Bougainville to Hold Independence Referendum in October

Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea, will be holding an independence referendum later this year. The country's opposition leaders have urged the government to respect the outcome of the referendum. PNG's national parliament is to debate on the matter and decide the final outcome.

Vanimo Green MP, Belden Namah said the country must respect the will of the Bougainville people. "We have got to respect whichever way they go, whether it's for greater autonomy or independence, as long as the outcome is lasting peace for the people of Bougainville. The PNG government would make a terrible mistake to try and go against the wishes of the people." Namah said he has great affection for the Bougainvilleans, and understands well, the suffering that they have been through.

The MP is well versed with the issues of Bougainville as he had served in the Bougainville Civil War as an officer in the PNG Defence Force and was imprisoned with two fellow officers for resisting an intervention by mercenaries in the notorious Sandline Affair. Namah shared his frustration with the PNG government for delaying the referendum's date by four months.

"We have to follow the Bougainville peace process and get this referendum over and done," he said.