North Bougainville MP Hon. Francesca Semoso says the people’s voice has finally reached the National Parliament, six years after 98.7 percent of Bougainvilleans voted for independence in the 2019 referendum.
Semoso thanked Members of Parliament and her fellow Bougainville MPs for bringing the referendum result and the Bipartisan Parliamentary Committee report to the floor, nearly 25 years after the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
“I am really thankful that finally we have brought the results of the referendum and the report to the floor of Parliament. I thank the Members of Parliament for feeling that you are part of Bougainville as much as the four of us are part of PNG,” she said.
She congratulated the 11th Parliament for making history by allowing open debate on the matter, acknowledging the challenges in bringing it forward.
“For now, I support other MPs who said we should go through the report properly before it is debated. I just want to make sure that before the term of this government finishes, we would have made a decision through a sessional order,” she told Parliament.
Semoso expressed faith in Parliament and the government to bring closure to what Bougainvilleans have already voted for, while commending Hon. Belden Nama for standing with Bougainville.
“Even if the vote goes yes, let us go. You will still be part of Bougainville Island through marriage, friendship and family ties. We are still going to make sure the new narrative is written and a new friendship starts between PNG and Bougainville,” she said.
She reflected on progress since the establishment of the Autonomous Bougainville Government in 2005 and acknowledged the Vice President of Bougainville and other island leaders present to witness the historic moment.
“This is the first time in 25 years after the Peace Agreement, and six years after the referendum, that it has been tabled for open debate.
The challenge now is to let the 11th Parliament go down in history as the Parliament that made that decision for your brothers and sisters in Bougainville,” she said.