Focus on referendum processes, people urged

National

Bougainvilleans have been advised not to worry about the end result of the referendum but pay more attention to the processes that lead up to it.
Autonomous Bougainville Government president Dr John Momis made the statement last week at the Bougainville women leaders regional workshop on the referendum.
“The first thing that we must worry about is the preparation on the lead up to the referendum,” he said.
“We must ensure that our preparation is credible and follows democratic principles.
“There are no short cuts to achieving Bougainville’s aspirations to realise a political future that the people desire.
“Only the Bougainville peace agreement is the way forward for Bougainville.”
Momis warned that taking short cuts would only put at risk the future of Bougainville.
So the implementation of the peace agreement remains the prerogative of the ABG and the Government.
“The leaders of both governments must understand the Bougainville peace agreement. It is not only an agreement about service delivery but also about building a new government,” he said.
He told the people and the government to start planning and preparing for the referendum.
He called for unity among the people of Bougainville.
“Unity does not mean uniformity for Bougainvilleans. We can have diverse cultures and belief systems but we must be united in the belief that Bougainville will achieve its political ambitions,” he said.