Formersoldiers call for peace

By STEPHANIE ELIZAH
FORMER combatants in Bougainville have ordered fighting factions in the Konnou constituency of South Bougainville to a ceasefire immediately to allow peace talks in the area to proceed.
The 110 former commanders who met last week at Tsiroge Catholic health centre to address the ongoing local conflict in the Konnou area resolved to give all factions until September to address the issue.
In a motion moved by former commander Damien Kora and seconded by Peter Naguo, the ex-combatants consultative meeting resolved to:
* Dispatch a high-powered unarmed delegation comprising of selected ex-combatants representatives of the North, South and Central veterans on a Konnou Peace Mission to open dialogue with the Damien Koike faction, Mongai Home Guards, WILMO faction, Konnou Freedom Fighters and Struggling for Peace faction;
* The  Autonomous Bou­gain­ville Government make available funding and facilitate the logistics required to facilitate the Konnou peace mission delegation;
* See that by the end of this year, a series of reconciliation ceremonies arranged, organised and held between the ex-combatant factions, groups, communities and individuals throughout the region to foster peace efforts and weapons disposal preparations, paving the way towards the referendum on independence; and,
* Ensure the Konnou peace mission delegation make its report available by September.
The ex-combatants agreed to three other resolutions including support for economic activities initiated by
the ABG and the reopening of the Panguna mine.