The Tambea Accord

• Country/entity

  Papua New Guinea
  Bougainville
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  The Tambea Accord
• Date

  27 Aug 1994
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

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

  Pre-negotiation/process
• Conflict nature

  Government/territory
• Peace process

  Bougainville: peace process
• Parties

  Brown BAI, CBE, Secretary to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Prime Minister's Office, Papua New Guinea;
  General Sam KAUONA, Commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army;
  Gabriel DUSAVA, Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Papua New Guinea;
  Martin MIRIORI, Representative of the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government;
• Third parties

  Hon. Francis J. SAEMALA, Convenor, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Solomon Islands;
• Description

  Record of talks between parties, agreed stages for continuing consultative talks between the parties, agreed agenda for meeting between BRA, BIG and the Bougainville Interim Legal Authorities. Statements appended by General Sam Kauona, BRA Commander and the Talks chairman.

• Agreement document

  PG_940827_TambeaRecord.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

Tambea Accord

Tambea, 27 August 1994

Record of the talks between officials of the national government of Papua New Guinea and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government, 26-27 August 1994, Tambea, Solomon Islands.

Introduction

1. Further to the agreed record signed between representatives of the organization called the 'Bougainville Interim Government' ('BIG') and representatives of other Bougainville Peace

groups and Senior Officials of the National Government of Papua New Guinea on 11 June 1994 in Honiara in pursuit of a Negotiated Peace/Settlement to the Bougainville Crisis, a delegation of the National Government led by Mr. Brown Bai, CBE, held broad ranging talks with a delegation from the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government and the BRA led by Mr. Sam Kauona from 26-27 August 1994 at Tambea, outside Honiara, Solomon Islands.

List of participants

2. This is appended as Attachment 1.

Chairman/Convenor

3. The Honourable Francis Saemala, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Solomon Islands, as the convenor, chaired the meeting.

Opening of the Meeting

4. The Chairman opened the meeting with a prayer.

In his opening remarks the Chairman welcomed the two delegations to Honiara.

He especially thanked Mr. Sam Kauona for making himself available to attend the meeting and hoped that the arrangements made for his delegation were sufficient.

The Chairman also thanked the PNG Delegation for responding quickly to the call to attend the meeting, especially the PNG High Commissioner Mr. Joseph Assaigo, who had been active in coordinating the attendance of the PNG delegation.

The Chairman went on to emphasize the importance of the meeting as a constructive move towards paving the way for peace on Bougainville.

5. The Chairman proposed to the delegations that the main objectives of the meeting should be to

a) Resume the dialogue that was suspended on 19th June and

b) Agree on the stages that would constitute this dialogue for the road to peace in Bougainville.

This proposal was adopted.

6.

The following stages were agreed for the continuing consultative process:

Stage I The consultative meeting between the Deputy Prime Minister and Kauona on 23rd August.

Stage IIThe High Level Consultative meeting between PNG Senior officials and the Commander of the BRA and the representatives of the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government.

Stage III Ministerial meeting to be held on 2nd September in Solomon Islands.

Stage IV The Bougainville Peace Conference to be held in Bougainville.

The Chairman's Statement is appended as Attachment II.

7.

Both delegations acknowledged with thanks the continuing assistance and facilitating role of the Solomon Islands Government in the Bougainville peace process.

8. The PNG delegation assured the meeting that they had the full mandate of their Government to negotiate as quickly as possible for the peaceful settlement of the Bougainville conflict.

Since the last meeting the PNG government has instructed its officials to pursue discussion with the higher level of the BRA and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government.

Their attendance at this Meeting was in compliance with that instruction.

PNG therefore did not renege on the agreements reached in the meeting held in Honiara on June 4 and 11, 1994 but waited for this opportunity.

9. The BRA and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government representatives also assured the meeting that they had the full mandate and were firmly committed to restoring peace on Bougainville.

The primary issue as far as they are concerned is peace and not political matters.

10. The written statements made by the BRA and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government are appended as Attachments III and IV respectively.

Adjournment of the Meeting

11. The Chairman adjourned the meeting to allow for further consultation on both sides.

Resumption of Meeting

12. The Meeting resumed with the Chairman presenting strings of shell money to the members of both delegations.

13. The two sides expressed their gratitude to the Chairman's timely gesture of Melanesian

goodwill and noted the significance of shell money in resolving conflicts in Melanesia.

14. The Meeting agreed that the Ministerial Meeting be held on Friday 2nd September 1994 in Solomon Islands.

15. The Meeting agreed that the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government would meet with the Chairmen of the Bougainville Interim Legal Authorities before the Ministerial meeting.

16. The Delegations agreed on the following items for the agenda of the Ministerial Meeting:

i) Immediate ceasefire and formal declaration of peace

ii) Introduction of the South Pacific Peacekeeping force iii) Official lifting of the blockade

iv) Pardon, Amnesty and Temporary Refuge

v) Reconciliation and compensation

vi) Restoration and Reconstruction

vii) Agenda for Bougainville Peace Conference.

viii) Other issues

17. Both sides agreed that the agenda for the Ministerial meeting was not exhaustive but may

include matters that may be raised at the meeting between the Bougainville Revolutionary Army and the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government and the Chairmen of the Bougainville Interim Legal Authorities.

Close of the Meeting

18. The two sides expressed their satisfaction with the outcome of the meeting and thanked the Chairman for convening the meeting.

19. The Chairman thanked both delegations for their frank and constructive dialogue and assured them of Solomon Islands genuine commitment to the peace process in Bougainville.

20. Both agreed that this Record shall constitute a binding understanding between them.

Signed at Tambea this 27th day of August 1994.

SIGNED BY:

Brown BAI, CBE Secretary to the Prime Minister and Cabinet Prime Minister's Office Papua New Guinea

General Sam KAUONA Commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army

Gabriel DUSAVA Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Trade Papua New Guinea

Martin MIRIORI Representative of the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government

Hon. Francis J. SAEMALA Convenor

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Solomon Islands

Attachment I List of Participants

Organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government

1. General Sam KAUONA, Commander of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army

2. David Ona VUI, Minister of the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government

3. Martin MIRIORI, Representative of the organization known as the Bougainville Interim Government

4. Philip Banas TARUONA, Secretary to BRASCO

Papua New Guinea

1. Brown BAI, Secretary to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Prime Minister's Office

2. Gabriel DUSAVA, Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Department of Foreign Affairs 3.

Nason MOAT, Senior Officer, Prime Minister's Office

4. Joseph ASSAIGO, High Commissioner to Solomon Islands

Solomon Islands

1. Honourable Francis J SAEMALA, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

2. Augustine MANAKAKO, Secretary to Cabinet and Prime Minister's Office, Office of the Prime Minister

3. Hugh PAIA, Permanent Secretary (Ag), Ministry of Foreign Affairs 4.

Robert SISILO, Deputy Secretary (Ag), Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Attachment II

The Road to Peace for Bougainville

Secretary to the Cabinet and the Prime Minister's Office of Papua New Guinea, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Papua New Guinea, PNG High Commissioner, and other members of your Party, the Leader of the BRA and the members of your group and officials of the Solomon Islands Government.

Let me, first of all, welcome our friends from Papua New Guinea within the Secretary's party and the leader's group.

It is my greatest pleasure and honour to welcome you and to be able to be with you during these dialogues.

I wish at this stage too to offer my special thanks to Mr. Sam Kauona for his coming in response to my invitation.

I thank you most sincerely and I also offer this same deep gratitude to your colleagues Mr. Francis Ona and Mr. Joseph Kabui for agreeing to your coming in response to the invitation.

In this context you and your entourage are guests of the Solomon Islands Government.

Mr. Sam Kauona's coming has been facilitated through the cooperative efforts I had with Mr. Martin Miriori and Mr. David Onavui.

To both of them I also extend my gratitude.

I thank also the Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Acting Permanent Secretary for

Foreign Affairs for making the administrative arrangements for these meetings.

Gentlemen, this afternoon we have a very challenging task:

a task which calls for our resolve to be frank, genuine and be understanding of each other.

We are here to try and continue the surveying and construction of the road to peace in Bougainville.

As such, I believe our starting point this afternoon is to define our objectives for this meeting.

As I see it, and subject of course to your determination on both sides, the objectives for this meeting are to:

a) resume the dialogue that was suspended on 19/6/94;

and

b) agree on the stages of meetings that would constitute this dialogue for the road to peace in Bougainville.

When pursuing these objectives, I pray and hope we will [...]

Attachment III

Statement by General Sam Kauona, Commander of Bougainville Revolutionary Army (Bra)

To the Meeting of Officials from PNG

With Brasco and Bougainville Interim Government Solomon Islands - August 25/26, 1994

Thank you Mr. Chairman,

I would like to add my own words of appreciation to those of Secretary Miriori on behalf of the BRA.

Without the consistent will of Solomon Islands to facilitate peace on Bougainville we would not have the opportunities to talk peace that we have now.

Thank you also to Deputy Prime Minister Honourable Mr. Francis Saemala for your efforts in guiding us back to the table during a time when peace has once again been seriously violated.

Mr. Chairman,

Those of us on the ground in Bougainville were very encouraged during the last round of consultative dialogue in June, which took place in these same Solomon Islands.

The disappointment and dismay over the breakdown in the process was widespread.

It was generally felt that peace was in fact going to be achievable.

It was difficult for us to believe that the PNG Government did not respect the mandate that we had given to our negotiators, or that they could not accept the simple request that was contained and agreed to in the Memorandum of Understanding for our representatives to meet and conduct a preliminary meeting with the Interim Legal Authorities to discuss the Pan

Bougainville Conference, a concept that is considered by many to be the key to peace on Bougainville.

Let me stress to you all here that our negotiating committee does have the full mandate of the Interim Government and the BRA, as well as that of ALL our people in BRA controlled areas.

All people on Bougainville want peace.

We believe that the time for peace has come.

We accept that there are matters that need to be discussed and there is a real will for peace through Bougainville.

The function of the BRA is to protect our land, ourselves and our rights.

Our motives are defensive.

We have always been first with calls for peace and negotiation.

We have many

times made the call for a ceasefire.

We have never received any response from the PNG Government on those calls.

The PNG Government has remained committed in trying to achieve an impossible military victory.

For our part we have been content to offer the resistance which this commitment by PNG has forced us to adopt.

It is a resistance that will endure as long as the PNG Government pursues its military agenda, until there is a fully negotiated and acceptable peaceful solution.

We will not open our door to aggressive action by the PNG military, but our door to negotiations with the Government is always open.

As proof that the Interim Government is fully supported in this consultative process to peace by BRA, you now have the Secretary of BRASCO before you and of course myself.

We are here to lend support to our negotiators.

They are the ones who we have put our trust in to lead us through the minefield of negotiations.

Likewise they would trust us to protect them in the field of fire.

I am here because of the insistence by the PNG Prime Minister that either Mr. Ona, Mr. Kabul or myself was needed to continue the consultative process.

This was further enforced by the kind invitation of Deputy Prime Minister Saemala.

If I was an advocate of war I would not be here.

I am here to support the call for a negotiated peaceful resolution through a consultative process of meetings and negotiations.

I took the responsibility to come, with all the risks involved, to bring home to the PNG Government that we have begun the peace process.

I hope that this meeting is not just another empty sham by the PNG Government.

I therefore challenge the Government to be equally genuine in trying to work out a peaceful settlement with us and not further pursue their divide and rule tactic, which only continues to result in the deaths and injury of many Bougainvilleans and Papua New Guineans.

I want to let you all know that I am in the Solomon Islands on a definite mission, a mission that could not be achieved without my presence.

That, gentlemen, is to propose and discuss the conditions for the initiation of a ceasefire.

I hope that you are indeed fully mandated to discuss this question.

It is obvious to me that, although Mr. Miriori has stated that we wish to continue the consultative process from where it was left off, many things have already changed.

The Papua New Guinea Defence Force has attempted to advance into the Panguna mine area.

Many of your soldiers have been wounded as well as some of ours as we fight over an empty hole in the ground.

This does not indicate that you have shown good faith with the BRA and the interim Government on the matter of peace.

While Martin Miriori, Julius Chan and Francis Saemala were coordinating together to ensure that I would indeed be able to attend and participate in the peace processes, the Government chose to violate the delicate balance of

peace and harmony which was developing in Bougainville as our people looked towards peace.

How are we able to accept that you come to us in Good Faith this time?

Every time you hold so-called peace talks it seems the only result is a further thrust from your military into Bougainville Island.

We must begin therefore to negotiate terms for ceasefire agreement.

I would like to place this matter clearly on the agenda.

Because the Papua New Guinea Defence Force has been utilizing other Bougainvilleans in their military campaign for the past three years, the ceasefire will also have to be fully discussed with the leaders of the Interim Legal Authorities.

Before we can make peace with PNG we must first make peace with those other

Bougainvilleans.

We recognize that the only lasting agreement between the PNG Government and the people of Bougainville will be one that truly represents ALL Bougainvilleans.

Any declarations that do not involve them, and through them the grass roots of Bougainville, will have no effect.

Our tribal traditions will cause any restoration efforts to continue falling on bloodied grounds if we have not addressed these matters face to face to reconcile the issues involved.

This is a Bougainvillean issue and if you truly want peace you should no longer stand in the way of this process, you must begin to respect our culture.

I believe that after those consultations take place the job of the peacemakers will be greatly simplified.

I therefore stress the importance of Papua New Guinea now honouring their side of the June 11th agreement.

Through all difficulties the Secretary and myself are here as you requested.

We have done our part in honouring the agreement.

It is the most important agreement and we cannot therefore just simply see it thrown away as if it has no meaning because it has taken many years, many prayers and much thought.

It is vital step in peace and reconciliation that

relates to our Bougainvillean culture.

It is sacred to us.

The meeting agreed between Secretaries Bai and Dusava and our representatives from the peace committee must now be put in place.

That alone will show us that you have also come in good faith.

I am referring to your undertaking to facilitate the presence of the leaders of ALL the Interim Legal Authorities to attend such a meeting here in Honiara.

During those meetings, if this is acceptable to the Solomon Islands Government, I would be willing to meet here in the Solomon Islands, with my counterpart on Bougainville, Colonel Jerry Singarok, to iron out the guidelines for the ceasefire to be observed by the third party peacekeeping force.

Following on these meetings we can once again meet with you to discuss the signing of a ceasefire and other matters relating to an agenda for peace, reconciliation and reconstruction on Bougainville.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.