Bougainville independence results reach Papua New Guinea Parliament

The Papua New Guinea Parliament has formally received the results of the 2019 Bougainville referendum, which saw 97.7 percent of voters support independence for the autonomous region. Bougainville Affairs Minister Manaseh Makiba tabled the referendum results alongside the Joint Consultation Report and the Melanesian Framework Agreement.

The Melanesian Framework Agreement outlines a potential course of action if Parliament votes to accept the referendum result. However, Minister Makiba noted that the two governments have not yet reached common ground on an alternative pathway should Parliament vote against the independence request. He emphasized that Parliament retains the discretion to make any decision it considers appropriate regarding the results.

The decision follows years of consultation and the legacy of a civil war in the 1990s. To ratify the independence result, a three-quarters majority of MPs is required. While Bougainville represents approximately 2 percent of Papua New Guinea’s landmass and 2.7 percent of its population, the political implications of ceding territory remain significant.