Bougainvilleans queue to vote in their independence referendum, Buka, November 2019. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The governments of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville have agreed that the contentious issue delaying progress on the independence referendum be completed before the Bougainville election process begins.
The autonomous region goes to the polls this year with the process beginning in July.
Last year, the parties brought in former New Zealand Governor-General Sir Jerry Mataparae as moderator to resolve a conflict over whether the tabling required the support of a simple or an absolute majority of MPs.
Bougainville's Minister for the Implementation of Independence Ezekiel Masatt said they want the matter resolved by the end of June.
"The two governments agreed that the work of the moderator must end before the writs are issued for the Bougainville elections," he said.
"The issue of the writs will be on 7th July, so we are anticipating the work of the moderator should be finished around the end of June."
Polling is set to happen in September.
Read more:
Bougainvilleans resoundingly voted in favour of independence from PNG in a non-binding referendum in 2019.
There had been an initial expectation in Bougainville that the referendum results would be presented to the PNG parliament in late 2023, but this did not happen.
The PNG government agreed to a Bougainville request for a moderator to be brought in to solve an impasse over the tabling of the region's independence referendum. Photo: 123RF / RNZ Pacific
Masatt said there were initially a number of problem areas, but the catalyst for bringing in Sir Jerry Mataparae, who was once the commander of the international truce monitoring group following the Bougainville civil war, was the voting percentage threshold.
"The national government insists on a two thirds absolute majority, and we are arguing, 'no, you shouldn't make it difficult'.
"It should be simple majority, because if it's passed, it might invoke the need for a constitutional amendment. And constitutional amendment, if you bring it in, has its own requirements of two thirds," he said.
Masatt said the two governments will present their positions to the moderator on 17 March.
"It will be the first time that the two sides will formally make their positions to the moderator. I am looking forward to it," he said.
Masatt caould not confirm when the ratification itself might take place, but they would have a concrete resolution on the way forward.
"I think the important thing is to clear up all the issues around that ratification, and whenever that happens is a matter for the national government. But so long as we clear the path."
