Agreement covering Implementation of the Ceasefire (Arawa Agreement)

• Country/entity

  Papua New Guinea
  Bougainville
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  Agreement covering Implementation of the Ceasefire (Arawa Agreement)
• Date

  30 Apr 1998
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Intrastate/intrastate conflict ( Bougainville Conflict (1987 - 1998) )
• Stage

  Ceasefire/related
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Bougainville: peace process
• Parties

  (Signed)
  Sir John KAPUTIN, Special State Negotiator, Papua New Guinea Government;
  Sam AKOITAI, Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Papua New Guinea Government;
  Gerard SINATO, Premier, Bougainville Transitional Government;
  Joseph KABUI, Vice President, Bougainville Interim Government;
  Hilary MASIRIA, Chairman, Bougainville Resistance Force;
  General Sam KAUONA, Commander, Bougainville Revolutionary Army;
  John MOMIS, Member for Bougainville Region, Papua New Guinea Government;
  Michael LAIMO, Member for South Bougainville, Papua New Guinea Government;
  Michael OGIO, Member for North Bougainville, Papua New Guinea Government;
• Third parties

  WITNESSED BY:
  Bartholomew ULUFA’ALU, Prime Minister, Government of Solomon Islands;
  Don MACKINNON, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of New Zealand;
  Alexander DOWNER, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Australia;
  Bernardo VUNIBOBO, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Fiji;
  Clement LEON, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Vanuatu;
  Francesc VENDRELL, Representative of the Secretary-General;
• Description

  Agreement providing for permanent and irrevocable ceasefire, a neutral regional peace monitoring group and UN observer mission, a mechanism for consultation with parties, and agreement for a call out order and neutral zone.

• Agreement document

  PG_980430_ArawaAgreement.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

Annex Agreement Covering Implementation of the Ceasefire

(Annex I to the Lincoln Agreement)

The Government of Papua New Guinea, the Bougainville Transitional Government, the Bougainville Resistance Force, the Bougainville Interim Government, the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and Bougainville leaders ("the parties"):

(i) Recognizing that the situation on Bougainville has substantially improved following the signing of the Burnham Truce;

(ii) Realizing that this was brought about by the cooperation between all parties, the people of Bougainville and the Truce Monitoring Group in observing the terms of the truce;

(iii) Desiring that this same spirit of cooperation be maintained and continued;

(iv) Realizing that the Lincoln Agreement on Peace, Security and Development on Bougainville is the basis for the Agenda for ongoing consultation and negotiation between the parties, which Agreement needs to be implemented;

hereby agree to the following arrangements:

PART I. CEASEFIRE

1. Permanent and irrevocable ceasefire A permanent and irrevocable ceasefire will come into effect on Bougainville at 2400 hours on 30 April 1998.

2. Terms of the ceasefire

2.1 As from that hour all parties will continue to refrain from all hostile acts or the carriage or possession and the use of arms, ammunition, explosives and other instruments of death, injury or destruction on Bougainville.

2.2 No one will manufacture, trade or distribute weapons in Bougainville.

2.3 The parties will cooperate in reporting and preventing the use, manufacture, importation, sale, trade and exchange of weapons and ammunition.

2.4 People will be allowed to move freely without hindrance in Bougainville.

PART II.

NEUTRAL REGIONAL PEACE MONITORING GROUP AND UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER MISSION

3. Neutral regional Peace Monitoring Group

3.1 The Papua New Guinea Government, in consultation with the parties, will negotiate an agreement based on the Agreement concerning the Regional Truce Monitoring Group to establish a neutral regional Peace Monitoring Group.

3.2 The parties agree that Papua New Guinea will invite Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Vanuatu and other countries in the region to participate in the neutral regional Peace Monitoring Group.

4. Mandate of the Peace Monitoring Group The parties agree that the Peace Monitoring Group will carry out the following mandate:

(i) Monitor and report on compliance with all aspects of the ceasefire;

(ii) Promote and instil confidence in the peace process through its presence, good offices and interaction with people in Bougainville;

(iii) Provide such assistance in implementation of the Lincoln Agreement as the parties to the Lincoln Agreement and the States contributing to the Peace Monitoring Group may agree and available resources allow;

(iv) Cooperate by agreement in ways that assist in the democratic resolution of the situation.

5. United Nations observer mission

5.1 The parties agree that the Papua New Guinea Government will request:

(i) The Security Council to endorse the neutral regional Peace Monitoring Group;

(ii) The Secretary-General to send an observer mission to Bougainville.

5.2 The parties recognize that the United Nations observer mission will work in conjunction with the Peace Monitoring Group while maintaining the right to make its own observations and assessments.

5.3 The mandate of the United Nations observer mission will be to monitor and report on implementation of these arrangements and it may be requested to assist in other areas as agreed by the parties.

PART III.

MECHANISM FOR CONSULTATION

6. Peace Process Consultative Committee

6.1 The parties agree to establish a Peace Process Consultative Committee which will replace the Peace Consultative Committee.

6.2 The Papua New Guinea National Government will seek funding for the establishment of a secretariat for the Peace Process Consultative Committee.

7. Membership of the Peace Process Consultative Committee

7.1 The Peace Process Consultative Committee will comprise members from all the parties.

7.2 The United Nations observer mission and the States contributing to the Peace Monitoring Group will be invited to sit at meetings of the Peace Process Consultative Committee.

8. Chairman of the Peace Process Consultative Committee The parties agree that the Chairman of the Peace Process Consultative Committee will be the leader of the United Nations observer mission or otherwise as may be agreed by the parties.

9. Function of the Peace Process Consultative Committee The parties agree that the functions of the Peace Process Consultative Committee shall be the following:

(i) To consult with all the parties on aspects of the ceasefire;

(ii) To assist the Peace Monitoring Group to monitor the ceasefire and resolve problems resulting from breaches of the terms of the ceasefire;

(iii) To promote the process by screening and clearing issues arising from the Lincoln Agreement;

(iv) To develop detailed plans for the disposal of weapons;

(v) To develop detailed plans for phased withdrawal of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Mobile Riot Squad;

(vi) To promote public awareness and understanding of the peace process;

(vii) To work with similar bodies at district and local levels to help achieve the same objectives in their respective areas;

(viii) To staff the secretariat.

10. Consultation with the Peace Process Consultative Committee Recognizing the special situation in Bougainville, the Police Commissioner shall consult with the Peace Process Consultative Committee prior to any order to redeploy the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary Mobile Riot Squad on Bougainville.

PART IV.

CALL-OUT ORDER AND NEUTRAL ZONE

11. Call-out order and neutral zone

11.1 The Special State Negotiator will raise the Government of Papua New Guinea, within seven days of the signing of annex I to the Lincoln Agreement, the following:

(i) Recognition by all parties of the township of Arawa as a demilitarized neutral zone;

(ii) Rescinding of the call-out order to consolidate the ceasefire.

11.2 The first meeting of the Peace Process Consultative Committee shall take place within seven days of the implementation of (i) and (ii) above.

Ceasefire - annex I

This agreement is annex I to the Lincoln Agreement on Peace, Security and Development on Bougainville.

Dated at Arawa this 30th April 1998

Sir John KAPUTIN, Special State Negotiator, Papua New Guinea Government;

Sam AKOITAI, Minister of Bougainville Affairs, Papua New Guinea Government;

Gerard SINATO, Premier, Bougainville Transitional Government;

Joseph KABUI, Vice President, Bougainville Interim Government;

Hilary MASIRIA, Chairman, Bougainville Resistance Force;

General Sam KAUONA, Commander, Bougainville Revolutionary Army;

John MOMIS, Member for Bougainville Region, Papua New Guinea Government;

Michael LAIMO, Member for South Bougainville, Papua New Guinea Government;

Michael OGIO, Member for North Bougainville, Papua New Guinea Government;

WITNESSED BY:

Bartholomew ULUFA’ALU, Prime Minister, Government of Solomon Islands;

Don MACKINNON, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Government of New Zealand;

Alexander DOWNER, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Australia;

Bernardo VUNIBOBO, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Fiji;

Clement LEON, Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of Vanuatu;

Francesc VENDRELL, Representative of the Secretary-General;