Video, US starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, Polish women forced abroad for abortion. Voters backing Bougainville's independence from Papua New Guinea have won a landslide referendum victory in a major step toward the troubled isles becoming the world's newest nation. Video, US starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, Polish women forced abroad for abortion. Independence option wins in Bougainville referendum Three weeks ago we reported on Bougainville's independence referendum - a non-binding vote on whether to split from Papua New Guinea and become a separate country. Last December the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, an area in Papua New Guinea (PNG), voted in a referendum for independence, a move motivated by a history of violence and conflict. If Bougainville gets independence, other PNG provinces (there are more than 20) could also up their demands for greater autonomy - or possibly secession. Bougainville’s fate is a microcosm of similar struggles all over the world. After two weeks of voting, the results are finally in: More than 98% of Bougainvilleans have voted in favor of independence. CANBERRA, Australia - The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea… Read about our approach to external linking. Guess which one might succeed. People line up to vote in a referendum on Bougainville's independence from Papua New Guinea, in the region's interim capital of Buka Town, on Nov. 25. NFK Editors - December 15, 2019. Though the independence option was expected … People voted overwhelmingly for independence (97.71 per cent) in what was widely regarded to be a successful process, with an informed and engaged citizenry. The new country - should it happen - would be small, with a land mass of less than 10,000 square kilometres (slightly larger than Cyprus, and slightly smaller than Lebanon). Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea About 207,000 Bougainvilleans are registered to vote on whether Melanesian isles … Video. Voters had two options - more autonomy, or full independence. Will this place become the world's next country? The declaration was the manifestation of a Bougainville identity which developed during the 20th Century. Australasia. However it was ignored by both Australia and PNG. The country is rich in natural resources - especially copper, which has been extracted on a large scale since the 1960s under Australian administration. VideoUS starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, ‘I was in prison at 20 - and a music executive by 28’, No pickers, no coffee: Covid threatens harvest, Polish women forced abroad for abortion. .css-gw44ni-IconContainer{display:inline-block;height:1em;width:1em;vertical-align:-0.125em;margin-right:0.25em;}playUS starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Papua New Guinea country profile, PM and EU chief agree to extend Brexit trade talks. "I believe the process will be a credible one, free of the fear and intimidation once wrought by weapons of war.". The South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world’s newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea, results showed Wednesday. On Saturday, a new chapter will be written, when 207,000 people begin voting on whether they want greater autonomy or independence. Estimates of the number of people killed range from 4,000 to 20,000 - between 3 and 13% of the islands' population at the start of the war. Asia Dec 18th 2019 edition T HE INTENDED destination is not in doubt. For one, Bougainville is rich in natural resources. The referendum is nonbinding, and independence will need to be negotiated between leaders from Bougainville and Papua New Guinea. A semi-autonomous region in the South Pacific has voted to become the world’s newest nation. The latest breaking news, ... Bougainville. © 2020 BBC. Video. Meanwhile, the US - along with Australia, New Zealand, and Japan - have provided funds to help with the referendum. When Papua New Guinea was granted independence in 1975, Bougainville became a province, even though there was little enthusiasm for it. During World War One, Australia took control and remained in charge until 1975 (with a brief period of Japanese control during World War Two). Ursula von der Leyen says talks were "constructive", but Boris Johnson warns no deal is "most likely". While the war brought much of the copper and gold mining operations to a halt, the province used to be one of PNG's richest before the war. WESH 2 News is your source for the latest local headlines and live alerts. The expectation is that the province will vote in favour of independence - but it's not a given, so there are three possible outcomes: Voting will be held between 23 November and 7 December and results are expected later in December. News Bougainville votes overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea . The primary marker of that identity was dark skin colour - most Bougainvilleans have darker skin than most, though not all, people from elsewhere in PNG. Source:News Corp Australia In 1975, Papua New Guinea including Bougainville, gained independence from Australia. Brexit: Are chances of a trade deal rising again? .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Bougainville: Will it become the world's next country? T he South Pacific region of Bougainville voted overwhelmingly to become the world's newest nation by gaining independence from Papua New Guinea, results showed on Wednesday. People voted overwhelmingly for independence (97.71 per cent) in what was widely regarded to be a successful process, with an informed and engaged citizenry. Bougainville president-elect Ishmael Toroama NEWS DESK | Radio New Zealand AUCKLAND - Former commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, Ishmael Toroama, yesterday won a clear majority to take over the presidency of Bougainville. The latest breaking news, comment and features from The Independent. Bougainville voted overwhelmingly in a referendum on Tuesday … One Bougainvillian, nursing graduate Alexia Baria, told news agency AFP that "happiness was an understatement". But according to research by Australia's Lowy Institute, Bougainville self-reliance would at best be years away. He was Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of Washington. Mining ... Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville takes major step towards independence. Joyous voters in the Pacific island chain of Bougainville cheered and sang as they flocked to the polls Saturday at the start of a long-awaited referendum on independence from Papua New Guinea. "You see my tears - this is the moment we have been waiting for," she said. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. And, if the poll goes as expected, Bougainville could become the world's next country. Australasia. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville, a chain of islands that lie 959 kilometres northwest of Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, has voted unequivocally for independence. Bougainville’s moment of reckoning has almost arrived: the question of independence is to be put to a referendum over two weeks from November 23. Likewise, its population would be one of the world's smallest - slightly smaller than Pacific neighbour Vanuatu, and slightly bigger than Barbados. Voters in Bougainville had to choose between full independence and greater autonomy, just 3,043 voters backed the second option. In late 2019, the people of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG) voted in a non-binding referendum offering two choices: greater autonomy or independence. Voters had two options - more autonomy, or full independence. This might lead to a new crisis and fresh conflict. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. Bougainville became part of PNG in 1976. In total, 181,067 ballots were cast. The islands attempted to declare independence during the formation of Papua New Guinea in 1975 - but they were ignored. Bougainville votes on independence from Papua New Guinea (2:45) Referendum results will trigger negotiations between the two governments … Visit Orlando's most reliable source for breaking news. The province would then transition to become a sovereign country, People vote for independence but PNG does not accept the outcome or tries to delay any further steps. Even in colonial times, Bougainville was an outpost. “There’s tears, tears of joy, raw emotion - people have waited a long time,” Referendum Chairman Bertie Ahern said in the town of Buka adding that “the pen is always mightier than the sword.” VideoIs global warming making hurricanes stronger? Voters had two options - more autonomy, or full independence. Beijing has recently increased its efforts to boost ties with island nations in the Pacific, establishing diplomatic ties with the Solomon Islands and Kiribati. In fact, there was even a declaration of independence shortly before PNG was formed - an attempt to create the "Republic of the North Solomons". Is global warming making hurricanes stronger? Will there be mass testing at your child's school? US starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine. Bougainville: Will it become the world's next country? Covid vaccines: Will drug companies make bumper profits? And, .css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link{color:#3F3F42;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{font-weight:bolder;border-bottom:1px solid #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{border-bottom-color:currentcolor;border-bottom-width:2px;color:#B80000;}@supports (text-underline-offset:0.25em){.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited{border-bottom:none;-webkit-text-decoration:underline #BABABA;text-decoration:underline #BABABA;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:1px;text-decoration-thickness:1px;-webkit-text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;text-underline-offset:0.25em;}.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:hover,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:link:focus,.css-yidnqd-InlineLink:visited:focus{-webkit-text-decoration-color:currentcolor;text-decoration-color:currentcolor;-webkit-text-decoration-thickness:2px;text-decoration-thickness:2px;color:#B80000;}}according to referendum literature, "some parts of mountainous central and northern Bougainville had little contact with either churches or the colonial regime until after World War Two". The people of Bougainville, an island group in Papua New Guinea, have voted overwhelmingly for independence. Bougainville residents queue to vote at a polling station in an historic independence vote in Buka on November 23, 2019. Independence for Bougainville could instantly make the islands a new front in the battle for influence being waged across the South Pacific between China, the United States and Australia. Of the 181,000 ballots, almost 98% were in favour of independence. Australasia. The Prime Minister of PNG said his government was committed to respecting the poll's result. VideoPolish women forced abroad for abortion. The result was the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA), the creation in 2005 of the Autonomous Bougainville Government, and the promise of a non-binding referendum on independence. Try the same news story at these levels: Bougainville - Level 5 or Bougainville - Level 6. Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville takes major step towards independence. In that case, Bougainville would stay part of PNG and details would be worked out, People vote for independence and PNG accepts the vote. The JSB meeting, which was to initiate consultations on the independence referendum, was called … Is global warming making hurricanes stronger? The people of Bougainville will head to the polls next month and they will have two options on their ballot papers: greater autonomy or independence from PNG. Although the PNG government was against independence, and does not have to accept the result, the huge mandate will make it hard to ignore. 2000peace agreement sets 2020 deadline for independence poll. But mining has been crippled by the war - and the distribution of revenue was one of the factors behind the conflict. "Now, at least psychologically, we feel liberated," said John Momis, president of the regional autonomous government. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. People vote for more autonomy, turning down the independence option. News Roundup: Bougainville Independence and Young, Female Leaders. .css-1xgx53b-Link{font-family:ReithSans,Helvetica,Arial,freesans,sans-serif;font-weight:700;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;color:#FFFFFF;}.css-1xgx53b-Link:hover,.css-1xgx53b-Link:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}Read about our approach to external linking. VideoUS starts shipping Pfizer/BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine, Christmas lockdown for Germany as virus spikes, ‘I was in prison at 20 - and a music executive by 28’, No pickers, no coffee: Covid threatens harvest, Polish women forced abroad for abortion. Nevertheless, the final decision will be written, when 207,000 people begin voting on whether they want greater or! 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