ABG strategise on security, arms
Quelle: Post Courier, 30.10.2012
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) now has a peace, security and weapons disposal strategy to address a key pillar of the Bougainville Peace Agreement on Autonomy Implementation and Weapons Disposal. The Weapons Disposal strategy was passed by the Bougainville Executive Council on October 11, in Buka, Bougainville.
This is the first time since the signing of the Bougainville Peace Agreement in 2001 that the ABG has in place a plan to address the disposing of firearms used during the Bougainville conflict — spanning over a decade that claimed more than 15,000 lives.
The strategy will guide all stakeholders towards achieving the Bougainville Peace Agreement requirement to dispose of allegedly more than 2,000 firearms that are believed to still be in the possession of former combatants.
Vice President of the ABG, Patrick Nisira who provides leadership to the initiative expressed his appreciation for the commitment shown by the various levels of Government to contribute to the operation of the strategy to rid the communities of the growing threats of arms. “We have come a long way consolidating this mechanism; it is the outcome of wider consultations, and a new focus on community-driven approach to peace with security and arms disposal enforcement”.
Nisira said the Peace and Security and Weapons Disposal strategy grants ownership of the Peace Building Process to the local communities and encourages an all-inclusive participatory concept to the process.
The plan also ensures that the weapons issue is approached through co-ordinated and elective integration programmes devised to empower community confidence with a more interactive and systematic approach to fostering and sustaining development.
“In the past we have lacked a structure to guide the overall implementation of the Peace Process. With the new structure, the ABG will manage these implementation activities within a guided process,” he said. “This strategy is action oriented to mitigate increased crime, carry out a government and community joint strategy on weapons disposal and effectively address weaknesses that may be identified in long term security and law and order enforcement mechanisms.”
Nisira added that the new strategy is more integrated — capturing peace building, socio-economic and political integration, resource governance and more importantly the security and elimination of arms from the region.
The new approach is community-driven. It promotes collective responsibility (Government and citizens) for security, with relevant institutional and legislative backing provided by the autonomous government.
Nisira acknowledged all stakeholders who had assisted in the development of the strategy and urged that they contribute to the implementation of the guidelines set out. This strategic approach encourages equal participation from all levels of Government; the ABG, National Government, ex-combatants, donor partners and the civil society,” he said.
He especially thanked United Nations Development Program Bougainville mission for playing an instrumental role in the design of the strategy and urged that they continue to support in maintaining regular technical assistance for the full implementation and actualisation of the strategy. |
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