MEDIA RELEASE

BOUGAINVILLE NEGOTIATOR WAVES GOODBYE

As lasting peace on Bougainville inches closer, one of the main catalysts for the success of the process to date, the Chief Negotiator of the Peace Monitoring Group, has left the island.

After two tours to the island and three years on posting to Papua New Guinea, Rhys Puddicombe leaves behind a legacy, facilitating reconciliation between warring factions and helping to spread the message of peace.

Rhys Puddicombe wears the quiet smile of a man who seems to have the punch line to a joke running perpetually through his mind. And, as the Chief Negotiator with the Australian-led Peace Monitoring Group in Bougainville, whose job it is to help bring opposing factions to the negotiating table, his demeanour should be anything but relaxed and smiling.

But Rhys says it’s the challenge that has made his job as Chief Negotiator interesting.

“When I was first posted here (as Deputy Leader and Chief Negotiator of the Truce Monitoring Group in February to May this year) there was a lot of tension and mistrust, especially between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) and the PNG Defence Force (PNGDF). I did a lot of running backwards and forwards between the two groups trying to deal with allegations of violations of the truce and generally trying to get their temperatures down a bit.”

Since returning in August for his second tour with the Australian-led Peace Monitoring Group, Rhys has found the parties have continued to make progress.

"Tensions are lower and there is more trust and a strong commitment to the peace process. My job now is more about communication; making sure the parties to the conflict are well-informed and communicating, and that information about the peace process is getting to the people of Bougainville and also back to the Government in Port Moresby."

The Chief Negotiator says the presence and activities of the neutral and unarmed Peace Monitoring Group has given the parties on the ground the confidence to proceed with negotiations.

"I think we provide a very important security blanket. Our presence is reassuring to Bougainvilleans and our neutral monitoring role helps keep all sides on track. The PMG has received a high level of cooperation from all parties to the conflict. There is responsible leadership and a strong commitment to peace and peaceful negotiations by all parties. Important too is that all parties have quickly and effectively dealt with problems as they have arisen on the island."

He says the PMG has often had to act as a fireman, going to areas where killings or other events have happened and addressing disputes by getting those involved together to discuss their actions and possible solutions. He says the importance of knowing the main players well and having their trust and confidence could not be overstated.

"So far we have had very good cooperation. Having good working relationships with the leaders of all parties has helped immensely."

Rhys says although the atmosphere remains charged at times, regular meetings involving all players allow the parties to air their concerns.

"For example, we get the PNGDF, Police, BRA, Resistance, and BTG (Bougainville Transitional Government) together in Arawa every week to talk. They discuss developments and problems in the peace process, and from time to time make allegations against each other about breaches of the ceasefire. But now we are able to talk through these problems and find solutions together. So far this approach has worked."

He said although there was still potential for a breakdown of the process, reconciliations were taking place all over Bougainville.

"Bougainvilleans have a great cultural capacity to reconcile even major grievances, much more so than our own society. The formation of a Reconciliation Government will be a major step in addressing the core of the conflict; the desire by many Bougainvilleans for greater self-government."

Rhys says the Skate Government of PNG has also greatly helped the peace process.

"The Skate Government has been committed to the peace process from day one. It has taken a consistently flexible and mature approach to resolving the conflict through negotiation, and this has allowed the peace process to advance. It’s the only way out of the conflict."

The completion of Rhys’ second tour also marks the end to his three-year relationship with PNG, with his next posting with Foreign Affairs taking him back to Australia.

He says the next six months will be very interesting. "The key issue at the heart of this conflict is Bougainville’s political future. At the moment everyone if focused on the establishment of the Bougainville Reconciliation Government early next year."

Further information . . .

Richard Hogan        (Canberra) : Ph 0419 621753 or 02-62652913
CAPT Mike Harris (Bougainville) : Ph 02-62802855 (Ext 407)