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| No laying down of arms by WILMO | |
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By ROMULUS MASIU THE armed Wisai Liberation Movement (WILMO) running a gun-battle with the Me’ekamui faction of South Bougainville said they would not lay down their arms. “We won’t surrender or contain our firearms if the Konnou Me’ekamui faction does not contain theirs,” a WILMO spokesman said yesterday. The spokesman, who did not want to be identified, said that “as long as the Me’ekamui faction is holding onto their illegal firearms we (WILMO) won’t surrender or contain ours”. He said they could contain their firearms anytime but they were not sure of the other group because they are not partners with the Bougainville peace agreement. “Though every faction that took part in the crisis contained their weapons, the Me’ekamui did not. At the moment we are not secured and don’t know what will happen to us if we contain our weapons,” he said. The spokesman said the security issue is of great concern to the people in the WILMO-controlled area, especially those in Wisai. “What will happen to them if their young men surrender firearms?” he asked. “To make things fair, the Me’ekamui must surrender their weapons and we will follow suit and then continue on negotiations through a round-table discussion,” he said. “If they fail to surrender their arms there is no point for us to lay down ours,” he added. Meanwhile, a peace committee made up of Autonomous Bougainville Government MPs and Me’ekamui officials have started negotiations with the two armed faction, saying the situation in the Wisai area looks promising. |
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