NEW DAWN ON BOUGAINVILLE

310518HAMAO CALLS FOR VIGILANCE
New Dawn FM News

Former Bougainville’s Resistance Force Commander and local Businessman, DONALD HAMAO today called on the people of Bougainville especially former combatants to be vigilant as we approach the referendum scheduled for 2019.
MR. HAMAO said he does not want to see some combatants to side step and derail the peace process when we are just about to reach the end of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
He warned that if Bougainville misses this one opportunity Bougainville will never have the second chance to have another referendum for Independence.
MR. HAMAO made these comments yesterday when condemning the Seven day ultimatum by service providers to switch of the Power House and also close the Bougainville administration.
He also said if we drag on and on and loose our focus on the future status of Bougainville we will never free Bougainville.

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310518ABG WILL PAY GENUINE CLAIMS SAYS PRESIDENT MOMIS
New Dawn FM News
The President of the Bougainville Autonomous Government, CHIEF DR. JOHN MOMIS says all genuine claims by service providers will be paid when funds are available.
President MOMIS made these comments in a press conference in Buka today.
He told Reporters in Buka that the ABG will not run away from its bills owed to genuine service providers.
President MOMIS said but the approach some Ex-combatants and service providers are taking is dangerous and is not a right approach to take as we approach the referendum.
He said that seven days ultimatum given by the service providers could be instigated by people who are against Bougainville’s wish for self-determination.
President MOMIS also questioned why people are resorting to these activities when we are just few months away from deciding the future status of Bougainville.
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310518STICK TO THE PEACE AGREEMENT SAYS PRESIDENT MOMIS
New Dawn FM News

ABG President CHIEF DR. JOHN MOMIS has warned the people of Bougainville to stick to the Bougainville Peace Agreement if we want to successfully establish a peaceful atmosphere and use this rare opportunity to determine our own political future.
President MOMIS said that if we do things outside of the Bougainville Peace Agreement we will fail our people.
He made these comments at a Press Conference with reporters in Buka this morning.
President MOMIS said what the Service Providers are doing to threaten the ABG with their seven day ultimatum is dangerous and against the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
He said that the National Government has indicated already that it would give a hard time to Bougainville after the Referendum that is why Bougainvilleans must be ready for a tough negotiation to determine the future of Bougainville.
President said however any negotiations will be held under the Bougainville Peace Agreement therefore our actions against the Peace Agreement will be counted for and against during that time.
He said persons with grievances with the ABG must follow the proper channel so that they can be resolved peacefully.
President MOMIS said that threatening the government and taking the law into our own hands will only make it difficult for us in the end.

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300518BUKA COMMANDERS CONDEMN THREAT TO THE ABG
New Dawn FM News

Buka Island’s former BRA and Resistance Commanders, EDDIE MOHIN and DONALD HAMAU today condemned the threat by Service providers to shut down the PNG POWER and ABG administration because of non-payment of bills.
In a joint statement today, the Commanders told New Dawn FM that Bougainvilleans fought the ten year war to free Bougainville and not to let it control by a few so called former combatants who have their selfish interest.
They called on the Business people and anyone who have unpaid bills by the ABG to wait as ABG is currently cash strapped and cannot pay them.
They questioned where ABG will get the funds to pay them when PAPUA NEW GUINEA is broke.
The Commanders called on all Ex-combatants to make sure that they do not destroy what Bougainvilleans have fought for to achieve.
They said all guns in the hands of former combatants must be disposed of to complete the weapons disposal program before the referendum.
They said anyone who holds on a gun after Bougainville destroys the remaining weapons will be a law and order matter.
MR. DONALD HAMAO said that as a signatory to the Bougainville Peace Agreement he wants all conditions on the Bougainville Peace Agreement met by all Bougainvilleans.
He called on the Service Providers to follow up with the finance people on their claims and not to disturb the PNG Power and the Bougainville administration.

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300518FORMER COMBATANTS UNITED FOR REFERENDUM
New Dawn FM News
Former BLF and Resistance Commander, DONALD HAMAO says all former Bougainville ex-combatants are united and working together to make sure the Referendum has a successful outcome.
He said that all former factional leaders are also members of the Former Combatants Core Group and working together for one cause.
AND this include all Meekamui fighters, BRA and Resistance fighters and are disturbed by threats made by service providers that could derail the peace process.
MR. HAMAO said his group is concerned that threats of disturbing Power and Government services in Buka could divide the already divided people of Bougainville.
He said the last thing that the former combatants want to see is the civilian population voting against the cause of Bougainville because they have doubts on the future because certain former combatants have continued to disturb the peace process until today.
MR. HAMAO said that the Peace Agreement stated very clearly that all fighters re-integrate into their communities and contribute to the development of Bougainville.
He said this is what he and other former commanders have done to support the Autonomous Bougainville Government and her people have peace at home.

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300518WEST COAST LEADERS WANT DEVELOPMENT
New Dawn FM News
Two Community Government Chairmen from the West Coast of Bougainville have supported some form of development to take place on the West coast of Bougainville.
Speaking at the HAHON Primary School yesterday, the Chairman of MAHARI community Government and the KEREAKA Community Government both wanted the people to see some changes in their area for the first time.
The Chairman for the Kereaka Community Government NICHOLAS ETEO told the gathering that it was now or never for the forgotten people of the West Coast to feel and see some changes in their area.
MR. ETEO said the people must understand that with any development one has to sacrifice something to get something.
He called on the people of MAHARI and KEREAKA and other areas where the project will cover to stay united and support the ABG and the people of Bougainville come out of poverty.
Meanwhile the Chairman for the MAHARI Community Government, STEVEN ETSI also supported the Exploration work in their area.
He stressed the need for the people to have access to good road infrastructure to the West coast of Bougainville.

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300518WOMEN BANK READY TO OPEN UP IN BOUGAINVILLE
New Dawn FM News
The Women Micro Bank based in Port Moresby has been carrying out awareness throughout Bougainville to get the women of Bougainville to buy shares and also open accounts with the Bank.
Head of Marketing with the Women’s Micro Bank Limited, MELISHA SINDIWAN said that they also talked to the women in Arawa and Buin and were happy with the enthusiasm by the women to becoming shareholders of the bank.
Before leaving for Port Moresby this morning, MS MELISHA SINDIWAN made some last minute appeal live on New Dawn FM to the women of Bougainville to learn the Savings culture with the Micro Bank and save for the future.
On the question if men can also open accounts at the Women’s Micro Bank she said that Men who want to open account must be accompanied by a female family member.
She also mentioned that the company has floated shares for women who want to buy shares at ONE KINA per share.
MS SINDIWAN said that paying of Shares will close on the 30th of June, 2018.

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300518MIRIORI ON REFERENDUM COMMITTEE
New Dawn FM News
Buka businessman and former BIG/BRA Secretary, MARTIN MIRIORI today called on the Bougainville Referendum Commission to fast-tract all preparations for the Bougainville referendum scheduled for June next year.
He made his appeal after learning that the work on the Referendum Common Roll and the Questions to be put to the people is yet to be formulated.
MR.MIRIORI has made this strong appeal to the Commission because it was getting very late for the preparation work to begin.
He said that the people must be very clear as to how far the commission has progressed with the preparation.
New Dawn FM understands that the Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman has not being finalized and also the TWENTY MILLION KINA funding for the Commission has not been released to the Commission.

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290518MIRORI DENIES TALK ON WEAPONS DISPOSAL
New Dawn FM News

The former BRA/BIG Secretary and now Businessman, MARTIN MIRIORI has denied saying that Weapons Disposal was not important leading up to next year’s referendum.
He says what he said was that they must not give too much emphases on the issue, although it was an important pillar to conducting the referendum.
Instead we should focus our attention on the main issue of the referendum so that all Bougainville are fully informed to put their mark on this important issue for Bougainville.
He said guns have remained silent on Bougainville since the signing of the historic Burnham Declaration in July, 1997.

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290518HAHON WOMAN LEADER CALLS FOR DEVELOPMENT
New Dawn FM News

A Hahon woman leader, JULIE MOSTE says her people have been neglected and Government services has moved away from them making life in the villages very challenging.
She told New Dawn FM in Hahon today that she wants other West Coast women to support her and allow development to come into their areas.
MS MOSTE said that currently the road is so bad and mothers like her cannot get their garden produce to the market in town.
She said development will definitely come with some disadvantages but life was not meant to be difficult like what her people are facing now.
MS MOSTE said the people of West Coast must stop playing politics and allow the West to see some development like what is happening in the east.

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