Quelle: Post Courier, 15.10.2012
FORMER combatants in Bougainville, led by those from North Bougainville, are unhappy with the non-attendance of the ABG President Chief Dr John Momis during their meeting last week.
The meeting which was held on Friday at the UBS compound in Buka town, was organised by a group of former combatant’s, as a follow-up on their petition that was presented to Mr Momis on the 12 of September this year. According to some of the members, they were looking forward to receiving some feedback regarding their petition. The former combatants said that the President could have sent his representative, if he was busy, to attend the meeting and advise them if the ABG had already taken steps in addressing their demands, presented to President Momis, during a peaceful protest staged last month.
The demand that they wanted President Momis to immediately address is for the ABG to request that the United Nations (UN) oversee the peace building process on Bougainville and not Australia through its international aid agency, AusAID. They emphasized that Mr Momis should have addressed this issue within a week after the protest march. It is believed that President Momis was attending a cabinet meeting with members of the Bougainville Executive Council on Friday and was unable to attend the meeting.
The petition signed by Sam Kauona, Ismael Toroama, Ben Kamda, Albert Magoi, Chris Uma, Ben Malatan and Willie Aga and presented contains these 8 demands: ■ The ABG President request the United Nations Political Office in New York within 1 week, through UNDP, to return to Bougainville and oversee the peace process and not AUSAID and a copy of the letter be given to the Ex-Combatant’s Association Chairman; ■ ABG lawyers explain to the people of Bougainville where ABG is at legally; ■ The President and ABG explain why they brought the named Chinese Criminals wanted by PNG authorities to Bougainville; ■ The ABG President, the 4 Bougainville National members of parliament and the O’Neill-Dion government, convene and review the Bougainville Peace Agreement immediately; ■ That the main objective of the review be to remove all the terms and conditions imposed on the ABG under the BPA, including weapons disposal, PNG Parliament ratification of the referendum outcome, Autonomy drawdown and fiscal self-reliance etc... ■ The review be conducted within 3 months from the date of this resolution and petition; ■ That ex-combatant representatives be included in the Bougainville Peace Agreement review team; and ■ If the ABG President and the 4 Bougainville National MP’s fail to effect this BPA review, then they resign immediately within the time given under the petition. |