The failure to dispose of all weapons in Papua New Guinea's autonomous region of Bougainville could prove to be a major obstacle to the 2019 referendum on independence.
Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades
The Post Courier reports this was highlighted during the Bougainville referendum three-day conference in Port Moresby which was organised by the National Research Institute.
Concerns were raised about the slowness of disposing weapons on the island and why there was no specific database of weapons still in Bougainville.
Central Bougainville MP Sam Akoitai said the weapons disposal programme was taking so long that it needed a whole new approach both by the Autonomous Bougainville Government and the National Government.
A Bougainvillean training youths in security, Albert Magoi, said there were a number of factions to be dealt with in order for the vote to take place.
He talked about the issue of Me'ekamui, who were split in four and Tonu's Noah Musingku group.
Independent Bougainville women's leader Helen Yonny wondered what would happen if guns were used at voting time.
Former PNG Defence Force commander Jerry Singirok said as the chair of the weapons committee, he was still getting calls from Bougainville to buy guns.
But Bougainville's weapons boss Dennis Kuiai assured the conference that everything was under control and a database of weapons was being finalised.
