LOOK BACK: Chronology of Peace Process

Chronology of Peace Process 16 September 1975 Papua New Guinea attains independence. May 1989 The Panguna copper mine forced to close and a state of emergency declared on Bougainville . The first units of the PNGDF are deployed to Bougainville . March 1990 First ceasefire comes into effect. International representatives oversee the withdrawal of security forces, including the PNGDF. 17 May 1990 Francis Ona issues Unilateral Declaration of Independence. 5 August 1990 The Endeavour Accord signed providing for restoration of services. September 1990 PNGDF lands at Buka Island . 17-24 January 1991 Honiara Declaration signed covering restoration of services. 17 July 1992 Paias Wingti replaces Rabbie Namaliu as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. April 1994 Australian parliamentary delegation, headed by Senator Loosley, visits Bougainville . 30 August 1994 Sir Julius Chan replaces Paias Wingti as Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. September 1994 Sir Julius Chan meets Sam Kauona, leader of the BRA, in Honiara . Agreement on the deployment of a South Pacific Peace Keeping Force to Bougainville made up of troops from Australia , New Zealand , Tonga , Fiji and Vanuatu to provide security for peace talks in Arawa. March – April 1995 National Government establishes Bougainville Transitional Government with Theodore Miriung as Premier. September and December 1995 Talks in Cairns attended by BRA, BIG and BTG representatives. December talks jointly chaired by representatives of the Secretary-General of the UN and the Commonwealth Secretariat. June – August 1996 Operation High Speed II September 1996 Death of ten PNG security force personnel at Kangu Beach , South Bougainville . 12 October 1996 Premier of Bougainville Transitional Government Theodore Miriung assassinated at Konga, South Bougainville February – March 1997 Sandline crisis 5-18 July 1997 Burnham I-The Burnham Declaration commits the Bougainvillean factions to a peaceful settlement of the Bougainville conflict. 10 October 1997 Burnham II-The Burnham Truce establishes an immediate truce. 24 November 1997 The Cairns Commitment on Implementation of the Agreement Concerning the Neutral Regional Truce Monitoring Group for Bougainville agrees on arrangements for the deployment of a regional Truce Monitoring Group (TMG). 19-23 January 1998 Bougainville Leaders' meeting –The Lincoln Agreement on Peace, Security and Development on Bougainville provides for: an extension of the truce and TMG until 30 April 1998, when a permanent ceasefire is to come into effect; the establishment of a successor to the TMG to be deployed after 30 April; the phased withdrawal of the PNGDF; a leaders' meeting to be held on Bougainville by the end of June 1998 to discuss the future political status of Bougainville; the formation of a Bougainville Reconciliation Government (BRG) before the end of 1998 and the deployment of a UN Observer Mission to Bougainville. 30 April 1998 Ceasefire Signing Ceremony at Arawa, Bougainville , attended by Alexander Downer, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs. 17-23 March 2000 The Loloata Understanding signed in Port Moresby 30 March 2000 Interim Bougainville Provincial Government sworn in by the PNG Governor-General at Buka 23 May – 9 June 2000 The Gateway Communiqué 19-21 December 2000 Alexander Downer visits Bougainville and Port Moresby . Proposes a formula for a deferred conditional referendum on Bougainville 's political future. 26 January 2001 PNG National Government and Bougainville leaders agree on the principles for a deferred conditional referendum on independence. Agreement initialled at Kokopo, East New Britain Province . 19-26 February 2001 Weapons Disposal Talks in Townsville , Australia , between the PNG National Government and Bougainville factions. No final agreement reached but considerable narrowing of positions on weapons disposal and autonomy. 1-3 May 2001 Weapons disposal talks held in the village of Togarau , Bougainville. BRA and BRF leaders and representatives sign the Rotokas Agreement, which enshrines BRA and Resistance agreement on weapons disposal. 7-9 May 2001 Resistance, BRA and the National Government representatives agree on a three-stage weapons disposal process involving containerisation of weapons. 22 June 2001 ‘Agreed Basis for Comprehensive Political Settlement' initialled. The document outlines the arrangements for the establishment of an autonomous Bougainville government, including provisions for a Bougainville-specific police force and conditions for the redeployment of the PNGDF. 30 August 2001 The Bougainville Peace Agreement signed at Arawa. The comprehensive agreement brings together the three agreements reached over the previous eight months: on the issue of a referendum to determine the eventual political future of Bougainville ; a weapons disposal plan; and arrangements for autonomy. 26-27 September 2001 Weapons disposal fact-finding mission visits Bougainville 17 October 2001 Bougainville Peace Agreement tabled in Parliament by Bougainville Affairs Minister Avei 13 November 2001 PNG Cabinet approves "Amendments and the Organic Law required to give legal effect to the agreements on autonomy and referendumin the Bougainville peace Agreement". 6 December 2001 First weapons contained in a ceremony at Torokina. 28 December 2001 Bougainville ex-combatants and National Government officials agree on budget and schedule for "weapons disposal awareness activities". 23 January 2002 PNG Parliament approves first reading of the legislation covering autonomy for Bougainville . 27 March 2002 PNG Parliament votes unanimously to amend the PNG Constitution to give effect to the Bougainville Peace Agreement. Amendments will, however, only take effect when the UNOMB declares that Stage II of the weapons disposal process has been completed. May 2002 Australia establishes a Bougainville Ex-combatants Trust Account to assist the reintegration of ex-combatants into their communities. 30 August 2002 Prime Minister Morauta announces that arrangements have been finalised granting amnesty and pardon for crisis related events. 10 September 2002 Inaugural session of the Bougainville Constitutional Commission in Buka 30 September 2002 Self-imposed deadline for Stage II passed un-met – 1611 weapons had been contained. Ex-combatants propose 24 December as new deadline. October-November 2002 A number of Stage II containers are broken into and a total of 147 weapons are removed December 2002 In response to concerns over security of Stage II containers agreement is reached for the establishment of a Joint Bougainville Law Enforcement Body comprising representatives of the RPNGC and ex-combatants. 1 February 2003 First Draft of Bougainville Constitution released for consultation. 18-19 February 2003 Eleven PNG Ministers travelled to Bougainville . Sir Peter Barter signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bougainvillean leaders to establish an Interim Joint Supervisory Body (IJSB) as a mechanism to manage Bougainville 's transition towards autonomy. 10-31 March 2003 Bougainville Women's Forum on Weapons' Disposal 25 March 2003 Second Draft of Bougainville Constitution released for consultation. 17 April 2003 The last elements of the PNGDF formally depart Bougainville . 12 June 2003 Mr Downer, Minister for Foreign Affairs, announces the planned deployment of the Bougainville Transition Team (BTT). 13 June 2003 Australian Government hosts seminar in Port Moresby on Bougainville peace process. 30 June 2003 Protocol, with treaty status, signed in Sydney by Australia , New Zealand and Papua New Guinea to formally establish the BTT. Fiji and Vanuatu indicate an intention to sign later. PMG ceases operations and hands over toBougainville Transition Team of 17 civilian monitors, led by Australia and also comprising representatives of New Zealand , Fiji and Vanuatu . 25 July 2003 UNOMB Ambassador, Noel Sinclair, verified Stage II of the weapons disposal process as complete before a meeting of the PPCC. Formally handed to the PNG Government on 29 July. 7 August 2003 Amendments to the PNG Constitution, allowing for Bougainvillean autonomy, are gazetted and come into effect. 23 August 2003 Withdrawal of the final PMG contingent. 15-17 October 2003 Meeting of the Officials-level IJSB in Port Moresby. 21-23 October 2003 Meeting of the IJSB in Buka, resulting in the Kuri Resolution on Implementation of Autonomy. 26 November 2003 PNG Government formally delegates powers over policing to the Bougainville Provincial Executive Council (PEC). 28-30 November 2003 Stage III weapons disposal meeting, Nissan Island. BRA and BRF agree, in principle, that all weapons on Bougainville should be destroyed. 11 December 2003 Australia-PNG Ministerial Forum held at Mt Lofty. As part of an enhanced cooperation package, Australia offers to send a police team of up to 20 personnel to Bougainville . Australia also announced the withdrawal of the BTT (at the end of 2003). 15 December 2003 UN Security Council discussed replacing UNPOB with a smaller Observer Mission. 16 December 2003 Delegation of police powers to Bougainville PEC. 16-17 December 2003 PPCC meeting. Parties agreed that weapons in Bougainville will be destroyed, with former combatants and local communities implementing their own plans. Communities in Torokina and Buka implemented this decision in the weeks that followed. 31 December 2003 BTT ceases operation. 1 January 2004 UNPOB replaced by the UN Observer Mission on Bougainville (UNOMB). 25 February 2004 A large reconciliation ceremony took place in Siwai for events that took place during the Bougainville crisis in that district. 24-26 February 2004 PPCC meeting. PNG Government formally responds to the second draft of the Bougainville constitution. 29 February 2004 Noel Sinclair departed PNG and was replaced as the Director of UNOMB by Tor Stenbock. 28 April 2004 PNG Government announces the establishment of a Ministerial Committee on Bougainville . Early May 2004 Meeting between PNG Government Ministers, the Bougainville Constitutional Commission and the TCC in Bougainville . 7 May 2004 BPC Vice-President James Tanis sworn in as BIPG Minister for Peace and Reconciliation. 30 June 2004 Joint Agreement on Enhanced Cooperation between Australia and PNG signed in Port Moresby . The agreement is a step forward in implementing the ECP, including Australia 's offer to send a police team of up to 20 personnel to Bougainville . 16 July 2004 Graduation of 50 new Bougainvillean police from Bomana Police Training College - the first such graduation since the signing of the Lincoln Agreement. 2005 Autonomous Bougainville Government formed with Joseph Kabui as President Continuation of Joint Supervisory Body meetings to facilitate drawdown of powers to ABG and other issues between the ABG and the Government of Papua New Guinea 2008 Death in office of President Joseph Kabui, leading to a by-election for President, won by James Tanis May 2010 Elections for new members of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, resulting in the election of President John Momis Retrieved from: Bougainville Copper Limited (http://bcl.nlawebdesigns.com/bougainville/chronology-of-peace-process.html )