By Frank Enright

Speaking on Radio New Zealand's Morning Report program on February 15, Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Paias Wingti turned truth on its head.

“Paias Wingti claimed that there was no blockade of Bougainville, that PNG troops on the island were not engaged in military activity and that local administrations [supporting the PNG government] covered the whole island”, reports Alliance associate defence spokesperson Keith Locke.

The Alliance immediately rejected such palpable untruths, calling them “misleading”.

On the eve of Wingti's visit, the Alliance called for the lifting of the PNG blockade of Bougainville, “which is causing such suffering to the people of the island”. The Alliance demanded that the New Zealand government not allow Wingti bury the issue on his visit.

Later in the week, New Zealand Prime Minister Jim Bolger suggested to Wingti that a parliamentary delegation be allowed to visit Bougainville. The Alliance welcomed this move, saying, “A serious war is raging on an island not far from our shores. A parliamentary visit would help bring home this fact.”

Locke continued with the warning: “We should guard against the trip being used as a PR exercise for the PNG government. The delegation must be allowed to visit the areas controlled by the rebel Bougainville Interim Government and talk to its leaders, such as Francis Ona.

“Clearly the Bougainville Revolutionary Army still enjoys considerable popular support. We can offer assistance to bring about new peace talks between PNG and the BRA. In 1990 New Zealand provided the ship Endeavour as a site for negotiations”, Locke stated.

“While favouring the improvement of trade relations between PNG and New Zealand, the Alliance does not favour a continuation of military assistance to PNG”, Locke said.

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