and believe that your role in being appointed as a moderator will actually help us move forward because on the impasse that we have on the two governments, the significant step in appointing a moderator should help us address those issues that we have come to conflict with the PNG government,” she said.

Sir Jerry later travelled to Buka and met with North Bougainville leaders and stakeholders, also giving them that opportunity to express their views on the peace process and their aspirations on the negotiations between the two governments.

He completed his dialogue yesterday with a meeting with the Speaker of the Bougainville House of Representatives, followed by a briefing with the President Hon Ishmael Toroama and Attorney General and Minister for Justice and Independence Mission Implementation Hon. Ezekiel Masatt.

The ABG Department of Bougainville Independence Mission Implementation has announced also that those wishing to give your views on the peace process are asked to write your submissions and deliver to the Department to forward to the Moderator.

[ Back to News ]