Feb 07, 2006

Bougainville: Government Moves for Proper Burials


The remains of those killed during the 10-year conflict have been extracted and given back to their families for proper burial. The Autonomous Bougainville Government has taken steps towards reconciliation of the concerned parties
The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has taken steps to progress the reconciliation process with parties now extracting the remains of those killed during the 10-year conflict.

The remains are of those killed by the then Bougainville Revolutionary Army, the Buka Liberty Force and the Bougainville Resistance Forces during the peak period of the conflict.

Thirty three bodies have been identified throughout the region to be extracted from areas they were killed and the remains given back to their families for proper burial.

The ABG had allocated a special Christmas and New Year package worth K200,000 (US$66,000) towards the burial.

On Wednesday, the first extraction of remains took place when the people of Haku and Halia in Buka handed the remains of Sam Soma, killed by the then BRA, back to his family.

He was killed in 1990, in the jungles of Tohatsi following the arrival of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force soldiers in Buka.

ABG member for Halia Patrick Nisira, a former rebel commander, said the extraction of the victim’s remains came about after negotiations.

Mr Nisira said this would pave the way for other bodies in the region to be retrieved for proper burial.

Representing the victim’s family, Chief Timothy Labom said all they wanted were the remains because the region was still going through the peace process.

“We don’t want to avenge the death. We just want them to say sorry with just a little compensation because we know he was one of the other 20,000 people killed in that period,” said Chief Labom………..Post-Courier/PNS

Source: Pacific Islands