Govt should learn from referendum

WHILE the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville look forward to the result of the referendum that had started to decide on their status to either remain an integral part of Papua New Guinea or break away and be a country of its own, I have developed a very sad feeling about it.
PNG is a nation of diverse culture and tribe with Bougainvilleans forming the core of us as one nation, one salt water enhancing the noble idea of one people but to think about the referendum makes me feel downhearted.
The people of Bougainville are fully conscious of the fact that successive PNG governments, since independence, have failed not only Bougainville but the whole 22 provinces, and especially us the people of PNG.
And we all feel the reciprocated effect of that disservice. We have carried on the scars, the miseries, struggles and mismanagement of our welfare together as one people for over 40 years.
While the rest of us will continue to live under this mischievous state of affair, our countrymen and women, our children and all of Bougainvilleans have embarked on this historical event.
And it has started bleeding many hearts back in PNG.
We, the people of our country, have some close friends, school mates, workmates, and partners in crime and deep family relations with Bougainvilleans whom many are thinking about right now as this feeling of separation is unacceptable.
We should also recall the decade old conflict that has left resistant scars and birthmarks in the lives of many Bougainvilleans and the PNG soldiers including the families of those who have fallen. That battle was not for separation but over the control of resources endowed or blessed in abundance by the Creator.
And the referendum was signed as part of building a lasting peace resolution on the island with the PNG government. Having said that, it shall be reminded that even there are many resources in PNG which the government still controls, the people of Bougainville should consider the fact that their resources will also be controlled by the new government that residues from the referendum.
If their new government does not manage their resources well like what had happened with PNG, will the resources owners fight against their own government again?
Or will the people be allowed to make the final decision over the ownership and benefit of the resources? Whatever the uncertainty of tomorrow holds, the PNG government should realise by now that a good lesson has been learnt in Bougainville. If our leaders continue to ignore and neglect the cries of the people by mismanaging the people’s resources, many provinces and region in PNG will follow the footsteps travelled by our brothers and sisters in Bougainville.
Otherwise, mistakes are good to leap forward.
We all should remain as one people and our government should learn from its mistakes too and move this country forward.
United we should be as one people led by a considerate and corruption free government.

Brian Folock