From: "Vikki John" <VIKKI-AT-lexsun.law.uts.edu.au> Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 16:54:35 GMT-1000 Subject: M-NEWS: (Fwd) Bougainville Update 31/10/97 31/10/97 AUSTRALIAN TROOPS TO BOUGAINVILLE ? ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS REPORTS FROM CANBERRA AUSTRALIAN TROOPS ARE TO BE SENT TO BOUGAINVILLE AS PART OF A "MILITARY PEACEKEEPING FORCE." THIS PLAN HAS NOT, REPEAT NOT, BEEN DISCUSSED WITH THE BOUGAINVILLE INTERIM GOVERNMENT (BIG) OR THE BOUGAINVILLE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY BRA. WE WERE ABLE, WITH SOME DIFFICULTY, TO REACH A SENIOR SPOKESPERSON FOR THE BOUGAINVILLE INTERIM GOVERNMENT (BIG) THIS MORNING (31.10.97) AND ASKED HIM WHETHER THE B.I.G. HAD AGREED TO THIS PLAN (TO INCLUDE AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN THE PEACE-KEEPING FORCE AND OR MONITORS). HE RESPONDED VERY FIRMLY THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO CONTACT WHATSOEVER WITH THE B.I.G. ON THIS QUESTION. "THE B.I.G. HAS REJECTED THE PRESENCE OF ANY REPEAT ANY AUSTRALIAN TROOPS FROM THE VERY BEGINNING OF NEGOTIATIONS. WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANY AUSTRALIAN "PEACE-KEEPERS" ON BOUGAINVILLE, UNDER ANY PRETENSE WHATSOEVER." THEY ARE NOT WANTED ON BOUGAINVILLE. AUSTRALIA HAS SUPPLIED WEAPONS, TRAINING AND PILOTS FOR THE PNG ARMY ALL THRU THE WAR, THEY ARE IN NO WAY NEUTRAL, BUT HAVE BEEN FIGHTING AGAINST US FROM THE BEGINNING. THIS PROJECT, THIS PLAN, IF IT GOES ANY FURTHER, WILL ANTAGONISE EVERYBODY IN THE B.I.G. IT WILL SPOIL THE PEACE PROCESS, WHICH HAS BEEN GOING VERY WELL SO FAR. THIS IS A REPETITION OF THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT'S TRICKS OF 1994, WHEN WE HAD ABSOLUTELY AGREED THAT THERE WOULD BE NO AUSTRALIAN TROOPS IN THE PEACE-KEEPING FORCE AND THEY NOT ONLY SENT THEM IN, BUT TOOK OVER THE ENTIRE SHOW." WHEN WE ASKED THE B.I.G. AS TO AUSTRALIAN LOGISTIC SUPPORT - IN TRANSPORTING B.I.G. AND B.R.A. DELEGATES TO THE BURNHAM PEACE CONFERENCE IN NEW ZEALAND, THEY REPLIED: "THAT WAS FROM HONIARA, IN THE SOLOMONS. WE HAD NO OBJECTIONS TO THAT. BUT THEY CANNOT COME TO BOUGAINVILLE." IN A SEPARATE, PARTLY OFF THE RECORD DISCUSSION, A B.I..G SPOKESPERSON SAID: "SO THERE WILL BE ONLY A FEW AT FIRST, AND WHAT HAPPENS IF SOMEBODY FROM THE B.R.A., WHOSE CHILDREN OR WIFE HAVE BEEN KILLED BY THE AUSTRALIAN HELICOPTERS, TAKES A SHOT AT ONE, KILLS OR WOUNDS HIM, WHAT WILL THE OTHERS DO ? SHOOT BACK ? START THE WAR ALL OVER AGAIN ? WHAT ARE THESE MORONS IN CANBERRA THINKING OF ? ARE THEY JUST STUPID OR VICIOUS ? EIGHT YEARS OF KILLING ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR THEM ?" ---------------------------------------------------------------- For further information, please contact: Bougainville Freedom Movement PO Box 134, Erskineville. NSW 2043 Australia Ph: +(61-2) 9558.2730
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