Cease-fire

broken

By Sam Vulum

The recent brutal attacks and killings of 10 Papua New Guinea security force members by the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) has left the PNG government with little choice but to take a hard-line approach against those responsible, particularly after almost two years of consistent peace efforts turned fruitless.

The deaths, from an upsurge in BRA activities since January 1996, resulted in the lifting of an 18-month cease-fire in a special National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on March 23.

Announcing the government decision, Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan said: “The legal effect of lifting the cease-fire is that the Defence Force will now be once again operating under the full powers and responsibilities imposed upon it by consti tution call-out of December 23, 1988.

Chan said the government had been honest, sincere and genuine in its commit ment to implement every condition of seven agreements but the BRA “has not matched us”.

He said; “It’s time to face the truth that continued talking is not working”.

“For the past 18 months, the govern ment has left no stone unturned, travelled down every path and tried every legal means at its disposal to resolve the con flict.”

“I am convinced that we have exhaust ed all human tolerance. Every time an agreement of any sort was reached, the rebels reneged, defaulted and continued killing and destroying. There is not one shed of proof...that the rebels are sincere.”

Chan said the government would “fund the security forces up to the maximum capacity the country can afford” on top of the K 36 million provided under the 1996 budget, to end the slaughter of innocent

people and bring back peace and normalcy to the province.

Cabinet has also instructed that the security forces get better equipment and that BRA elements inside and outside PNG be dealt with.

The announcement was generally accepted by many in Papua New Guinea.

However, the UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has called on all parties in the conflict to exercise maximum restraint and to return to the negotiating table to find a lasting and peaceful settle ment.

“The secretary-general remains ready

to assist in facilitating a resumption of the peace process,” his spokesperson said in a statement.

Australia’s new Foreign Minister Alexander Downer also urged both the security forces and the BRA to show restraint.

“The Australian government does not believe that there can be a military solu tion,” Downer said.

He said Canberra would like to see the peace process revived, and said the securi ty situation was preventing delivery of Australian aid to help restore the

Bougainville economy.

The Catholic Bishops of PNG and the Solomon Islands also want the BRA to give up their attacks and for the Security Forces to show restraint in the face of

provocation.

However, developments since the lift

ing of the cease-fire have indicated that the government is not pulling back.

Sources on Bougainville have indicated that specific targets have been identified and security forces are moving into other parts of Bougainville.

Meanwhile, Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) field com mander Ishmael Toroama has denied claims that he was seriously wounded and was trying to cross into the Solomon Islands to get medical treatment.

In a radio interview with Sydney-based journalist Max Watt on March 30, Toroama said: “Do not make nonsense. I am not dead.”

Prime Minister Chan ! on March 28 claimed the BRA commander was serious ly wounded and was planning to cross into the Solomon Islands for medical treatment.

A BRA and Bougainville interim gov ernment spokesperson also told AAP that Toroama has relayed the message: “I am not wounded. I am not dead and I am not planning to come to the Solomons for medical treatment.”

The spokesperson also gave details of what he described as massacres by PNG defence forces of Bougainville islanders in the week following the breaking of the cease-fire.

He said at Luaguo two young civilians were killed and nine were wounded by PNG troops.

Another massacre took place at Mapisi, Kunua, where several people had been murdered and wounded by troops, he said.

David Sisuto, Bougainville interim government minister for land and environ ment said “future peace meetings will have to take place in Bougainville under control of United Nations peace keeping forces.

“We cannot trust the PNG defence force any more.”

Meanwhile, Chan has sought more “constructive action” from the Solomon Islands towards the resolution of the Bougainville crisis.

Responding to Solomon Islands Prime Minister Solomon Mamaloni’s letter to him dated March 25, Sir Julius said while PNG appreciated the Solomon Island’s support towards a peaceful resolution of the Bougainville problem, more needed to be done to demonstrate Honiara’s “real and genuine willingness” to assist. ■

Officers of the army operating in Bougainville