Bougainville remembers first government during celebration

The Autonomous Region of Bougainville celebrated the 17th anniversary of the formation of the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) yesterday.
Celebrations were held in the three regional capitals in North Bougainville (Buka), Central Bougainville (Arawa) and South Bougainville (Buin).
Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama was in Arawa for the celebrations where he was the keynote speaker.
He paid tribute to former Bougainville leaders as well ex-combatants who fought in the Bougainville civil war.
He said their sacrifice made possible the existence of the ABG and the legal framework that preceded the ABG and allowed its creation. “In the present, my government has finally positioned Bougainville ready to attain independence but doing so through the established legal process,” he said.
“We all have a duty to Bougainville and to honour the blood that was spilled on our island to work with our government to achieve political independence.”
On June 15, 2005, the first Bougainville House of Representatives was sworn in with the late Joseph Kabui as president and witnessed by then prime minister the late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare.
This gave birth to the autonomous arrangements that had been in place on Bougainville.