The Autonomous Region of Bougainville’s referendum quest for autonomy has been put forward and is three years from now, in 2019.
It’s an important date set for Bougainville to decide whether to become an independent nation, or remain an autonomous region of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Independence is to be decided by all parties who are signatories to the Bougainville Peace Agreement; the people of Bougainville, the National Government, Autonomous Bougainville Government and the international community. Meaning, the referendum will be heavily scrutinized to ensure that it’s deliberated in a proper manner to avoid future problems.