Bougainville tells PNG: Independence vote cannot be ignored

Bougainville’s independence push has reached a defining stage as President Ishmael Toroama warns Papua New Guinea (PNG) that the result of the 2019 referendum cannot be pushed aside.

The Bougainville Independence Referendum was held between 23 November and 7 December 2019 as part of the Bougainville Peace Agreement, which ended years of conflict between Bougainville and PNG.

More than 97 per cent of voters chose independence with the result then entering a consultation process between the two governments before it is considered by PNG’s National Parliament.

Speaking at the Joint Supervisory Body (JSB) meeting in Port Moresby on Wednesday, Toroama rejected PNG’s position that Parliament has a “non-affirming” option to reject the referendum result.

The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) leader said treating the referendum as a decision that could simply be reviewed or declined by MPs would undermine the peace process that has shaped relations between Bougainville and PNG for more than two decades.

"I have read the text and I must tell you frankly, it is a masterpiece of bureaucratic evasion and historical revisionism," he told the JSB meeting.

More than 97 per cent of Bougainville voters backed independence in the 2019 referendum, setting the stage for the next phase of the peace process and a parliamentary debate in Papua New Guinea. Photo/Facebook/Autonomous Bougainville Government

He said Bougainville was moving beyond the current autonomy arrangement and that the independence question had already been answered by its people.

"The National Government is treating our constitutional right to self-determination as if it were a performance review or some corporate evaluation subject to external yardsticks or the shifting political tides of the national parliament.

"Bougainville is moving away from the Autonomy space, let me make that clear."

Leaders from Papua New Guinea and the Autonomous Bougainville Government gather at the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Port Moresby where key agreements were reached ahead of Parliament's consideration of Bougainville's political future. Photo/Facebook/Autonomous Bougainville Government

Toroama also rejected suggestions Bougainville should wait for a future opportunity to revisit the issue.

"This insults the intelligence of our people. By doing this, the National Government is asking us to trade a constitutional, internationally witnessed referendum result for an ambiguous promise of future political charity.

"We do not need a 'clear pathway' to revisit the question. The question has been asked, answered, and sealed in ink and blood," he said.

Despite the strong disagreement, the JSB meeting agreed on the next step in the process.

Prime Minister James Marape said the meeting marked an important milestone before the referendum result is placed before Parliament.

"This marks an important journey. The JSB we are having this morning is historic before we bring to rest the 97.7 per cent results of the referendum."

Watch President Ishmael Toroama arrive at the Joint Supervisory Body meeting in Port Moresby below.

Marape said the Bougainville Peace Agreement and the Constitution set out a clear process for resolving the issue.

"The Constitution required that a referendum be held, consultations take place, and that the National Parliament make the final decision... Section 342 of our Constitution clearly says Parliament will make this decision, and whatever that decision is, we must respect the parliamentary process."

The referendum result, along with the Joint Consultation Report and the Melanesian Framework, will be tabled in PNG's Parliament on 27 August 2026 for debate.

The Joint Supervisory Body also endorsed the two documents, which set out the agreed pathway for managing relations and any transition following Parliament's decision.

The documents outline the pathway agreed by both governments towards giving effect to the referendum result and Bougainville’s future political status.

Briefing sessions will also be held for PNG MPs before the parliamentary debate.

Papua New Guinea's National Parliament will debate the 2019 Bougainville referendum result on 27 August, a major milestone in the region's long-running peace and political process. Photo/TVWAN/screengrab

Both governments also agreed to work towards transferring 100 per cent of revenue generated within Bougainville. This includes fisheries, mining, forestry and land taxes to the ABG by the end of 2026, alongside the transfer of remaining powers.

Marape urged both sides to continue working together regardless of Parliament's decision.

"I encourage everyone to continue talking peacefully. This is a difficult relationship, but it is a family relationship. Dialogue must continue."

But Toroama said the issue remains about honouring the decision already made by its people.

"In the eyes of my people, there is legal justice and there is moral justice. With due respect Prime Minister, Bougainville demands both."

Parliament's decision later this month is expected to mark the next defining chapter in Bougainville's long journey towards determining its political future.