Ishmael Toroama, a former secessionist military commander turned peacemaker and cocoa farmer, has been elected the president of PNG’s autonomous Bougainville region, in a further fillip for the province’s push for independence from Papua New Guinea. His victory marks a break from the current administration, led by President John Momis, after the government’s candidate was earlier eliminated in the region’s preferential voting system. Looking forward to work with your leaders including the president.”. 20,107 – Thomas Raivet. As journalist Dominic Rotheroe wrote in an article in The Independent (The Green Guerrillas, 13 September 1998) Toroama is nothing if not a very strong and intimidating man: “Ten minutes further into this training patrol, a mock ambush is launched and Ishmael Toroama hurtles into the bush, M-16 blazing, while his soldiers blast the jungle with a mix of captured M-l6s, rejuvenated Second World World War guns, and home-made rifles. “He is no underdog and has come a solid second in the last two elections, although the voters each time preferred a civil servant with a record of service to Toroama. Starygin writes that during the disarmament process endorsed by the peace agreement, “Toroama presented himself as an agent of peace”. Return to Rabi on the horizon for Ossies climate doco crew? He tells us how Jesus appeared to him after he was wounded. President Toroama was announcing the Bana Special Economic Zone at Mamarego Primary School in the Bana District of South Bougainville. 40 luxury Maseratis for PNG, but little effort put into climate... Tukuitonga goes into battle on behalf of Pacific for WHO position. Congratulations to Ishmael Toroama the new President of Bougainville. Seriously injured?’ ‘Er, one yes, very.’ It is training like this that has turned the BRA into such an effective fighting force. “Toroama’s BRA-days notoriety, his role in the peace process, the magnitude of his post-crisis ‘economic activity’ and the possession of weapons and loyalty of the men who carry them have made Toroama a viable political force in Central Bougainville. Fiji declares state of disaster as TC Yasa wreaks havoc in... Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License, Click here for the PMC's terms of use and disclaimer. Bougainville, a group of islands in PNG’s east that has close relations with neighbouring Solomon Islands, has been hampered post-conflict by years of poor economic progress, despite its abundance of natural resources. CANBERRA, Australia, Sep 29 (IPS) - Ishmael Toroama, a former revolutionary leader and fighter during the decade long civil war which engulfed the remote islands of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea (PNG) in the 1990s, has been elected the autonomous region's new President ahead of high-level talks about its political future. On the election trail, the Bougainvillean newspaper reported Toroama’s campaign saying: “I am standing to be the change. Well, this did not happen. The change people want, the change people can see and feel, the change people have been crying for, the change people expect to see and the change that has never happened during the course of the first three parliaments of Bougainville”. In the war on Bougainville (1988–98) up to 20,000 people died. The death of up to 20,000 people on Bougainville caused by Rio Tinto and BCL as well as the hiring of mercenaries from Sandline Inertnational who were stopped in March 1997, just shows the disgusting, greedy , racist behaviour that the Rio Tinto and BCL mining companies are all about. “We conducted a clean campaign, we did not give money to the voters and we did not intimidate any voters: people have used their God-given wisdom to vote for the right candidate,” Toroama said after his victory was announced. Many long-term members of the province’s house of representatives lost their seats to young, millennial generation leaders, such as Theonila Matbob, born during the civil war, and elected to the constituency of Ioro, home to the disused Panguna mine. Mr. Toroama says that Bougainville’s dreams to one day chart its … Toroama did not take long to become a prominent ‘field commander’ in the BRA and later succeeded the BRA’s first ‘chief of defence’, Sam Kauona, who happens to be an eliminated candidate in the current election. More than 98% of voters supported independence in the non-binding referendum, but that independence now needs to be negotiated with a central PNG government reluctant to lose the resource-rich province. Newly elected President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, Ishmael Toroama, says that for the autonomous region to progress it is essential that law and order is established. Echoes of the Rainbow Warrior – have the lessons been learned? A Bougainville which itself may be standing on the threshold of independence. The conflict and subsequent military blockade – provoked by the the environmental damage wrought by the Rio Tinto’s massive Panguna copper mine, as well as disputes over the limited share of mine profits going to the island’s inhabitants – led to the deaths up to 20,000 people between 1988 and 1998. Rio Tinto and BCL turned the island of Bougainville into a sea of blood by imposing a military blockade using Australian helicopters decked out as gunships to strafe villages on Bougainville, navy boats supplied by Australia to keep journalists and human rights workers out so no medicines or medical teams could enter Bougainville in order to keep Rio Tinto and BCL’s filth from being exposed. He has proposed a timeline of two to three years. Follow me, because I am the Lord.’ And this he did; when the war ends, he says, he would like to become a preacher.”. “[And] to the people of Bougainville, thank you for your peace and serenity as you decided on your government. Toroama told ABC radio’s Pacific Beat how honoured he was to be elected as the new President of Bougainville: "We have to fulfill the dreams and the vision of why we fought. Sadly Rio Tinto and BCL retaliated by sending in the PNG Defence Forces, supported by Australia and Australian tax payer dollars. The new president of Bougainville will be Ishmael Toroama, a former commander in the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, and one of the key players … Later, as he accelerates his battered 4×4 Hi-lux truck along a track more hole than road, he admits that on these training exercises he attacks his men with live ammunition. Bougainville has a new president, former rebel leader Ishmael Toroama, who will lead talks for the island territory's independence from Papua New Guinea. They, Rio Tinto and BCL have been exposed. Parliamentary elections parallel to the presidential poll marked a significant shift from the status quo in Bougainville politics. BUKA – Bougainville’s president Ishmael Toroama has vowed to continue to protect landowner rights as the region embarks on an energetic program of economic development. President’s Ishmael Toroma’s mission to increase appreciation and recognition of the dynamic role of women have in Bougainville society. Rio Tinto and BCL were making mega bucks without any regard for the environment or the people of Bougainville. Field commander What we do know is that Toroama has been an independence fighter, that a majority of the Bougainville people want independence, that the Papua New Guinea government has shown no support for this and that the epic question of Bougainville independence is one that is up for answering. Peace agreement But we don’t yet know how this personal history will transition into how he will perform in the role of a significant Melanesian political leader. Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected president of Bougainville, an autonomous part of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, electoral officials said on Wednesday, and is set to lead talks seeking independence. Bougainville Elects Ishmael Toroama President, Eyes Set on Independence By Grant Wyeth. I’d like to share my story but I don’t know whom to contact. Bougainville, a group of lush, mineral-rich islands in the South Pacific, has undergone little development since the end of a decade-long civil war that claimed the lives of 20,000 people in 1998. The Autonomous Region of Bougainville Declare New President - Ishmael Toroama. New Bougainille President, Ismael Toroama Photo: ABG. What we do suspect is that, although Ishmael Toroama has shown himself to be a shrewd operator, there is no proof of any illegality or corruption in his varied and volatile career. Read full article. President Ishmael Toroama said he will be announcing a full cabinet soon with a team of vibrant leaders who will provide the drive, energy and innovation in moving Bougainville forward. Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama, who has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea in … Still stealing the generations – the abduction of Indigenous Australian children... Gordon Campbell: Media collusion with National’s attack lines the real disgrace, Deported Freedom Flotilla activist Mike Treen arrives back in NZ, Chinese diplomatic gatecrash incident alleged at Taiwan event in Suva, The Taiwan ‘prize’ and the US-China rivalry in the Pacific. Thirty years ago, Ishmael Toroama was leading troops in a rebel army during a bloody conflict in Bougainville. Pacific Media Centre articles are republished with permission. A freedom fighter of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) who stopped Rio Tinto and its subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) by blowing up the electric pylons at the Panguna mine in 1988. We can only surmise from his background that he is well experienced and that he is a formidable man. Now, he will be sworn in as the region's president. 21st Elimination – Tuesday afternoon He supports autonomy within a relationship with the national government of Papua New Guinea. Elections for the first autonomous government were held in May and June 2005; Joseph Kabui, an independence leader, was elected President. The big man is ‘no longer proud to be a fighter’. The general election was the first since Bougainville voted overwhelmingly This may be to keep the ‘boys’, as everyone calls the BRA, on their toes. Feedback: © Site Copyright 2019 - Multimedia Investments Ltd. If anyone is interested in my story please contact me on this email address: nmatte481@gmail.com, or search my name on Facebook: Nigel Matte (Nai) and Linkedin: Nigel Matte. After he was killed my dad’s brother Justine Kokiai joined the BRA and became a platoon commander of the BRA in central Bougainville but specifically in Manetai, Vito Village, Torau Constituency. Ishmael Toroama – fighter, rebel leader, peace broker, scrap metal dealer, security boss and coca farmer – now seems likely to be fifth president of Bougainville. Momis had sought a third term – in defiance of Bougainville’s constitution which limits presidents to two – but lost a challenge before the supreme court. But Jesus was to come into Toroama’s life when, during a skirmish with PNG government forces in 1997, he was critically wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade. President Hon. That is an important consideration given that corruption in Bougainville, as it is in PNG, has been a problem of mounting concern. In his campaign, Toroama stressed the restoration of law and order was a priority, and said the province’s independence question needed to be resolved swiftly. Bougainville president, and former rebel military commander, Ishmael Toroama, wants a swift resolution to independence talks with Papua New Guinea. Fiji to set up relocation trust fund for villages hit by... Banabans climate change student documentary chosen for third festival, Banabans of Rabi student doco given Tongan film festival premiere, Banabans of Rabi short climate change documentary chosen for Nuku’alofa, Pacific storytelling with a focus on the ignored and ‘untold’ issues, While PNG promotes APEC big money, youth are building grassroots resilience. Bougainville Presidential Count Update Ishmael Toroama has been declared the president-elect in Bougainville following an election process that began in the autonomous Papua New Guinea region, six weeks ago. After interim elections to fill the remainder of his term, John Momis was elected as president in 2010 for a five-year term. Ishmael Toroama has been elected Bougainville president and will lead independence talks with Papua New Guinea [File: Ness Kerton/AFP] Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama … Ishmael Toroama Photo: Facebook. Former rebel commander says law and order a priority, and says issue of PNG independence needs swift resolution, Last modified on Wed 23 Sep 2020 02.46 EDT. 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Wounded by a rocket-propelled grenade in 1997, Toroama later laid down his arms to help broker the Bougainville Peace Agreement that was eventually signed in 2001, and was a key advocate in the disarmament process before returning to his land in central Bougainville to grow cocoa. PNG prime minister James Marape offered his congratulations on Toroama’s “conclusive” victory. Toroama defeated 24 other candidates for the presidency, seeking to replace the retiring John Momis who has dominated Bougainvillean politics, as governor and president, for decades. 47,145 – Ishmael Toroama SYDNEY (Reuters) – Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected president of Bougainville, an autonomous part of Papua New Guinea in … Closures, cuts, revival and rebirth – how covid reshaped NZ media... CIVICUS criticises Pacific countries over use of covid to curb freedoms, Northern Marianas gets vaccine freezers for covid-19 treatment. My dad was also a civilian killed in the Bougainville Crisis by PNGDF, his name is Kevin Lalai Kokiai, I found records of him recorded on Amnesty Internationals Data Base Online. During this post-war period, Toroama and his group not only expanded their activities by dismantling and selling scrap metal from Panguna but by offering ‘protection services’ to local businesses and visitors. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected president of Bougainville, an autonomous part of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, electoral officials said on Wednesday, and is set to lead talks seeking independence. They are corporate thugs who were stopped thanks to the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA). It formally ends the 10 year long tenure of John Momis. “I will stand up for independence in Bougainville… it is now time to work together.”. The BRA are the first Indigenous People to shut down one of the biggest mining companies on this planet. And now he stands on the threshold of becoming the next president of Bougainville. Toroama has not won an election yet but it is not for want of trying. A big #Bougainville clap to acknowledge the victory of Ishmael Toroama as new president. ‘Oh yes.’ ‘How many?’ ‘Twelve.’ ‘Twelve! Ishmael Toroama represented the people of Bougainville as a veteren fighting for the freedom of Bougainville in Papua New Guinea for over thirty years until he officially became the fourth president of the Autonomous Bougainville Government when he won the race for the president's seat in the Bougainville General Elections, 2020. ‘He said to me, you are an inch from death now. Renowned for his role as a commander in the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA), Tororama was at the forefront of much of the BRA’s decade-long civil war against the PNG government. But in more recent years, Toroama, from Central Bougainville, returned to what his family has done for generations – peacefully grow cocoa. Updated Updated 23/09/2020. Bougainville's new President, Ishmael Toroama, says establishing law and order is essential if the autonomous region in Papua New Guinea is to prosper. In this capacity he once told a journalist that he had a dream: “One day I’d like to be able to buy a bar of Amataa chocolate – with a focus on the flavour.”. Toroama’s role was accepted by the international peace brokers who worked with him on the disarmament process and he acquired status by tapping the largesse they brought to Bougainville, becoming the virtual master of ceremonies at peace and reconciliation events. Keith Jackson is a retired educator, school publications editor and communications lecturer and consultant in Papua New Guinea who has managed radio stations in Rabaul and Bougainville and was head of policy and planning in the National Broadcasting Commission at independence in 1975. “I offer my support to work with you to deliver on my commitments to Bougainville,” he said. Memo NZ: ‘Get on the right side of history’ over West... Police, TNI raid Papuan secretariat in Merauke – 14 activists arrested, Pacific Media Centre founder takes on new social justice journalism role. But Marape’s government has been careful not to commit to granting Bougainville independence in the wake of the referendum. He came to wider attention in the documentary film, The Coconut Revolution, which sought to portray the BRA as a band of convivial guerrillas in pursuit of self-reliance and a return to a traditional lifestyle. We can only surmise from his background that he is well experienced and that he is a formidable man. “Ishmael is fond of dishing out such medicine. The new President of Bougainville, Ishmael Toroama, has been sworn in by Papua New Guinea Supreme Court Justice, Sir Kina Bona, in Buka. Toroama was a commander in the secessionist Bougainville Revolutionary Army, and later worked on the peace and disarmament process. He began his PNG Attitude blog in 2006. But the tear gas is purely for us, a short sharp dose of Bougainville reality. Rio Tinto accused of violating human rights in Bougainville for not cleaning up Panguna mine, Bougainville referendum: voting begins amid scenes of jubilation. He died in office on 6 June 2008. He finished a distant second to John Momis (who in that election received more than 51,000 votes to Toroama’s 18,466) but now, five years on, it seems that his political ambition is about to be fulfilled. Bougainville president, and former rebel military commander, Ishmael Toroama, wants a swift resolution to independence talks with Papua New Guinea. SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected as president of Bougainville, an autonomous region in … pic.twitter.com/CQJ7HGUa32. He will now lead the talks with the PNG government on the terms of the island’s independence. There are no half-measures here.”. 20,953 – Peter Tsiamalili Ishmael Toroama – fighter, rebel leader, peace broker, scrap metal dealer, security boss and coca farmer – now seems likely to be fifth president of Bougainville. "On my side, we will push hard for independence, because that is the key issue on Bougainville." Encouraged by his numbers and undeterred by defeat Toroama has announced his candidacy for President of Bougainville for the 2015 election.”. John Momis serving as the President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville of Papua New Guinea since 2010 has made a historic comment after a Referendum that saw the Bougainville vote overwhelmingly for independence from Papua New Guinea. Former Rebel Leader Is Elected President of Bougainville Ishmael Toroama is expected to lead talks in the South Pacific autonomous region’s effort to … “‘Ever hit any?’ I ask. President-elect Ishmael Toroama after being declared the winner of the #Bougainville Presidential #election . Former rebel military commander Ishmael Toroama has been elected president of Bougainville, an autonomous part of Papua New Guinea in the South Pacific, electoral officials said on Wednesday, and is set to lead talks seeking independence. Any re-opening of the Panguna mine – which would be intensely controversial in the province – was a decision for the owners of that land, Toroama has said. First Toroama helped negotiate the peace agreement, then took the lead in subsequent reconciliations, next benefited greatly from selling scrap mine equipment from Panguna and later returned to the family tradition of cocoa farming. Ishmael Toroama built his reputation as a bold fighter and later a commander in the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) in its struggle to close the Panguna copper and gold mine and gain independence for Bougainville from Papua New Guinea in the 10-year civil war of the 1990s. 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