Cairns Joint Communique

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Country/entity: Papua New Guinea
Bougainville
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Cairns Joint Communique
Date: 1 Dec 1995
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Bougainville Conflict (1987 - 1998)
The conflict on Bougainville, an island under the jurisdiction of Papua New Guinea (PNG), began in 1987 as a dispute over compensation for the use of land by Bougainville Copper Ltd, a an Australian subsidiary. The underlying issue of independence soon emerged and the conflict escalated between the government of PNG and the native islanders, in turn spearheaded by the Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA). Until fighting ended in 1998, an estimated 20,000 died in the conflict. Several pre-negotiation agreements culminated in an agreement to a ‘permanent and irrevocable’ ceasefire, and a framework for normalizing the PNG-Bourgainville relationship, which included elections.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Bougainville: peace process
Parties: Note: Document has not been signed, although the parties appear to be the Bougainville Transitional Government and the Bougainville Interim Government
Third parties: Signed in the presence of the Representatives of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.
Description: Parties commit to peace talks

Agreement document: PG_951201_Cairns Joint Communique.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: Groups→Children/youth→Rhetorical
Page 2, Nine
All parties to the Talks agree on the need for access to be immediately granted throughout Bougainville to UNICEF and relevant donor organisations for the implementation of health care programmes, especially child immunisation.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: Page 1, Five
Representatives of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) have participated and may continue to participate in an observer capacity in the Talks. Other non-governemental organisations may be granted similar observer status with the consent of all the parties to the Talks.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: No specific mention.
Mobility/access: Page 2, Nine
All parties to the Talks agree on the need for access to be immediately granted throughout Bougainville to UNICEF and relevant donor organisations for the implementation of health care programmes, especially child immunisation.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: Page 2:
All parties to the Talks agree on the need for access to be immediately granted throughout Bougainville to UNICEF and relevant donor organisations for the implementation of health care programmes, especially child immunisation.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: Page 2,
Signed in the presence of the Representatives of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth will report to the Government of Papua New Guinea on the results of the current talks.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.
Related cases: No specific mention.
Source: Originally accessed from Conciliation Resources Accord (http://www.c-r.org/accord/papua-new-guinea%E2%80%93bougainville – no longer available from original source).

Cairns Joint Communique

One

The delegation of teh Bougainville Transititional Governemnt (BTG) and the delegation of the Bougainville Interim Government (BIG) held talks in Cairns, Australia, from 14 to 18 December 1995 under the joint chairmanship of the representatives of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

A list of participants is at Annex 1.

Two

The two delegation have agreed to enter into a process of dialogu that will permit the achievement of the a political settlements to the Bougainville conflict.

Three

The delegations of the BTG and of the BIG expressed their intention to convene a new round of talks in Bougainville in March/April 1996.

In order to ensure the success of the Talks, they have agreed to hold a series of preparatory meeting comprised of four members from each side, with the facilitation of the United Nations Secretary-General, at a venue to be determined.

Four

Both sides agreed subject to the concurrence of the Papua New Guinea Government to the continued association of the Secretary-General of the United Nations and of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth in the on-going discussions and in their eventual outcomes.

Five

Representative of the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and the Unrepresented Nations and People's Organisation (UNPO) have participated and may continue to participate in an observer capacity in teh Talks.

Other non-governmental organisations may be granted similar observer status with the consent of all the parties in the Talks.

Six

At each round of Talks, the delegations will determine the degree of confidentiallity that will apply.

Seven

The two sides have reached agreement on the Agenda for All Bougainville Leaders Talks (Annex 2), it being understood that the discussion of the items need not follow the order in which they are enurmerated.

Eight

The two sides will endeavor to reach early agreement on the issues covered in the Agenda so that talks may be held between the Government of Papua New Guinea and the Bougainville Leadership.

Nine

All parties to the Talks agree on the need for access to be immediately granted throughout Bougainville to UNICEF and relevant donor organisations for the implementation of health care programmes, especially child immunisation.

Ten

In so far as the BTG, the United Nations and the Commonwealth Secretariat are concerned, the understandings contained in this document are subject to the agreedment of the Goverment of Papua New Guniea.

Eleven

The delegations expressed their appreciation to the Government of Australia for the excellent arrangements it had made for hosting the meeting.

Twelve

The representatives of the Secretary-General of the United nations of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth will report to the Government of Papua new Guinea on the results of the current talks.

Signed in the presence of the Represetatives of the Secretary-General of the UN and of the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth.

Cairns, Australia 1 December 1995.