PNG Committed to Referendum
New Dawn FM News
111018

The Papua New Guinea Government is committed to finding a lasting solution on Bougainville that will be mutually beneficial for Bougainville and Papua New Guinea.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neil made this statement in his opening remarks at the special Joint Supervisory Body Meeting today in Port Moresby today.
The Prime Minister thanked the President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government Chief Dr John Momis for his continued support and wisdom in finding an amicable solution for Bougainville.
Mr O’Neil also welcomed the former Prime Minister of Ireland Bertie Ahern who will be Chairing the Bougainville Referendum Commission.
He says Mr Ahern brings a lot of experience to BRC and hopes that his inclusion will enable both Bougainville and PNG to progress the referendum successfully.
He revealed that there are issues still to be resolved before the BRC can fully function but he has been reassured by bureaucrats from PNG and Bougainville that preparations are in place with funding already made available.
He says that he looks forward to working with the BRC for the referendum to be successfully implemented on Bougainville.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister has appointed former Chief Secretary to the National Government Robert Igara and Dr Thomas Webster to the BRC.

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Comments

[Garry Roche]

Apparently the former Prime Minister (Taoiseach) of Ireland, Bertie Ahern who has been appointed the head of the Bougainville Referendum Commission is visiting PNG.
It may be of interest to be aware that Bertie Ahern’s own father, Cornelius (Con) Ahern was involved – not with the BRA - but with the IRA (Irish Republican Army) way back in the 1920’s in the Irish “War of Independence” against the English. Con Ahern also was on the losing side of the Civil War that followed gaining of Irish Independence and as a result was for a while imprisoned in the “Tintown” prison camp in the Curragh, Co. Kildare, and during that time was on hunger-strike for a while.
One of the reasons that Bertie Ahern was chosen for the Bougainville issue is that he has been involved with some successful peace agreements, including the one in Northern Ireland. Hopefully the whole process will bring peace and reconciliation