Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 04:26:13 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      PNG: Bougainville Hope?
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written  7:42 pm  Jul 28, 1992 by peg:greenleft in cdp:greenleft.news */
/* ---------- "Green Left issue 64, July 29" ---------- */
Bougainville optimistic as PNG changes government

By Norm Dixon

The Bougainville Interim Government has welcomed the election of
Papua New Guinea's new government led by Paias Wingti. The
interim government's representative in Australia, Moses Havini,
told Green Left Weekly that he believed the new government would
be more committed to a peaceful settlement of the Bougainville
crisis.

``Namaliu was bent on trying to solve the problem through the
barrel of a gun'', he said, despite the persistent efforts of
Bougainville's leaders to return to negotiations.

``Mr Wingti, while opposition leader and campaigning during the
election, made a statement that as soon as he became prime
minister he would open a dialogue with us. Although he still
sticks to the hard government stand [that Bougainville must
remain part of PNG] we hope that will change as time
progresses.''

On July 19, Wingti told his first press conference that his
government would ``be more open with'' the Bougainville
Revolutionary Army. He said he was prepared to resume talks with
Bougainville's leaders.

The Bougainville Interim Government has proposed an early meeting
in a bid to find a peaceful solution to the crisis. The proposal
was made in a letter congratulating Wingti on his election signed
by the Bougainville's spokesperson in the Solomon Islands, Martin
Miriori.

Havini said that Bougainvilleans remain committed to talks: ``We
have continued to emphasise that the best way of solving the
situation is to get back to the negotiating table''.

The foreign minister in the Wingti caretaker government, John
Kaputin, told a press conference on July 22 that the Bougainville
crisis was ``a national tragedy'' that required a political
solution. He said that the new government would not decide its
Bougainville policy until after ``full consultation'' with all
parties involved, ``including the BRA''.

Kaputin also announced moves to repair relations with the Solomon
Islands, whose territory has suffered two recent military raids
by PNG's Australian-supplied patrol boats.

In an effort to reduce tensions, Kaputin said he had declined to
approve strongly worded diplomatic protest prepared in response
to Honiara's decision to issue a passport to Bougainville Interim
Government member John Zale.

Kaputin announced that an extraordinary meeting of the Melanesian
Spearhead Group (which groups the governments of PNG, Solomon
Islands and Vanuatu) would be held in Vanuatu. While there,
Wingti and Solomons President Solomon Mamaloni would hold talks
to mend relations.

Havini told Green Left Weekly that, prior to the general
election, ``the PNG Defence Force were planning to take the
central region of Bougainville ... Towards the end of May and the
beginning of June they made four attempted landings to try to
retake Central Bougainville, but all these attempts failed.''

Havini believes the PNGDF's military plans may be ``somewhat
thwarted by the election of the new government. I think the PNG
military's stand is to now ease down a bit and see what the
government will come up with.

``But of course Mr Wingti's biggest test will be if he can
control the military ... I fear that the PNG military will
increasingly flex its muscle and attempt to run the country.''

Havini said that, whatever the PNG government does, ``we are
going to continue with our struggle. The bottom line is self-
determination and independence for our people, however long it
may take.''

Bougainville urgently requires humanitarian assistance in the
form of medical supplies and essential goods such as clothing and
tinned foods. Bougainville's supporters are hoping to send these
supplies through the blockade by boat in the near future. If
Green Left Weekly readers can help in any way, they should phone
Danny Brown on (03) 419 8700.

************

Evans `misinformed', says Havini

By Norm Dixon

Australia's foreign minister, Senator Gareth Evans has been
``misinformed'' about the use in Bougainville of the Iroquois
combat helicopters supplied to the PNGDF by Australia, Moses
Havini told Green Left Weekly. Havini has received fresh reports
of airborne attacks on Bougainville villages.

Evans told the SBS Dateline program on July 18 that the
helicopters had been withdrawn from use in Bougainville because
of the bad publicity it had provoked.

Soon after Evans' claim, a PNGDF spokesperson told the Pacnews
Service the aircraft were still in service in Bougainville ``to
transport men and supplies and for medical evacuation''.

Radio Australia's correspondent reported in June that he had
witnessed an Iroquois helicopter equipped as a gunship. Havini
confirmed this. ``Contrary to what Senator Gareth Evans said on
SBS television ... we have received fresh reports that on Sunday,
July 19, the same helicopter gunships that were supposed to have
been withdrawn strafed the village of Manetai, 16 kilometres from
Arawa.''
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