PNG-Bougainville: Resolution on Weapons Disposal

1. The PPCC welcomes the way in which the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) and the Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF) have come together, and acknowledges the positive foundation the Rotokas Record establishes for a comprehensive weapons disposal plan for Bougainville that is acceptable to all parties.

2. The PPCC reaffirms the commitment of all of the parties to implementation of the Lincoln and Ceasefire Agreements.

PPCC Sub-Committee

3 a) The PPCC hereby establishes a sub-committee to develop, manage and implement weapons disposal in accordance with this Resolution. The agreed membership of the sub-committee will be as follows:

Chairman: Director, United Nations Observer Mission on Bougainville (UNOMB), or his representative.

Deputy Chair: Commander, Peace Monitoring Group (PMG), or his representative.

Representatives of the following: the National Government, the BRA, and the BRF.

b) The sub-committee may, by agreement, co-opt other members, including representatives of other groups.

4. a) The sub-committee will seek support for, and co-ordinate:

i) an active joint programme to promote public awareness, understanding and support of weapons disposal;

ii) development and implementation of this Resolution, including mechanisms to ensure location, identification, control, withdrawal from the community and secure storage of weapons, with special regard for factory-made arms and ammunition;

iii) means of ensuring the full and accurate recording of weapons, and securing the cooperation and participation by individuals and other groups.

b) The sub-committee shall take such account of the need for confidentiality as the parties may require for security at stage 1.

c) The sub-committee shall resolve such differences as may arise in relation to implementation under this Resolution.

Implementation

5. Weapons disposal will be implemented in stages.

Stage 1

6. Stage 1 will begin immediately, initially in areas where there is no Defence Force or Police Mobile Unit presence. It will proceed in all areas as follows:

1) Councils of Chiefs/Elders will inform UNOMB when the people in a particular area are ready for ex-combatants to disarm and re-integrate into the community, remaining Defence Force and Police Mobile Units to withdraw, and weapons to be securely contained;

2) UNOMB will inform the PPCC sub-committee;

3) the National Government will be advised and take appropriate steps to arrange for Defence Force and Police Mobile Unit personnel to withdraw from that area;

4) weapons will be handed in to BRA and BRF unit commanders, who will store them securely in containers provided through the PPCC and sealed for purposes of verification by UNOMB.

Note: BRA and BRF structures are outlined in Attachment 1.

Stage 2

7. a) After implementation of stage 1 in any area, stage 2 will begin in that area with the delivery of weapons to company commanders, who will place them in secure containers at a small number of central locations.

b) When and if amendments to the National Constitution to implement the comprehensive agreement are ready for certification, the weapons will be held in containers under UNOMB supervision and secured by two locks – with one key held by the relevant commander and the other held by UNOMB – pending a final decision on the ultimate fate of the weapons.

c) The Bills to amend the National Constitution will provide for the constitutional amendments to take effect on verification by UNOMB that the weapons are in secure, double-locked containers under its supervision.

Stage 3: Final fate of the weapons

8. a) A decision on the final fate of the weapons should be made within 4 months of the coming into effect of the constitutional amendments. If no decision is made, the Parties will meet with a view to reaching agreement on whether or not the elections should be delayed, taking into account whether or not there has been genuine handing in of weapons and the level of security of the weapons.

b) In any event, any of the parties may call on the UNOMB with the assistance of the PMG to verify and certify whether there has been substantial compliance by the parties in the handing in of weapons and whether the level of security of the weapons makes it conducive to holding the elections.

c) UNOMB's report will be presented to, and considered by, the PPCC.

d) The Bougainville parties will be bound by UNOMB's findings on whether or not the first election for the autonomous Bougainville Government will be deferred, and the length of any deferral.

Verification and Other Practical Considerations

9. a) UNOMB will carry out such inspections and inquiries as its representative considers necessary at each stage, verify the collection and storage of weapons, and report its findings regularly, frequently and fully to the PPCC, with respect for such confidentiality as may be required.

b) The parties will cooperate with each other and UNOMB to ensure that UNOMB can carry out its responsibilities under this Resolution efficiently and effectively.

10. a) Weapons that have been handed in will not be reissued.

b) Ex-combatants will not attempt to rearm.

c) Keys will be kept securely by those to whom they are entrusted, and not handed over to anyone else.

d) The parties will respect and cooperate in promoting wider respect for the security of containers, keys and those who are responsible for them under this Resolution.

e) The National Government assures the PPCC it will not re-deploy members of the Defence Force or the Police Mobile Units in new areas or areas from which they have been withdrawn.

International Aspects

11. The National Government will seek the agreement of the United Nations Security Council for UNOMB to carry out the responsibilities specified in this Resolution.

12. The National Government will request the states that contribute to the Peace Monitoring Group (PMG) to (1) provide technical assistance, (2) agree to the PMG's support, for implementation of this Resolution.

13. The National Government will seek the assistance of foreign development cooperation partners in developing and implementing a programme to assist in the reintegration and rehabilitation of ex-combatants.

Reconciliation

14. recognizing that weapons disposal and reconciliation are both mutually reinforcing and necessary to lasting peace by peaceful means, the parties undertake to cooperate in promoting reconciliation among ex-combatants and in the wider community, and restoration of civil authority in Bougainville.

Signed on Wednesday, 9 May 2001, in Buka.

SIGNED BY:

Ishmael TOROAMA

Chief of Defence

Bougainville Revolutionary Army

Hilary MASIRIA

Chairman

Bougainville Resistance Forces

William DIHM

Leader

National Government Delegation

Kapeatu PUARIA

Leader

Bougainville Joint Technical Team

Lt.-Col. Michael TAMALANGA

David ONAVUI

Member

Bougainville Joint Technical Team

WITNESSED BY:

H.E. Ambassador Noel SINCLAIR

Director

United Nations Observer Mission on Bougainville

Chairman, Peace Process Consultative Committee

Brigadier Michael SWAN

Commander

Peace Monitoring Group

ATTACHMENT 1

1. The Bougainville Resistance Forces are organized as follows:

Company Command

Unit Command

A unit consists of 10-30 men, organized mainly on a local geographical basis. A company command covers the area of an administrative District.

2. The Bougainville Revolutionary Army is organized as follows:

Regional Command

Company Command

Unit Command

A unit consists of 10-12 men, usually made up of localized membership.

There are 14 BRA companies, organized on a loosely geographical basis, and each consisting of 80-150 members.

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