President Ishmael Toroama says the overwhelming mandate delivered by Bougainville voters in the 2019 referendum is facing a critical test as Papua New Guinea’s National Parliament table the Bi-Partisan Report on the referendum.
In a statement to Bougainvilleans, Toroama urged calm and unity ahead of what he described as an important moment in Bougainville’s political journey, saying the people would soon hear directly from PNG political leaders about Bougainville’s future aspirations for independence.
“My fellow Bougainvilleans, in the next few days, the resolve of the 97.8 percent of Bougainvilleans who voted for Bougainville to attain independence will be tested by the tabling of the Bi-Partisan Report on the 2019 Bougainville Referendum in the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea.”
Toroama said Bougainvilleans would “see and hear firsthand the sentiments expressed by the political leadership of the Government of Papua New Guinea regarding Bougainville’s history, our government, and, more importantly, our political aspirations for a future Independent Sovereign State of Bougainville.”
The President argued that Bougainville’s push for self-determination existed long before Papua New Guinea gained independence and said Bougainville had made sacrifices to support the formation of the PNG state.
“Our history speaks for itself; Bougainville’s political aspirations for self-determination predates that of Papua New Guinea. In 1975, these aspirations were compromised so that we could offer the economic guarantee for Papua New Guinea’s independence. Instead of earning the gratitude of a grateful nation we had an unjust war waged on our people that resulted in the Bougainville Crisis.” he explained.
Toroama also defended the performance of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, saying assessments of the region must take into account the realities of post-conflict recovery and the implementation of the peace agreement.
“The peace that exists on Bougainville today is a joint achievement of the people of Bougainville and the Government of Papua New Guinea through the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement. It is therefore unfair to judge the Autonomous Bougainville Government through a partial and subjective lens that does not fully appreciate the challenges of post-conflict recovery, institution building, and a lack of enthusiasm from the National Government to jointly implement the parameters of the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” he said.
The Bougainville leader said the region’s people had endured hardship and remained committed to achieving their political goals despite challenges and criticism.
“Fellow Bougainvilleans, we are a people who have survived adversity. We have endured suffering that would have broken many others, yet we remain steadfast in our determination and united in our aspirations. Our resolve cannot be compromised, nor can it be easily shaken by threats, criticism, or attempts to diminish the legitimacy of our political journey,” Toroama said.
Toroama said the 2019 referendum result reflected decades of struggle and could not be dismissed.
“We did not arrive at this juncture in time by mistake.
The overwhelming result of the 2019 Referendum was not an accident of history. It was the culmination of decades of sacrifice, resilience, reconciliation, and an unwavering belief in our right to determine our own future,” he said.
As debate over the report approaches, Toroama called on Bougainvilleans to remain peaceful and focused.
“As the debate unfolds in the National Parliament, I urge all Bougainvilleans to remain calm, united, and respectful. Let us not be distracted by rhetoric or discouraged by differing opinions. Our strength has always been our unity of purpose and our faith in the justice of our cause.”
He stressed that parliamentary discussions would not change the outcome of the referendum or Bougainville’s political history.
“No parliamentary debate can erase our history. No report can diminish the democratic mandate expressed by our people.”
Toroama said Bougainville’s future remained in God’s hands.
“We trust no one but God Almighty who protected us during the war and blessed us with peace. He is the same God who will deliver Bougainville once again to its ultimate political destination,” he said.
