22 Dec 2008

Major reconciliation planned for Bougainville war participants

4:24 pm on 22 December 2008

A major reconciliation party is planned for the people of Panguna in the autonomous Papua New Guinea of Bougainville.

Panguna was the focus of the ten year long civil war.

The Post Courier newspaper says the reconciliation, to involve landowners, ex-combatants and key figures in the Bougainville crisis, will be held on Christmas Day.

Central Bougainville MP Jimmy Miringtoro says it will see the signing of the Panguna Communique.

He says reconciliation remains an outstanding issue in Bougainville.

Mr Miringtoro also says he will also be asking the PNG National Government to contribute much more to the development of the province.

The paper reports him saying that there has not been any real commitment from the National Government and that is possibly why the ABG sought help offshore.

He says the province needs ten times the money currently provided by Port Moresby.