Australia opposes peace envoy

The Australian government has moved to sink an African-sponsored resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission calling for a UN special representative to investigate the situation on Bougainville, announced the island's Interim Government representative, Mike Forster.

Speaking from Geneva on March 7, Forster said: “The call for a special representative is vital to an early peace on Bougainville. Someone needs to bring about the reality of negotiations. The text being proposed by Australia to replace the African text will mean that Australia and Papua New Guinea will have yet another year to murder the people on Bougainville.

“There is an obvious conflict on Bougainville, but its basis is a conflict of interests. No amount of war will solve this.”

Despite a request that it attend the commission, the PNG government was not present. Forster charges that the Australian government is covering for PNG because it “is trying to keep the matter secluded because of [its] own illegal involvement in Bougainville”.

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