Pacific

colonies

Dear Sir Tapua, P, Kwaluna, K and Vanugana, V’s response to my let ter on the “Independence for

Bougainville” (Pacific Islands Monthly

October, (996) need not go unchal lenged. The response (“Pacific colonies”) was published in PIM of December, 1996.

The trio’s assertion that the citizens of mainland France are “... no way close to

the indigenous people” of Kanaky in

terms of geographical, cultural and racial considerations is shared. However, the view to ascertain Bougainville as an inte gral part of the sovereign state of Papua New Guinea in similar terms and classi fication is an oversimplification. It is this proposition that I am obliged to explain.

Firstly, is it not contradictory to say that the “19 provinces and over 700 lan guages in PNG” qualify the country to be

geographically, culturally and racially

united? Hence, unity in diversity is vague in this context.

On the one hand, I entirely agree that PNG, including Bougainville as a province of the island country, is a Melanesian nation. In this regard, one can assume with no fault that unlike France with the Kanaky of New Caledonia and in terms of racial configu ration, Bougainville is an integral part of PNG. However, on the other, to proclaim that Bougainville is geographically and culturally integral to PNG is an over statement.

This is to say that, in terms of loca

tion, Bougainville is geographically

closer to the Western Province of Solomon Islands than the island of Papua New Guinea or the Tobriand Islands for that matter. Similarly, in sociological terms it would be fitting to say that Bougainville is culturally distinct from Papua New Guinea and its Solomon Islands neighbour. The markings of the international boundaries that were referred to by Tapua, et al were the mis takes of the colonial masters and need not remain in that order.

Second is the question of being a colony or province as irrelevant to the fight for independence. Should the

indigenous people want self-govern

ment, then by all means let it be granted.

Should international boundary marks need to be redesigned then let it be done.

It is this pursuit of self-government and redesigning process of international

boundary that the BRA has been fighting to achieve in the last eight years.

Sir Julius Chan - or any other (past, present or future) leaders of PNG for that matter - has not got a big heart for Bougainville. Instead, Sir Julius and the Papua New Guinea Defence Force as an excuse for the disintegration of PNG and fear of the would-be economically healthy country of Bougainville will want to wipe out by whatever means all human existence on the troubled island.

Finally, the eight-year-old war has conveyed the message of perseverance and identification to land on the part of the Bougainvilleans. Hence, the spirit of self-determination will not stop at any thing less than the proclamation of inde pendence. Nothing will stop the eight year-old tested and proven spirit of self determination and independence for Bougainville. Simple logic, isn’t it?

Renee Sore

Ministry of National Planning and Development Provincial Development Unit Honiara Solomon Islands