Bougainville Referendum Commission Chairman Bertie Ahern (C) signs the referendum announcement in Bougainville on December 11, 2019. The parties agreed to have a referendum in the future on whether the island should become politically independent.[24]. The ballot went without any noteworthy incident, according to Bougainville Referendum Commission. 1768 French explorer Louis Antoine de Bougainville is the first European to reach the island.. 1886 and 1898 Anglo-German accords see Bougainville, ethnically and geographically part of the Solomons, become part of German New Guinea. Conflict over the Panguna mine became the primary trigger for the Bougainville Civil War (1988–1998), which resulted in the deaths of up to 20,000 people. Originally from Bougainville, Musingku started U-Vistract in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby in the late 1990s, promising investors 100 per cent interest per month. [39] A number of Bougainvilleans have played for the Papua New Guinea national rugby league team, including Bernard Wakatsi, Joe Katsi, Lauta Atoi, and Chris Siriosi. [41] Previously, a team from Bougainville won the national soccer championships in 1977, defeating Rabaul. [43], During the 1970s and 1980s, teams from Bougainville played against other regions in the PNG national championships for Australian rules football,[44] cricket,[45] and field hockey. The current boundary between PNG and Solomon Islands is derived from the Tripartite Convention of 1899, which saw those islands ceded to the United Kingdom. And, if the poll goes as expected, Bougainville could become the world’s next country. The population of the province is approximately 300,000 (2019 census), which includes islets such as the Carterets. [37][38], Rugby league in Bougainville is administered by the Bougainville Rugby Football League (BRFL), which is affiliated with the Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League (PNGRFL). On 25 July 2005 rebel leader Francis Ona died after a short illness. Bannoni and Torau are Austronesian languages not closely related to the former, which are spoken in the coastal areas of central and south Bougainville. Arawa, Bougainville Island Photo : Arawa Town the capital of Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea. Such a massive vote has no issue than making it inevitable. Bougainville Island (/ ˈ b uː ɡ ən v ɪ l / BOO-gən-vil; Tok Pisin: Bogenvil) is the main island of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea.It formed the main landmass of the German Empire-associated North Solomons.Its land measures 9,300 km 2 (3,600 sq mi). [14], The first Europeans to sight present-day Bougainville were the Dutch explorers Willem Schouten and Jacob Le Maire, who glimpsed Takuu Atoll and Nissan Island in 1616. Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Women in tribal colours attend a Bougainville reconciliation ceremony in November An island group that’s part of Papua New Guinea is about to vote on independence. The colonial period saw significant changes in the culture of the islanders.[21]. The region won the 2017 National Boxing Championships, which were hosted in Arawa. [citation needed] Bougainville's constitution, written in English, does not specify an official language, but calls for constitutional literature to be translated into Tok Pisin and as many local languages as possible, while also encouraging the "development, preservation, and enrichment of all Bougainville languages". Bougainville has played in the National Soccer League since 2019, although it is based in Port Moresby rather than in Bougainville itself. The majority of people on Bougainville are Christian, an estimated 70% being Roman Catholic and a substantial minority being of the Protestant United Church of Papua New Guinea since 1968. Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles will become world’s newest country… Bougainville, the adjacent island of Buka, and assorted outlying islands including the Carterets are sometimes known as North Solomons. [16] The initial boundary between the two territories was much more southerly, with Choiseul Island, Santa Isabel Island, Ontong Java, the Shortland Islands, and part of the Florida Islands included in the German section. These constitute two language families, North Bougainville and South Bougainville. Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea. Bougainville (/ˈboʊɡənvɪl/ BOH-gən-vil;[3] Tok Pisin: Bogenvil[4][5]), officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville,[6] is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. [42] Historically the Bougainville Soccer Association came into conflict with the Papua New Guinea Football Association over various matters. Bougainville: The World’s Next Country? Could Bougainville be the world's newest country? [49], Districts and Local Level Government Areas. About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles will become world’s newest country. The bustling waterway of Bougainville's capital Buka is seen on Nov. 21, 2019, ahead of an historic independence vote. The island and province Bougainville is part of Papua New Guinea and is the largest of the Solomon Islands group. A peace agreement was completed in 2000 and, together with disarmament, provided for the establishment of an Autonomous Bougainville Government. Bougainville , officially the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, is an autonomous region in Papua New Guinea. The law also established "My Bougainville" as the region's anthem. Elle est composée principalement de l'île Bougainville et de quelques îles proches. Elections for the first autonomous government were held in May and June 2005; Joseph Kabui, an independence leader, was elected President. Nurse Alexia Baria congratulated herself, bursting in tears of happiness: "This is the moment we've been waiting for.". Together they make up the Papua New Guinean province of that name. [47] Notable boxers from the region include Commonwealth Boxing Council titleholder Johnny Aba and Pacific Games gold medalist Thadius Katua. Bougainville est une île de Papouasie-Nouvelle-Guinée, l'une des plus grandes des îles Salomon dans le sud-ouest de l'océan Pacifique. [46], Boxing is popular in Bougainville. For census purposes, the LLGAs are subdivided into wards, and those into census units.[33]. : A Polynesian language of the South Pacific. The Allied counter-invasion resulted in heavy casualties, beginning in 1943, with full control of the islands not re-established until 1945. Bougainvillean separatism dates to the 1960s, and the Republic of North Solomons was declared shortly before the independence of Papua New Guinea in 1975; it was subsumed into Papua New Guinea the following year. Jason Scott , November 20, 2019, 4:00 PM EST Papua New Guinea province to … Pacific Island Referendum Could Give the World a Tiny New Country By . This vote was for "your peace, your history and your future" he said, and has demonstrated "the power of the pen against weapons". After a short German control between March 1942 and November 1943, Bougainville was placed by the United Nations under Australian guardianship in 1947. The war claimed an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 lives.[22][23]. Independence referendum to be held in Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville Off the coast of Queensland, a historic vote is taking place that could lead to the formation of a new nation. Avec l'île Buka au nord et d'autres petites îles environnantes, elle constitue la province Bougainville, rattachée à la région des Îles. The conflict involved pro-independence and loyalist Bougainvillean groups as well as the PNGDF. Bougainville, formerly an Australian colonial territory, has had a fractious relationship with Papua New Guinea since joining the country in 1976. The Constitution of Bougainville specifies that the Autonomous Bougainville Government shall consist of three branches:[27], President John Momis confirmed that Bougainville would hold a non-binding independence referendum in 2019. In 1988, the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) increased their activity significantly. Learn how and when to remove this template message, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force, Australian occupation of German New Guinea, President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, 2019 Bougainvillean independence referendum, Papua New Guinea national rugby league team, List of active separatist movements in Oceania, "AUTONOMOUS REGION OF BOUGAINVILLE : Bougainville Flag, Emblem and Anthem (Protection) Bill 2018", "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab", "The Constitution of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville", Will Marshall, "Papua New Guinea government obtains shaky weapons disposal pact in Bougainville", "Papua New Guinea not told of Australia's plans for new diplomatic post there", Canberra abandons Bougainville mission plan, "Bougainville confirms independence referendum before 2020 | Pacific Beat", "Ball rolling on Bougainville referendum", "Bougainville voters back independence by landslide", "Bougainville independence vote delivers emphatic demand to become world's newest nation", "Former rebel leader elected Bougainville president", "Pacific Regional Statistics - Secretariat of the Pacific Community", "Bougainville imposes moratorium on Panguna mine over fears of civil unrest", "BOUGAINVILLE FLAG, EMBLEM AND ANTHEM (PROTECTION) ACT 2018", "Bougainville Flag, Emblem and Anthem (Protection) Bill 2018: Explanatory Note", "New Executives Set To Revive Rugby League", "League Bilong Laif program commences in Bougainville", "Sport: Bougainville to make PNG National Soccer League debut", Full text of the Peace Agreement for Bougainville, Conciliation Resources—Bougainville Project, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Autonomous_Region_of_Bougainville&oldid=995661602, Members of the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, States and territories established in 2000, Articles lacking in-text citations from March 2020, Pages using infobox country or infobox former country with the symbol caption or type parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2019, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2015, All articles with vague or ambiguous time, Vague or ambiguous time from November 2019, Wikipedia external links cleanup from June 2019, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 December 2020, at 05:42. The largest island is Bougainville Island, while the region also includes Buka Island and a number of outlying islands and atolls. The region's biodiversity, which is one of the most important in Oceania, is heavily threatened by mining activities. The PNGDF retreated from permanent positions on Bougainville in 1990, but continued military action. Then in 1975, leaving the remit of Australia, Bougainville became a province of Papua New Guinea with an autonomous government. Bougainville Island, easternmost island of Papua New Guinea, in the Solomon Sea, southwestern Pacific.With Buka Island and several island groups, it forms the autonomous region of Bougainville. Understand []. Mining activities have caused civil unrest in the region many[quantify] times.[when?] In New York, UN General Secretary Antonio Guterres applauded the "successful organisation of the referendum" and praised authorities and the electorate "for their dedication and peaceful behaving throughout the process". Bougainville has been inhabited by humans for at least 29,000 years. [18] The first fully commercial plantation was established in 1908, but German annexation had little economic impact. Activists proclaimed the independence of Bougainville (Republic of North Solomons) in 1975 and in 1990, but both times government forces suppressed the separatists. Ahern urged all parties to validate the outcome of the consultation. Geographically, Bougainville is the largest of the Solomon Islands, located near the northern end of that chain.Bougainville is 75 miles (120 km) long and 40–60 miles (65–95 km) wide. [11] Around 3,000 years ago, Austronesian peoples brought the Lapita culture to the islands,[12] introducing pottery, agriculture, and domesticated animals such as pigs, dogs, and chickens. Takuu Dictionary. [32], The region is divided into three districts, which are further divided into Local Level Government (LLGs) areas. The lingua franca of Bougainville is Tok Pisin, while a variety of Austronesian and non-Austronesian languages are also spoken. [13] Both Austronesian and non-Austronesian languages are spoken on the islands to this day, however there has been significant mixing between the populations to the point that cultural and genetic differences are no longer correlated with language. The first one lies in negotiating between the governments of the autonomous region and that of Papua New Guinea. [25] In 2016, it cancelled those plans acknowledging that it had not obtained the PNG government's approval.[26]. [15] A German protectorate over the northern islands was established later that year, but the British Solomon Islands Protectorate was not established until 1893. A former surveyor with Bougainville Copper, Ona was a key figure in the secessionist conflict and had refused to formally join the island's peace process. On the nearby Takuu Atoll a Polynesian language is spoken, Takuu. Since then, the colonial heritage has continued to grow. Bougainville, a small island belonging to Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, has taken a major decision. Then, if successful, the ratification by the Papuan Parliament in Port Moresby, the capital of the country, can occur. In January 2018, a moratorium on one mine was imposed by the Papua New Guinea government, in a bid to calm civil unrest against mining in the region. [35], The Papuan languages are confined to the main island of Bougainville. 428pp. Decades after the region's bloody civil conflict, the people of Bougainville will today start casting their votes in a referendum on whether they should seek independence from Papua New Guinea. It is an island with vast untapped potential for tourism with magnificently rugged, jungled terrain and amazing coral reefs offshore. The Buka Passage divides Buka from Bougainville Island. 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