Bougainvilleans must present a unified front at the dawn of the referendum in order to secure a viable option of self-determination.

Autonomous Bougainville Government President Grand Chief Dr John Momis says if Bougainville can secure more than 90% of the popular vote then it has the bargaining power to negotiate with the National Government.

“After the referendum vote we will still have to negotiate with the national government before the referendum result is ratified by parliament,” President Momis said.

“Securing a majority vote on one option of the referendum question secures support from the international community and it proves to the national government that this is what our people have chosen as the new path for our future,” he said.

“Apart from presenting a unified front it is imperative that we implement the Bougainville Peace Agreement,” Momis said.

“It does not matter if the National Government is failing to honour the BPA, we must continue to strive to implement it so that when it comes to the ratification of the outcome of the referendum we can proudly say that we implemented it in its entirety,” Momis said.

He added that it is the moral and legal obligation of ABG to honor the BPA despite capacity constraints that have hampered the full implementation of the autonomous arrangements on Bougainville.

Momis further encouraged Bougainvilleans to end the dissention by several factions who have been causing problems for the government and remain outside of the ABG’s sphere.

“We must realise that we stand on the threshold of a definitive period in our history yet we continue to be diametrically opposed to the government and the rule of law,” Momis said.

“Before the vote we I urge all Bougainvilleans to synergise their efforts and work together but more importantly solidarity; we must decide on an option that we must all vote for come the referendum and actualise our dreams of self-determination,” he said.

“I must warn you that the biggest threat to our solidarity is not from external factors, it is from ourselves. We must ensure that we do not end up being our own worst enemy,” Momis warned.

“We have nothing to fear but to simply exercise our constitutionalised guaranteed right to self-determination,” he said.

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