Heed B’ville concerns, Momis tells Govt
By HARLYNE JOKU
ONE of the founding fathers of the PNG Constitution, John Momis, warned yesterday that the concerns of the people of Bougainville must be addressed before the Government could consider reopening the Bougainville copper mine.
Mr Momis, PNG’s ambassador to China, made the remarks as one of the key-speakers at the 2008 UPNG Waigani Seminar which started at the University of PNG’s main lecture theatre yesterday.
He said the Bougainville crisis of the late 1980s and 1990s was inevitable as successive Governments refused to listen to the pleas and grievances of the landowners and people of Bougainville.
“I warned the Government many times that the Bougainville copper agreement had to be reviewed and that unless they took note of the grievances of the Bougainville people, there would be a bloody war,” Mr Momis said.
But at that time the Government was more concerned about power and was not prepared to listen, he added.
Mr Momis returned to PNG from Beijing, China, this week despite the staging of the Olympic Games there.
He came to share his thoughts at the Waigani Seminar on how he and the Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare had guided and chartered the way forward for democracy to make the Autonomous Bougainville Government now a reality.
Mr Momis was one of the prominent Papua New Guineans invited to address the seminar.
He said Bougainvilleans had felt alienated and devoid of power since the development of Bougainville copper mine on the island.
“They elected me as their MP with a mission in my lifetime to ensure that they are empowered and become part of the political and development process.”
Mr Momis said no Government had the right to deprive its people of participation in the decision-making processes.
He said when people felt alienated with no power, they would rebel.
“Our people must participate in the decision- making processes and development of their resources and they must not be just passive observers,” Mr Momis said.
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