Voters queue at a polling station in Buka during Bougainville's independence referendum, November 2018. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
A report on Bougainville's quest for independence from Papua New Guinea (PNG) could be tabled in the national parliament in the session that starts today.
In 2019, more than 97 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence from PNG in a non-binding referendum held across the region.
Under the Peace Agreement of 2001, the final decision on the independence issue would be reached in the PNG Parliament after consultation between both governments.
Constitutional lawyer, Anthony Regan, from the Department of Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University, said the Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Manaseh Makiba, told leaders in Bougainville in March that he planned to table the results of the referendum in the June session.
Professor Regan said this has apparently prompted a large group of leaders from Bougainville to travel to Port Moresby to witness the event.
But he said there has been no indication from the Minister, "as I understand it [is] about how the matter will be dealt with in parliament."
"So, I think we are at the moment waiting to see how the 6th of June commencing parliamentary session deals with the issues."
He said there has been very little discussion in local media about the issue, leaving people with little to go on.
Professor Regan said under the Era Kone Covenant, it was agreed that the documents would go to parliament before the end of 2023, with final resolution no earlier than 2025 or later than 2027.
However, he said the covenant does not indicate what happens when the documents do go to parliament.
His expectation is that this tabling, if it occurs this session, would be an initial discussion, with the parliament to decide on the matter later.
