From: "Vikki John" <VIKKI-AT-lexsun.law.uts.edu.au> Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 12:32:04 GMT-1000 Subject: M-NEWS: (Fwd) The Guardian: Bougainville update (3.Sept '97) ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- > The Guardian September 3, 1997 > > Bougainville update > > A meeting last week between Australia's Foreign Minister, Mr Downer, and > the representative in Australia of the Bougainville Interim Government, Mr > Moses Havini, was the first such meeting and indicated that the Australian > Government is now prepared to give defacto recognition to the Bougainville > Interim Government. Mr Havini welcomed this development and said that "the > present Australian Government now sees that in order to resolve the > conflict on Bougainville it must involve the BIG and BRA who were formerly > regarded as rebels." > > The Australian Government is attempting to find ways to deal itself back > into the Bougainville situation having been sidelined when the New Zealand > Government took the initiative to bring the Bougainville political forces > together in New Zealand. At that meeting the three principle forces on > Bougainville adopted the Burnham Declaration and resolved to work closely > together. This was a major achievement and unified the Bougainville > leadership in support of a process to bring about peace and to work for an > agreed political future for the island. > > For some time the Australian Government recognised that a successful > military outcome for PNG was not possible. This was partly the reason why > Australia opposed the intervention by the Sandline's mercenaries. > > However, although the tactics of the Australian Government have changed and > is now in favour of peace the Government continues to oppose independence > for Bougainville and has its sights set on the reopening of the CRA Panguna > copper mine. > > The allocation by the Australian Government of $100 million over five years > to help with the alleviation of suffering and for the reconstruction of > Bougainville, while welcome, may also have the aim of creating an > opportunity for the direct involvement of Australian personnel on the > ground in Bougainville. > > New strains > > The allocation of the aid money has caused some new strains in relations > between the Australian and PNG Governments. Mr Downer told journalists that > the money would come from Australia's normal aid allocation which meant > that other aid allocations to PNG might be cut. On the other hand, PNG's > new Prime Minister, Bill Skate, maintained that it was an additional > amount. > > When challenged that Australia was "robbing Peter to pay Paul", Mr Downer > claimed that it was wrong to say that one interpreation was wrong and the > other right. > > Mr Skate called on the Australian Government to come clean on the > Bougainville issue. "We are talking about Bougainville which through its > copper mine helped Papua New Guinea and Australia," he said. > > Mr Skate's comment confirms that the CRA Panguna copper mine on > Bougainville remains central to both the PNG and Australian Governments. > > While supporting peace talks the PNG Government has ruled out independence > for Bougainville. Prime Minister Bill Skate says independence for > Bougainville is "non-negotiable". > > Another round of talk with the Bougainville political forces is scheduled > to be held in New Zealand later this month. On the previous occasion only > Bougainvillean representatives were present. This time the PNG Government > will be included. > > Important victory > > The four non-government organisers who stopped the Sandline International > mercenaries from going to Bougainville (to kill, maim and murder the > people) and were charged with "unlawful assembly" had all charges struck > out when they faced a PNG court last week. > > In congratulating the four men involved, Bougainville Freedom Movement > spokesperson in Sydney, Vikki John, said: "Justice is served. You all > deserve Nobel Peace Prizes". > > At the same time a PNG Military Court has charged four leading defence > force officers with mutiny following their demonstrations against the > Sandlines mercenaries. A hearing of the charges has been set down for > September 8. > > Those charged include Major Walter Enuma who was a strong supporter of the > former commander of the PNG Defence Forces, Major General Singirok. > > * * * > > South African Government acts against mercenaries > > CAPETOWN, South Africa: The SA Government has introduced legislation > which punishes soldiers of fortune with 10 years in prison and $220,000 > fines. A member of the SA Government says that it is a "constitutional > duty" to avoid interference in the affairs of other countries. > > The bill introduced by Defense Minister Joe Modise in July imposes controls > on military assistance abroad. It bans participation in actual military > combat, giving military advice, training, the procurement of military > equipment and the provision of security services. > > Kader Asmal, who heads SA's National Conventional Arms Control Committee, > said: "Applications (for permission) will be refused outright if they might > result in the violation or suppression of human rights, endanger peace by > military destabilisation ... support terrorism ... or prejudice South > Africa's national or international obligations and interests." > >
Display software: ArchTracker © Malgosia Askanas, 2000-2005