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MEDIA
RELEASE
14
MARCH 2002
MORE
WEAPONS CONTAINED ON BOUGAINVILLE
THE
PAST WEEK
Over
the past seven days, 155 new weapons have been handed in across Bougainville.
TODAY
·
40
new weapons were handed in during 3 containments by Bougainville Revolutionary
Army (BRA) and Bougainville Resistance Force (BRF) ex-combatants today.
·
BRA
ex-combatants from Hanahan village in the Buka district handed in 7 weapons,
including 3 high-powered weapons. Local
BRF ex-combatants were also in attendance to show their support and the two
previously hostile factions hugged each other at the conclusion of the
ceremony.
·
Local
BRA commander Damien Kora said,
“Now
we’re standing together. This is the true voice of Bougainville. Not just the BRA or the BRF, but together”.
·
In
the village of Tumpu, Siwai district, 28 weapons were contained by the BRF.
·
The
village Chief said the community wanted to move straight to Stage Three
destruction as soon as possible because they no longer wanted weapons in their
community.
·
In
the first containment to occur in the district of Kunua-Keriaka, ex-combatants
from the small village of Koripobi handed in 5 home-made weapons.
DESTRUCTION
OF UNSAFE AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES UNDERWAY
·
The
containments today follow the destruction of a number of dangerous ammunitions
and explosives by the Peace Monitoring Group yesterday (13 March).
·
At
the request of the owners, explosive ordinance disposal experts (Ammunition
Technicians) from the Peace Monitoring Group used explosives to destroy 6 High
Explosive hand grenades, 4 High Explosive mortar bombs from World War II, 1
trip flare and 28 rounds of Small Arms ammunition.
The ammunition and explosives were deemed unsafe to be put into
containers.
·
The
Ammunition Technicians have received 5 other requests from across the island
for ammunition and explosives to be destroyed.
·
The
next demolition is planned to take place on 22 March in Konga, Siwai District.
Approximately 20 Claymore mines and High Explosive grenades have been
handed to local Commanders for destruction at this time.
·
Before
using explosives to safely destroy the unsafe ammunition and explosives, the
Peace Monitoring Group undertakes awareness in the surrounding area so that
the community is not taken by surprise when it occurs.
·
All
ammunition destroyed is in addition to the tally of weapons contained.
WEAPONS
TALLY
·
464
weapons have been contained in Bougainville since weapons disposal began in
December 2001. This includes 59
high-powered weapons. (19:00 local time 14 March 2002).
Contact:
Estelle Parker, Negotiation Branch, Peace Monitoring Group, Bougainville.
Phone:
(Australia) 07 4721 9971
Email:
plo2.pmg@army.defence.gov.au
IMAGES
Please
refer to attached images
|
Images |
Content |
|
Koripobi
4 March #1 |
BRA
ex-combatants display their weapons before placing them into a Stage One
trunk in their village of Koripobi. |