Parties to peace agreement obliged to implement terms

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THE Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) is a joint initiative of the national government and the people of Bougainville and both parties should have a commitment to implement its terms, a Bougainville minister says.
Bougainville Peace Agreement and Implementation (DBPAI) Minister Albert Punghau made the comments at a workshop on Bougainville referendum in Buka last week. The weeklong workshop was facilitated by DBPAI and organised for elected Bougainville House of Representatives officials (BHOR) and their executive officers.
It also invited participants and presenters from the Bougainville administration and some civil organisations based in the region.
The aim of the workshop was to get relevant stakeholders to re-assess their roles and to fast-track crucial issues relating to the region’s awaited referendum set by the two governments – ABG and the national government — on June 15, 2019.
Punghau said every Bougainvillean should contribute to the current peace efforts in the region to ensure that peace and stability were cherished and sustained.
Some of the issues highlighted in the workshop that needed immediate consultation and public awareness on were the June 15, 2019, date for the referendum, valid voting-age of 18 years, rights to vote by Bougainvilleans living outside the region, Bougainville women in mixed-marriages and the cut-off mark for voting rights of their children and descendants, and autonomy arrangements.