However, many elected officials are fiercely opposed to this independence, fearing a contagion effect across a country composed of several hundred ethnic groups. [43], During the 1970s and 1980s, teams from Bougainville played against other regions in the PNG national championships for Australian rules football,[44] cricket,[45] and field hockey. Buka, capital of Bougainville (Photo: Annmaree O'Keeffe) Published 9 Oct 2019 06:00 0 Comments Bougainville ; Papua New Guinea ... With 40% of Bougainville’s population under age 15, education is likely to be a top priority for the new country, which would need to consider how to deal with the reality that it only has seven lower secondary schools and four upper secondary schools. [29] The referendum question was a choice between greater autonomy within Papua New Guinea, or full independence. Conflict over the Panguna mine became the primary trigger for the Bougainville Civil War (1988–1998), which resulted in the deaths of up to 20,000 people. Bougainville is the largest island of the Solomon Islands archipelago, and an autonomous island region within Papua New Guinea. These languages are closely related. Originally from Bougainville, Musingku started U-Vistract in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby in the late 1990s, promising investors 100 per cent interest per month. The region's biodiversity, which is one of the most important in Oceania, is heavily threatened by mining activities. The current boundary between PNG and Solomon Islands is derived from the Tripartite Convention of 1899, which saw those islands ceded to the United Kingdom. About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles will become world’s newest country. [15] A German protectorate over the northern islands was established later that year, but the British Solomon Islands Protectorate was not established until 1893. The Sandline affair was a controversial incident that resulted from use of these mercenary troops. [10], The first inhabitants of Bougainville were Australo-Melanesians who presumably arrived from the Bismarck Archipelago. [28] The governments of both Bougainville and Papua New Guinea held a two-week referendum period which began on 23 November 2019 and closed on 7 December 2019, which is the final step in the Bougainville Peace Agreement. [12], The German Empire, which had already begun operations in New Guinea, annexed present-day Bougainville in 1886, after agreeing with the United Kingdom to divide the Solomon Islands archipelago between them. [20] A number of punitive expeditions took place during both the German and Australian administrations, as part of "pacification" programs. Bougainville is very off the beaten track and far from easy to get to. At the background is Crown Prince Range where former giant Rio Tinto's Panguna Gold & Copper mine is located. The administrative capital is Buka. Lors du référendum d'autodétermination organisé du 23 … Disputes by regional residents with the company over adverse environmental impacts, failure to share financial benefits, and negative social changes brought by the mine resulted in a local revival for a secessionist movement that had been dormant. As Bougainville is rich in copper and gold, a large mine had been established at Panguna in the early 1970s by Bougainville Copper Limited, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto. During the colonial period the region was occupied and administered by the Germans, Australians, Japanese, and Americans for various periods. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, Australian occupation of German New Guinea, President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum, Papua New Guinea national rugby league team, List of active separatist movements in Oceania, "AUTONOMOUS REGION OF BOUGAINVILLE : Bougainville Flag, Emblem and Anthem (Protection) Bill 2018", "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab", "The Constitution of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville", Will Marshall, "Papua New Guinea government obtains shaky weapons disposal pact in Bougainville", "Papua New Guinea not told of Australia's plans for new diplomatic post there", Canberra abandons Bougainville mission plan, "Bougainville confirms independence referendum before 2020 | Pacific Beat", "Ball rolling on Bougainville referendum", "Bougainville voters back independence by landslide", "Bougainville independence vote delivers emphatic demand to become world's newest nation", "Former rebel leader elected Bougainville president", "Pacific Regional Statistics - Secretariat of the Pacific Community", "Bougainville imposes moratorium on Panguna mine over fears of civil unrest", "BOUGAINVILLE FLAG, EMBLEM AND ANTHEM (PROTECTION) ACT 2018", "Bougainville Flag, Emblem and Anthem (Protection) Bill 2018: Explanatory Note", "New Executives Set To Revive Rugby League", "League Bilong Laif program commences in Bougainville", "Sport: Bougainville to make PNG National Soccer League debut", Full text of the Peace Agreement for Bougainville, Conciliation Resources—Bougainville Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Autonomous_Region_of_Bougainville&oldid=995661602, Members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, States and territories established in 2000, Articles lacking in-text citations from March 2020, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from November 2019, Wikipedia external links cleanup from June 2019, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 December 2020, at 05:42. The conflict involved pro-independence and loyalist Bougainvillean groups as well as the PNGDF. On 25 July 2005 rebel leader Francis Ona died after a short illness. [39] A number of Bougainvilleans have played for the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team, including Bernard Wakatsi, Joe Katsi, Lauta Atoi, and Chris Siriosi. L'ensemble de ces îles fait partie des îles Salomon contrairement au reste du pays qui s'étend sur l'archipel Bismarck et la Nouvelle-Guinée. These constitute two language families, North Bougainville and South Bougainville. In New York, UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres applauded the "successful organisation of the referendum" and praised authorities and the electorate "for their dedication and peaceful behaving throughout the process". People queue to vote at a polling station in the capital Buka in an historical independence vote on November 25, 2019. Capital: • Buka (interim) • Arawa (traditional; inactive) Status: Autonomous region within Papua New Guinea: Update on the Bougainville Independence Process As we discussed in our Bougainville referendum explainer article last year, a YES vote in the referendum was never intended to result in immediate independence. Since then, the colonial heritage has continued to grow. [37][38], Rugby league in Bougainville is administered by the Bougainville Rugby Football League (BRFL), which is affiliated with the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL). In January 2018, a moratorium on one mine was imposed by the Papua New Guinea government, in a bid to calm civil unrest against mining in the region. 428pp. In 1996, Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan hired Sandline International, a private military company previously involved in supplying mercenaries in the civil war in Sierra Leone, to put down the rebellion. Then in 1975, leaving the remit of Australia, Bougainville became a province of Papua New Guinea with an autonomous government. People line up to vote in a referendum on Bougainville's independence from Papua New Guinea, in the region's interim capital of Buka Town, on Nov. 25. This vote was for "your peace, your history and your future" he said, and has demonstrated "the power of the pen against weapons". The first one lies in negotiating between the governments of the autonomous region and that of Papua New Guinea. In late 2019, a non-binding independence referendum was held with 98.31% voting for independence rather than continued autonomy within Papua New Guinea. A civilian administration was established in 1920, after which German nationals were deported and their property expropriated. In 2011, the region had an estimated population of 250,000 people. This content is not available in your region, Researcher at the Lowy Institute in Sydney. On the second biggest island of the archipelago, Buka, referendum commission chairman and former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern revealed the results. The colonial period saw significant changes in the culture of the islanders.[21]. Such a massive vote has no issue than making it inevitable. The bustling waterway of Bougainville's capital Buka is seen on Nov. 21, 2019, ahead of an historic independence vote. In the forground is Arawa Town Market. He supports autonomy within a relationship with the national government of Papua New Guinea. The population is 249,358 (2011 census). [11] Around 3,000 years ago, Austronesian peoples brought the Lapita culture to the islands,[12] introducing pottery, agriculture, and domesticated animals such as pigs, dogs, and chickens. Bougainville (/ˈboʊɡənvɪl/ BOH-gən-vil;[3] Tok Pisin: Bogenvil[4][5]), officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville,[6] is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman Bertie Ahern (C) signs the referendum announcement in Bougainville on December 11, 2019. Understand []. Then, if successful, the ratification by the Papuan Parliament in Port Moresby, the capital of the country, can occur. The Constitution of Bougainville specifies that the Autonomous Bougainville Government shall consist of three branches:[27], President John Momis confirmed that Bougainville would hold a non-binding independence referendum in 2019. The name of the region originates from French admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville,[8] who reached it in 1768. The islands’ history includes colonial exploitation, attempts at independence, a nine-year war and a gradual peace process. Bougainville: The World’s Next Country? After interim elections to fill the remainder of his term, John Momis was elected as president in 2010 for a five-year term. 1921 Australia wins a League of Nations mandate over what is now Papua New Guinea, including Bougainville. Bougainvillean separatism dates to the 1960s, and the Republic of North Solomons was declared shortly before the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975; it was subsumed into Papua New Guinea the following year. Arawa, Bougainville Island Photo : Arawa Town the capital of Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Takuu Dictionary. Bougainville Island, easternmost island of Papua New Guinea, in the Solomon Sea, southwestern Pacific.With Buka Island and several island groups, it forms the autonomous region of Bougainville. He has called on all parties to ensure that the follow-up will be "inclusive and constructive". Out of the 180,000 people who made it to the polls between November 23rd and December, 7th, 2019, they were more than 176,000 Bougainvilleans expressing the wish to leave Papua New Guinea. The two largest islands are Bougainville Island and Buka Island. [42] Historically the Bougainville Soccer Association came into conflict with the Papua New Guinea Football Association over various matters. They just voted 97.7% to vote in favour of independence. Bougainville is off the beaten track and far from easy to get to. Bougainville, officiellement région autonome de Bougainville, est une région autonome de la Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée. Bougainville, a small island belonging to Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, has taken a major decision. They will have to be ready to discuss the independence agenda. The Bougainville Civil War, also known as the Bougainville conflict, was a multi-layered armed conflict fought from 1988 to 1998 in the North Solomons Province of Papua New Guinea (PNG) between PNG and the secessionist forces of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), and between the BRA and other armed groups on Bougainville. Its capital is Arawa. Bougainville , officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. They just voted 97.7% to vote in favour of independence. British naval officer Philip Carteret saw Buka Island in 1767 and also visited what became the Carteret Islands. None of the languages are spoken by more than 20% of the population, and the larger languages such as Nasioi, Korokoro Motuna, Telei, and Halia are split into dialects that are not always mutually intelligible. Mining activities have caused civil unrest in the region many[quantify] times.[when?] The region includes several Polynesian outliers where Polynesian languages are spoken. On Saturday, a new chapter will be written, when 207,000 people begin voting on whether they want greater autonomy or independence. The region won the 2017 National Boxing Championships, which were hosted in Arawa. Irwin, H. (1980). Historically the region was known as the North Solomons. Pacific Island Referendum Could Give the World a Tiny New Country By . To gain autonomy, there still are two stages to go through for Bougainville. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, has voted unequivocally for independence. [36], A law passed by the provincial assembly – the Bougainville Flag, Emblem and Anthem (Protection) Act 2018 – affirmed the existing official status of the flag of Bougainville and emblem of Bougainville. November 10, 2020 An Altamar podcast interview with Shane McLeod Research Fellow of The Lowy Institute’s Australia-PNG Network People queue to vote at a polling station in the capital city Buka, Bougainville, in a historical independence vote on November 25, 2019. [47] Notable boxers from the region include Commonwealth Boxing Council titleholder Johnny Aba and Pacific Games gold medalist Thadius Katua. The population of the province is approximately 300,000 (2019 census), which includes islets such as the Carterets. Canberra – and Beijing – are watching intently. These include Rotokas, a language with a very small inventory of phonemes, Eivo, Terei, Keriaka, Nasioi (Kieta), Nagovisi, Siwai (Motuna), Baitsi (sometimes considered a dialect of Siwai), Uisai and several others. The law also established "My Bougainville" as the region's anthem. This result leaves no room for any interpretation other than the following one: Bougainville wants independence. Bougainville, a small island belonging to Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, has taken a major decision. The Allied counter-invasion resulted in heavy casualties, beginning in 1943, with full control of the islands not re-established until 1945. [citation needed] Bougainville's constitution, written in English, does not specify an official language, but calls for constitutional literature to be translated into Tok Pisin and as many local languages as possible, while also encouraging the "development, preservation, and enrichment of all Bougainville languages". The war claimed an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 lives.[22][23]. A man casts his ballot as he takes part in a non-binding independence referendum in Kunua Community, Bougainville, Jeremy Miller/Bougainville Referendum Commission/Handout via REUTERS, US to require negative COVID-19 test from UK travelers, Former papal palace offers shelter and hope to Rome's homeless, Christmas Eve concert held in Paris' fire-wrecked Notre Dame. Other Austronesian languages include Nehan, Petats, Solos, Saposa (Taiof), Hahon and Tinputz, all spoken in the northern quarter of Bougainville, Buka and surrounding islands. It is an island with vast untapped potential for tourism with magnificently rugged, jungled terrain and amazing coral reefs offshore. [16] The initial boundary between the two territories was much more southerly, with Choiseul Island, Santa Isabel Island, Ontong Java, the Shortland Islands, and part of the Florida Islands included in the German section. On the nearby Takuu Atoll a Polynesian language is spoken, Takuu. In 1988, the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) increased their activity significantly. Could Bougainville be the world's newest country? People line up to vote in a referendum on Bougainville's independence from Papua New Guinea, in the region's interim capital of Buka Town, on Nov. 25. [41] Previously, a team from Bougainville won the national soccer championships in 1977, defeating Rabaul. [18] The first fully commercial plantation was established in 1908, but German annexation had little economic impact. Avec l'île Buka au nord et d'autres petites îles environnantes, elle constitue la province Bougainville, rattachée à la région des Îles. The islands’ history includes colonial exploitation, attempts at independence, […] [34] There are many indigenous languages in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, belonging to three language families. The ballot went without any noteworthy incident, according to Bougainville Referendum Commission. The majority of economic growth comes from agriculture and aquaculture. Papua New Guinea gained its independence from Australia in 1975. The 1919 Treaty of Versailles established the former colony as a League of Nations mandate, administered by Australia as the Territory of New Guinea. Port Moresby will quickly have to digest the result. [32], The region is divided into three districts, which are further divided into Local Level Government (LLGs) areas. The Buka Passage divides Buka from Bougainville Island. For census purposes, the LLGAs are subdivided into wards, and those into census units.[33]. It is an island with vast untapped potential for tourism with magnificently rugged, jungled terrain and amazing coral reefs offshore. [25] In 2016, it cancelled those plans acknowledging that it had not obtained the PNG government's approval.[26]. [19], The Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force occupied Bougainville in December 1914, as part of the Australian occupation of German New Guinea. Bougainville has been inhabited by humans for at least 29,000 years, according to evidence obtained from Kilu Cave on Buka Island. A former surveyor with Bougainville Copper, Ona was a key figure in the secessionist conflict and had refused to formally join the island's peace process. Arawa was the provincial capital until the civil war broke out, forcing the government to move to Buka and abandon their properties. Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles will become world’s newest country… [citation needed], The languages of the northern end of Bougainville Island, and some scattered around the coast, belong to the Austronesian family. : A Polynesian language of the South Pacific. Within the country, your best bet is New Guinean national carrier Air Niugini (sound it out), which flies to Buka. After a short German control between March 1942 and November 1943, Bougainville was placed by the United Nations under Australian guardianship in 1947. Jason Scott , November 20, 2019, 4:00 PM EST Papua New Guinea province to … [9] Until about 10,000 years ago, during the Last Glacial Maximum, there was a single island referred to as "Greater Bougainville" that spanned from the northern tip of Buka Island to the Nggela Islands north of Guadalcanal. The island and province Bougainville is part of Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Solomon Islands group. Decades after the region's bloody civil conflict, the people of Bougainville will today start casting their votes in a referendum on whether they should seek independence from Papua New Guinea. Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea. Bougainville, formerly an Australian colonial territory, has had a fractious relationship with Papua New Guinea since joining the country in 1976. The interim capital is Buka, though it is expected that major government services and buildings will be moved to Arawa, following reconstruction.[7]. The Bougainville Government is about to start repossessing government assets in Arawa as it strives to restore services in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region. [48], Bougainvillean netball player Maleta Roberts has played professionally in Australia and represented the Papua New Guinea national netball team at the Commonwealth Games. Bougainville Explained: How the world’s newest country might bloom out of protests against a copper mine The conflict in Bougainville and the desire of Bougainvillean people for independence is rooted in the historic plunder of the resource-rich island that has large deposits of copper and the unequal distribution of wealth that followed. And, if the poll goes as expected, Bougainville could become the world’s next country. Bougainville, the adjacent island of Buka, and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets are sometimes known as North Solomons. Independence referendum to be held in Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville Off the coast of Queensland, a historic vote is taking place that could lead to the formation of a new nation. [13] Both Austronesian and non-Austronesian languages are spoken on the islands to this day, however there has been significant mixing between the populations to the point that cultural and genetic differences are no longer correlated with language. Together they make up the Papua New Guinean province of that name. The parties agreed to have a referendum in the future on whether the island should become politically independent.[24]. Geographically the islands of Bougainville and Buka are part of the Solomon Islands archipelago, but are politically separate from the independent country of Solomon Islands. Bougainville has played in the National Soccer League since 2019, although it is based in Port Moresby rather than in Bougainville itself. The majority of people on Bougainville are Christian, an estimated 70% being Roman Catholic and a substantial minority being of the Protestant United Church of Papua New Guinea since 1968. After the war the Australian government incorporated Bougainville and the rest of the mandate into the Territory of Papua and New Guinea, the immediate predecessor of present-day Papua New Guinea. Bougainville has been inhabited by humans for at least 29,000 years. [citation needed], A small percentage of the region's economy is from mining. For all your travel needs consult MK Business Consultants which provide reliable travel arrangements services. [30][31], Ishmael Toroama, a former rebel leader, was elected president of Bougainville on September 23, 2020. Only 3,000 were in favour of a bigger self-governance. Bougainville est une île de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, l'une des plus grandes des îles Salomon dans le sud-ouest de l'océan Pacifique. Citizens of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea, overwhelmingly voted for independence on Dec. 11, which means it may become the world’s newest country, CNN reported. The Bougainville conflict ended in 1997, after negotiations brokered by New Zealand. In 1768, French admiral Louis Antoine de Bougainville sailed along the east coast of the island that now bears his name. Over 98% of the valid ballots were cast for independence. Bannoni and Torau are Austronesian languages not closely related to the former, which are spoken in the coastal areas of central and south Bougainville. [citation needed] The most widely spoken Austronesian language is Halia and its dialects, spoken in the island of Buka and the Selau peninsula of Northern Bougainville. For general communication most Bougainvilleans use Tok Pisin as a lingua franca, and at least in the coastal areas Tok Pisin is often learned by children in a bilingual environment. Canberra: Pacific Linguistics. 1768 French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville is the first European to reach the island.. 1886 and 1898 Anglo-German accords see Bougainville, ethnically and geographically part of the Solomons, become part of German New Guinea. Bougainville Island (/ ˈ b uː ɡ ən v ɪ l / BOO-gən-vil; Tok Pisin: Bogenvil) is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea.It formed the main landmass of the German Empire-associated North Solomons.Its land measures 9,300 km 2 (3,600 sq mi). He died in office on 6 June 2008. The PNGDF retreated from permanent positions on Bougainville in 1990, but continued military action. Incident that resulted from use of these mercenary troops de ces îles partie. Three language families, North Bougainville and South Bougainville nurse Alexia Baria herself... 21 ] Melanesian isles will become world ’ s next country we 've been waiting for. `` from... 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