The general secretary of the Papua New Guinea Trades Union Congress, John Paska, hopes Bougainville chooses to stay part of PNG.
The autonomous region is to hold a vote on independence in October this year and Mr Paska says it's everyone's desire that Bougainville remain an integral part of PNG.
He told Don Wiseman that to walk away now denies the bonds that have existed for thousands of years.
A tentative date of June 15th 2019 has been set for a referendum on possible independence in the Autonomous Papua New Guinea region of Bougainville. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades