Former army leader calls on ABG to hold election as planned

A FORMER official of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army has called on the Autonomous Bougainville Government to hold elections as scheduled from March to June next year, and not to defer it.
Martin Miriori said President Dr John Momis and his committee members were planning to postpone the Bougainville election next year.
“Such a move is simply not on,” he said.
“And from what I am hearing from the people of Bougainville, they will certainly not support the move.”
He said once again, the government was making the move “without even going back to the people and consulting them”.
“Such a move can become highly questionable as to the motives behind it,” Miriori said.
Miriori said a petition was being prepared by the chairman of the South Bougainville community governments to be presented to the ABG Parliament to oppose any move to postpone the election.
He accused those behind the postponement of “covering up their (alleged) corruption and corrupt deals”.
“They know very well that the people are already fed up and ready to throw them out in next year’s election,” he said.
Miriori warned leaders not to “use every trick under the sun” to remain in power and mismanage the affairs of Bougainville while the people continue to suffer, especially in the past nine years with a complete lack of Government services and development. “The longer we allow these leaders to remain in power, the more they will continue to corrupt the system.”