ABG rejects Wagambie

THE Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has refused to recognise the appointment of Assistant Police Commissioner Anthony Wagambie Jnr as Deputy Chief of Police in the Bougainville Police Service.
ABG President Ishmael Toroama in a statement yesterday said Police Commissioner David Manning’s decision was unconstitutional and breached the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
Toroama in a statement said: “Section 26 of the Organic Law on Peace Building on Bougainville and Section 237 of the Bougainville Peace Agreement clearly stipulate that the appointment of the hierarchical officers in the Bougainville Police Service by the Commissioner of Police be based on the direct nomination of a suitable candidate by the ABG through the Bougainville Executive Council.
“The Government through the Commissioner of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary ignored my government in this decision. We were never consulted nor privy to the process of appointing the Deputy Chief of the Bougainville Police Service.”
Manning on Wednesday in a reshuffle of the police hierarchy moved Wagambie from the National Capital District-Central command to Bougainville.
Toroama said PNG’s disciplined forces were barred by the Peace Agreement from instituting any decision, be it administrative or tactical on Bougainville, without the knowledge and input of the ABG.
“I am dissatisfied with the manner the Government has yet again usurped the role of the ABG in implementing the parameters of the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Toroama said.
He pointed out that the Bougainville Peace Agreement did not exist “merely to protect the civil liberties of the people of Bougainville and resolve the Bougainville conflict”.
“The peace agreement is also intended to empower the autonomous arrangements for Bougainville that came into existence as a direct result of the agreement in 2001,” Toroama said.
ABG Attorney-General Ezekiel Massat urged Police Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jnr to pull Manning into line.
“It is worrying, the number of occasions the Government, through ministers, has acted without consulting the Bougainville government,” Massat said.
He accused the Government in Port Moresby of treating the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the ratification of the referendum vote “with carelessness and disdain”.
He said the Era Kone covenant required Parliament to ratify the referendum results last year. But without consulting Bougainville, Parliament was adjourned to this year.
“We expected the Government to deal with the Bougainville issue in February, (but) Parliament was adjourned to May 28,” Massat said.
“I’m disappointed with the lack of consultation and blatant breach of laws, particularly when you are supposed to be the first to portray respect and compliance for the rule of law,” he said.
“Mannings’ actions add to the public perception that there are different sets of laws.
“Worse still is the perception that the commissioner can decide which laws to adhere to and those he can ignore and breach,” Massat said.