B’ville referendum must go on

I WRITE in response to the letter “B’ville referendum not in PNG best interest” by Jeffsatu Lypin Lukait of Port Moresby (The National, Jan 27).
I don’t know where the writer hails from but his or her suggestion is an offence to Bougainvilleans.
He or she must bear in mind that the referendum and movement for Bougainville independence is not for the people of Papua New Guinea to decide.
Leave it to us Bougainvilleans.
This is our cry for freedom. We don’t want slavery, we want happiness.
We have embarked on this journey of political freedom with more than 20,000 lives already lost.
Firstly, there is scepticism about the establishment of the Bougainville Referendum Commission by the writer. Do you underestimate this commission?
We have already captured the nation and world’s trust and faith in using our instincts and intelligence of creating or modifying things.
On the same note, the former Bougainville government that is the North Solomon’s government, the government that gave birth to the nation of PNG, was the first and only well established and well organised government during those colonial times when PNG was not even a State as yet.
If we have done that, what would stop us from creating another thing of such magnitude?
Secondly, the writer seems to blame Bougainville for the course of autonomy that is being admired by other provinces.
Bougainville does not tell nor force other provinces to go for autonomy to become autonomous just like itself.
Their leaders make their decisions based on their assessment of their people progress in life.
For sure when there’s no change in the lower level, we need to change the system.
That’s logical. Again the creativity and credit goes to the Bougainvilleans for introducing this concept to this country.
Thirdly, the Government cannot dress our problems.
They don’t know our problems.
Forty years of ignorance and stubbornness is too long.
We need a new political concept.
And none other than us are the ones who can run that concept precisely for ourselves.
Also we are one out of the twenty two provinces that exist in PNG with the same day-to-day problems.
If they can’t solve them, how can they dress ours?
When power is held by the upper liners you are helpless down the line.
We don’t need monopoly of power over people, but power that is distributed down the line so people can be empowered.
Therefore, the Government with such hierarchy like the current one, is incapable of handling our issues or problems.
Lastly, the writer mentioned that it would be very sad if a Papua New Guinean who visits a friend in Bougainville converts kina to the yet to be currency of Bougainville and use a passport to travel there.
You are indirectly telling us with your opposing points that there are only two countries in the world.
The use of passport is a global custom. You have to accept it.
These factors by the writer will never hinder the process and journey of Bougainville’s referendum and the move for independence.
We have crossed the bridge and it broke down after we crossed.
Our elders started it, and we the youngsters will stick to it and carry it on until the goal is turned into gold.
I will conclude with this saying: “Those who do not learn from history are condemned to repeat it again.”

Salatiel Kanau, Via email