Fundamental Principles for the Future of Bougainville (The Hutjena Minute)

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Country/entity: Papua New Guinea
Bougainville
Region: Asia and Pacific
Agreement name: Fundamental Principles for the Future of Bougainville (The Hutjena Minute)
Date: 30 Jun 1999
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: Signed by:
Hon. Bill Skate, CMG, MP, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea;
Joseph C. Kabui, President, Bougainville People's Congress;
Third parties: 'Witnessed by' High Commissioner for Australia, Deputy High Commissioner for Fiji, High Commissioner for New Zealand, UN Observer Mission in Bougainville, UN Peace Monitoring Group Bougainville
Description: A short agreement on a set of principles governing Bougainville’s political future.

Agreement document: PG_990630_Hutjena Minute.pdf (opens in new tab) | Download PDF

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
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: Page 1,
4. The Prime Minister advised that the Government would be prepared to consider the proposal for a referendum.
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: No specific mention.
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: Power sharing→Territorial power sharing→Autonomous regions
Page 1,
5. The meeting accepted that Bougainville should be given status under which Bougainville will exercise the powers of government with the exception of certain powers to be negotiated that shall be retained by the Government of Papua New Guinea.
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: No specific mention.
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: No specific mention.
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: Witness: , UN Observer Mission in Bougainville, UN Peace Monitoring Group Bougainville
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: PM agrees to submit 'Fundamental Principles for the Future of Bougainville' to the PNG exec for their consideration.
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).

THE HJUTENA MINUTE

(30 June 1999)

1. The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea and Minister for State met with the President of the Bougainville People's Congress and the Congressional Executive Council at Hutjena on 30 June 1999.

2. The Parties addressed the issues concerning the future political status of Bougainville.

3. The accompanying document was presented to the Prime Minister by the President, on behalf of the Bougainville People's Congress, and the Prime Minister undertook to submit the document to National Executive Council for its consideration.

4. The Prime Minister advised that the Government would be prepared to consider the proposal for a referendum.

5. The Meeting accepted that Bougainville should be given a status under which Bougainville will exercise the powers of government with the exception of certain powers to be negotiated that shall retained by the Government of Papua New Guinea.

6. The Prime Minister and President agree that every effort should be made to build bipartisan support for the agreement to eb reached between the parties.

7. The parties shall meet as soon as practicable to further these discussions.

Signed 10 July 1999

Signed by:

Hon. Bill SKATE, CMG, MP

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea

Joseph C. KABUI

President

Bougainville People's Congress