18 Oct 2018

Greater autonomy for Bougainville still to be defined

From , 6:05 am on 18 October 2018

One of the two options for Bougainvilleans when they vote next year in an independence referendum is greater autonomy.

The referendum is the culmination of the 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement following a ten year civil war.

At a meeting in Port Moresby last week, the leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea agreed the question to be put to the Bougainvillean people: 'Do you agree for Bougainville to have: (1) Greater Autonomy (2) Independence'  

University of Wollongong emeritus professor of politics, Ted Wolfers, has long been involved in Bougainville issues and was at the meeting.

Don Wiseman asked him what greater autonomy means.

Over 20,000 people died in the Bougainville civil war and many disappeared without being accounted for.

Over 20,000 people died in the Bougainville civil war and many disappeared without being accounted for. Photo: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)