Bougainville's President, Ishmael Toroama, says veterans need to create a legacy that justifies their involvement in the Bougainville civil war.
Mr Toroama was addressing a meeting of the Bougainville Veterans Association at Tunuru Parish in central Bougainville.
He told them integration into civilian life is the key to becoming a responsible member of society, and playing an active role in Bougainville's journey to independence.
Mr Toroama, a former military commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (ABG), told the veterans that they should not become spectators in the journey to independence.
"We once led this fight at the forefront of the battlefield now it is time we join the ABG to complete this journey," he said.
Ishmael Toroama speaking at PNG think-tank, The National Research Institute. Photo: The National Research Institute
He said veterans were being shunned because of their reluctance to actively take part in peace-building and he denouced those who supported an upsurge in crime.
Mr Toroama also said the outstanding weapons in the hands of veterans should not be used to intimidate the people and cause crimes.
The president pledged his backing to ensure the veterans become important stakeholders in the post referendum period and in the consultations with the national government.
Details were scarce regarding the measures in place for the consultations themselves, but President Toroama described the JSB meeting as one of the first significant steps forward since
In the 2019 non-binding referendum, 97.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence from Papua New Guinea.
