19 December 2003
Five years after the peace process was initiated via a fragile ceasefire
agreement, the people of the island of Bougainville are closer than ever to
resolving one of the most serious and damaging conflicts in the South Pacific
region since World War II.
Australia has made an important contribution to the Bougainville peace
process in partnership with the Government of Papua New Guinea and other
countries, especially Fiji, New Zealand, Vanuatu and, in earlier negotiations Solomon Islands.
Recently, the Australian Government announced that:
- the small Bougainville Transition Team (BTT), which replaced the larger
Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) last July, would depart Bougainville. - as part of a package of enhanced cooperation agreed between Australia and
Papua New Guinea, Australia will send a police team of up to 20 personnel to
Bougainville.
Background to recent developments
The AusAID funded Bougainville Transition Team (BTT) was deployed in July
2003 to further advance the peace process following the withdrawal of the Peace
Monitoring Group (PMG).
The BTT is a small, unarmed team of civilians from Australia, New Zealand,
Fiji and Vanuatu. It was established to maintain confidence in the peace process
and facilitate the important steps towards autonomy, as contained in the
Bougainville Peace Agreement.
The BTT's formal mandate has been to:
- promote and instil confidence in the peace process and in the transition
towards autonomous government through its presence, good offices and
interaction with people in Bougainville; - liaise with all groups to support effective policy and processes in the
transition to autonomous government; and - assist with the implementation of the Bougainville Peace
Agreement in close collaboration with the respective parties and as
available resources allow.
The Role of the BTT
The BTT has played a crucial role as a supporter and facilitator of the peace
process. It has assisted by:
- arranging and attending key peace meetings
- providing transport for delegates
- providing a reliable communication system
- monitoring and reporting cease fire violations
- assisting the United Nations Political Office on Bougainville (UNPOB)
- liaising with the Bougainville Provincial Government to help identify
capacity building needs.
For example, the BTT recently organised and facilitated an important peace
meeting on Nissan Island that resulted in former combatants agreeing
in-principle to destroy their weapons.
Communities throughout Bougainville have also been brought closer together
through the distribution of a BTT newsletter, 'Nius Bilong Peace'. Initiated by
the PMG as a peace publication, it has now been revamped by the Transition Team
to become a general news source used by Bougainvillean communities and the BTT
to deliver a range of messages.
The Next Steps
The Minister for Foreign Affairs recently announced an Australian offer to
send a police team of up to 20 personnel to Bougainville as part of the enhanced
cooperation package with Papua New Guinea. The PNG Government has since endorsed
this package of assistance in the law and justice, finance and public
administration sectors.
In addition to providing support for law and justice, over the next four
years the Australian aid program will focus on supporting Bougainvilleans and
the Government of PNG to create a self-reliant, autonomous Bougainville
government. The focus will be to assist Bougainvilleans to finalise the peace
process, implement autonomous government, improve essential service delivery and
promote economic growth.
For further information see:
- Bougainville Peace Process [external website]