Justice for Sheena is Justice for Bougainville

OPERATION CHALLENGER EXECUTION GRIEVANCE MEETING PETITION/APPEAL

South Nasioi Community Government Centre on August 3, 2023

This Petition to the Central Regional Parliamentary Committee through its Chairman Hon Justin Borger, is fully endorsed and guaranteed by ‘traditional governance’ Chiefs with powers bestowed to them under Section 51 of our ABG Constitution, and our ABG lower-tier Government Leaders

The series of Grievance meetings were initiated by growing concern from community for:

  • members, families & relatives of the ‘wanted boys’,
  • Clan Chiefs and Community Leaders, specifically involving the Welfare and Rights of the ‘Wanted Boys’ and their partners, and
  • the Potential Risks to our Peace, Goodwill and Independence Readiness, associated with (police)
    •  biased Approach,  
    • Intentional Ignorance & Delayed Arresting of disclosed Crime MasterMinds/Accomplices in the Police Service/Authorities especially with the apparent ill-treatment, gross Abuse and Brutality by Police and Taskforce officers in the Operation. 

All these naturally got the people asking for the Legality and Constitutionality of Operation Challenger (and its execution progress to date) and/or any possible security strategy and intentions behind the creation of the operation. 

The ‘Wanted Boys’ are from Kongara, Kokoda, South Nasioi, North Nasioi and loro who are implicated as directly involved or having informations and connections to/with the various criminal activities as now listed and wanted for through the ABG BEC approved special police task-force named Operation Challenger. 

Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA) to guarantee a successful Independence Ratification by our National Government. 

All the ‘wanted boys’ are fully aware and mindful of our Rights and undermining Factors of our Independence Aspiration. They believe in the current Toroama-Nisira ABG Leadership. Fully support our Independence Process. They all fully embrace and uphold our Bougainville Struggle Principles, our Bougainville Peace Agreement and our current ABG Constitution including specific sections on Crime and Laws, our National PNG Constitution and all our ABG and National Organic Laws and Acts of Parliament including the Criminal Act and Leadership Code Act and recently passed and amended ICAC and Whistle Blowers Act. 

While openly declaring their involvement and knowledge on many of the arm-holdups and crimes they are wanted for by law especially Operation Challenger, most are not alone in most of these crimes and cases as publicly disclosed and attested for by the ‘wanted boys’ in the grievance meeting series. Police officers are openly mentioned involved (and most likely people up the police hierarchy, and leadership and ex-combatants) and are behind these criminal activities.

Apart from certain armed hold-ups masterminded by disclosed Policemen, most of all the Break-n-Enters especially Armed Hold-ups and get-aways, are all targeted against Chinese and Asian Shops in Buka.

According to the ‘wanted boys’, they are very aware of the Bougainville Struggle Principle on Reserve Businesses for Bougainvilleans by outsiders and Chinese/Asians, and even specific MOAs on the issue including the Ex-combatants Agreement of Kangu (2001) preventing outsiders and Chinese (foreigners) to do Businesses meant for local Bougainvilleans. They stay focused and committed to our Principle against Chinese and foreigners especially when our Govlt and Authorities are not protecting our interests and principles against Chinese and Foreigners by regulating and implementing relevant reviewed policies and laws especially reviewing and amending them. They even directly quoted our current President Toroama leading the looting and de-establishment of the first ever Chinese Shop attempted setup in Arawa.

And the ‘wanted boys’ are adamant to NOT giving in before the Police Masterminds and Accomplices are arrested by Operation Challenger, and properly investigated and procecuted.

But they solemnly promised to give-up involving and committing crimes, and never again take part in Government properties’ rampages, ransack and riots. A specific MOA in this regard with be presented soon after the general pledge and resolve signed herein.

Many of these ‘wanted boys’ have been wondering as to what crime of very serious nature they committed that they are now being hunted as animals by heavily armed Operation Challenger Taskforce Officers rather than by normal Bougainville Police Service Authorities and Officers. Most of these ‘wanted boys’ vehemently denied their involvement in far serious crimes other than the above known criminal acts together with the Arawa Police Station Rampage case.

But this later case rose from Arawa Police Officers unlawfully beating up and prematurely ending a life of a young South Bougainvillean. And the case settlement was outside the normal due process partly through customary way with a compensation of K100,000 with a formal Deed of Settlement between the deceased family and ABG Police Minister and Bougainville Police Hierarchy. But Operation Challenger is apprehending all its perpetrators.

Such indictment and accusations of serious crimes only known to Operation Challenger, may indicate some hidden objectives and strategies with questionable motives and intentions being carried out by Operation Challenger and its designers, as expressed by meeting participants.

However, all the Participants, the Communities, the ‘wanted boys’, the Chiefs and Leaders all realized, advocated and endorsed the ever increasingly echoed complaints, potential risks and possible repercussions of certain critical aspects of the execution of Operation Challenger especially the unprecedented levels of fully armed heavy-handed approaches and engagement tactics including extreme oral and physical assault – police brutality and unpaired excessive self-defense, by assigned law enforcing officers and authorities, which left unattended, could have irreversible negative impacts on our Peace/ Goodwill, Developments and Independence Readiness.

What has been reported and witnessed here in the Grievance Meeting (series} is of the same magnitude of the madness and gross human-rights abuse and use of excessive force by Rait (RIOT?) Squad back in 1988/89 which escalated everything from bad to worse into unimagined atrocities, anarchy and warcrimes as experienced in the recent Bougainville Conflict – Uncalled for, Unlawful and Unconstitutional. We don’t want the 1988/1989 scenario and have premonition of a potential risk to our Peace (BPA}, Goodwill and independence Success so far.

Should things go unchanged or worse after this Petition is deliberated by our Central Mini Parliament (CRPC), there is possibility our people themselves might attempt initiating the call for an immediate formal Complaint, Audit and Independent Commission of Enquiry into the whole execution and creation of Operation Challenger. Based on concerns and experiences raised and reported, these already warrants for a formal Complaint to be made, and the Legality and Constitutionality of Operation Challenger and its Execution, the use of Arms by Bougainville Police Service as referenced and spelled out under SPA 2001, to be determined, as allowed for by our Democracy, our Constitutions and Laws.

But we do NOT want all these to happen and as such this APPEAL to our authority as raised and realized in the Operation Challenger 7th Grievance Meeting as follows:

  1. Operation Challenger to:
  2. suspend hunting down the remaining “wanted boys’
  3. and start investigating, arresting and dealing with all the Police Officers (and authorities/ ex-combatants) disclosed by the ‘wanted boys’ already apprehended and currently in police custody and by those still on the run,
  4. before continue arresting all the remaining ‘wanted boys’.

CONDITION – Mass Release by Chiefs and be formally dealt with under the ‘due process’. These Policemen do all the Planning and then engage the ‘wanted boys’ to carryout the main criminal holdups and activities that are now just levelled against these wanted boys. Even the firearms belong to them.

The named police officers alleged in the criminal and confrontational events as testified by the ‘wanted boys’ especially Mike Piau, are

  1. Chris lmba,
  2. Philip Benson,
  3. Victor Sihaung.
  4. Cornellius Anuku,
  5. Desmond Kori,
  6. Kevin Tunsio
  7. and Jerry Anton.

(Signed verified detailed Statements to be made available accordingly through due process).

  • For all the alleged and proven Crime cases to be thoroughly investigated and verified. Specifically, the Arawa Police Station Rampage case where there was a formal K100,000 Deed of Settlement made between the deceased family, ABG GOVT and Police Hierarchy but yet all the perpetrators including the deceased’ relatives are being apprehended through Operation Challenger through normal ‘due process’.
  • For all the law breaking ‘wanted boys’ to be investigated and arrested and be pardoned and discharged based on non-retaliatory and good behavioural attitude they have displayed over the last 8 months and most importantly their pledge for all to quit outright in engaging in criminal activities going forward.
  • Irresponsible Rogue Police Officers once investigated, to be prosecuted accordingly and decommissioned forthwith. And already apprehended ‘wanted boys’ including Donald to be immediately processed (fast-tracked) under the ‘due process’ and be released immediately (or otherwise).
  • Reconciliation and Compensation (Kuiranai) to take place – Police and ‘Wanted Boys’. (Donald case – live bullets).
  • Maintain our Bougainville Principle for No Foreigners including Chinese to engage in Business Activities reserved for Bougainvilleans. Review, Strengthen and Amend our existing Policies and Laws including the Inward Investment ACT.
  • Government to provide for Rehabilitation Programs and Special Economic Development Projects Initiatives for our ‘wanted boys’ to be involved.
  • We DON’T want these Risks and Consequences to jeopardize our Unity, Peace and Security and more importantly our Independence Ratification. We Don’t need anymore figures added onto our 20,000 lives lost data.
  • Such Grievance Meeting Facilitations to be considered fully supported and taken ownership by ABG Central Mini Parliament and ABG Peace/Independence Ministry/ Directorate to maintain and safe-guard our Peace and Unity, review and implement relevant policies and laws, protect our Ratification process and guarantee successful Independence.
  • For Central Mini Parliament (CF!PC) to come back soonest to Facilitators and Petitioners with its deliberations and decisions on the Appeal (Resolutions).

End of Resolution.

The Meetings were facilitated by William Toroama, Jonathan Neravinu, Jonathan Auuna and

Flynn Moses.

Dated AUGUST 3, 2023

Kongara : Mr Rex Ori. Ward Member, Thomas Oriui Paramount Chief

SouthNasioi: Steven Dumora Paramount Chief. Mr Abel Tanumei Community Government Chairman,

Gorethy Sidaori, Ward Member

North Nasioi Hon Robson Aumora, Ward Member, Kerei West, Hon Moses Miramira, Community Govt Vice Chairman. Gorethy Sidaori Ward Member

James Dongpu, Chief Land Mediation, North Nasioi

Mr Donatus BOTA, Chairperson of Conflict Solving Team.

Kokoda: John Bosco. Chief/Pastor, Sylvester Erevinu Veterans Rep