Independence referendum in Bougainville 2019

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Flag of Bougainville
Location (blue) of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea

The independence referendum in Bougainville 2019 took place from November 23 to December 7, 2019 in the autonomous region of Bougainville . Almost 98% of the participants spoke out in favor of complete independence from Papua New Guinea .

history

Between 1899 and 1918, Bougainville was part of German New Guinea . After the First World War it was adopted by Australia as a League of Nations mandate . In 1949 it was merged with the previously British part of New Guinea to form the territory of Papua and New Guinea , and in 1975 it was given independence as part of Papua New Guinea. Since 1975 there have been efforts in the resource-rich region to become independent. The bougainvillers complained about insufficient participation in the proceeds from the extraction of raw materials and about the environmental damage it caused. After the Republic of North Solomon Islands was proclaimed in 1975, the Bougainville Revolutionary Army began armed struggle in 1988 . In 1990 independence was proclaimed again, with the independence movement being bloodily suppressed until 1997. Up to 20,000 people were killed.

referendum

background

In this referendum , residents of the Bougainville Autonomous Region in Papua New Guinea had the choice between greater autonomy or state independence . The independence referendum was only approved by the central government after long negotiations. This decision is based on the Bougainville Peace Agreement (Bougainville- peace agreement ), which by mid-2020 providing for such a referendum. Papua New Guinea agreed to accept the outcome of the referendum, with each outcome first having to be presented to parliament.

To hold the referendum, an independent council, the Joint Supervisory Body , was founded in February 2019 in cooperation with the election commissions of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville .

Survey

There were no official polls in the run-up to the referendum. However, according to independent reports, independence was more likely to be voted for.

Voting

The referendum is carried out by the Bougainville Referendum Commission , which was established in January 2017. She occupies the position of an electoral commission as a link between the PNG Electoral Commission and the Bougainville Electoral Commission .

"Do you agree for Bougainville to have: (1) Greater Autonomy (2) Independence?"

"Do you agree that Bougainville: (1) be given greater autonomy (2) become independent?"

Voting in polling stations was closed on December 3, 2019. Only postal voters were allowed to cast their votes until December 7, 2019. The referendum was originally scheduled for June 15, 2019, and later on October 17, 2019.

By November 29, 2019, 99 percent, i.e. 820 of the 829 polling stations, had already cast their votes.

Result

206,731 people were entered in the electoral register. 181,067 people took part in the vote (87.6% of those registered).

independence autonomy Invalid
be right Percentage ownership % be right Percentage ownership % be right Percentage ownership %
176.928 97.71 3,043 1.68 1,096 0.62

See also

literature

  • Jo Woodbury: The Bougainville independence referendum: Assessing the risks and challenges before, during and after the referendum , Indo-Pacific Strategic Papers, Australian Defense College, January 2015 ( PDF ).

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ John Mair: Bougainville agrees with PNG to delay independence vote till November. In: Reuters. August 5, 2019, accessed on August 16, 2019 .
  2. ^ It's Official - Referendum Writ Issued. Bougainville Referendum Commission, October 7, 2019.
  3. ↑ Bougainville votes for independence from Papua New Guinea , Deutschlandfunk, December 11, 2019
  4. ↑ BOUGAINVILLE HISTORY: Mandated Territory , Jane Resture, ourpacificocean.com
  5. ↑ BOUGAINVILLE: World War II , Jane Resture, ourpacificocean.com
  6. ↑ Independence referendum to be held in Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville , Benedict Brook, news.com.au
  7. ↑ Bougainville could become the world's newest nation - here's what you need to know , Michael Walsh, ABC , November 23, 2019
  8. ↑ Ruth Saovana-Spriggs: Christianity and women in Bougainville (PDF) pp. 58–60. 2000. Archived from the original on August 29, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  9. ^ EU Relations with Papua New Guinea . European Commission. Archived from the original on October 9, 2007. Retrieved October 11, 2007.
  10. ↑ a b Ball rolling on Bougainville referendum. RNZ, May 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ PNG's PM says Bougainville referendum will be endorsed. RNZ, April 7, 2018.
  12. ↑ Bougainville referendum not for independence, says PM. The National, May 3, 2018.
  13. ↑ UN welcomes setting of Bougainville referendum date. RNZ, March 5, 2019.
  14. ↑ Bougainville Likely To Vote In Favor Of Splitting From Papua New Guinea. Fitch Solutions, December 13, 2018.
  15. ↑ Question agreed for Bougainville's independence referendum (en-nz) . In: Radio New Zealand , October 13, 2018. Retrieved October 19, 2018. 
  16. ↑ Last Day of Normal Polling Tomorrow !. Bougainville Referendum Commission, December 2, 2019.
  17. ^ Bougainville independence vote delayed to October (en-AU) . In: Reuters , March 1, 2018. Retrieved March 2, 2018. 
  18. ↑ Independence vote delayed for Papua New Guinea's Bougainville ( en ) March 1, 2019. Accessed March 2, 2019.
  19. ↑ 99 Percent of Polling Completed. Bougainville Referendum Commission, November 29, 2019.
  20. ↑ Bougainville referendum: PNG region votes overwhelmingly for independence. BCC News, December 11, 2019, accessed December 12, 2019 .