TODAY is a very important day on the Bougainville Interim Government/Bougainville Revolutionary Army side. For the past nine years we have struggled to tell the world what we are crying for, what we are fighting for - and that is to be seen and recognised as people of Bougainville.
We have had visits to Bougainville by many government dignitaries and representatives of organisations from other governments, but until now none has set foot on our side.
This is an historic day, an historic visit.
It gives me great pleasure on behalf of the Bougainville Interim Government and the Bougainville Revolutionary Army to extend very, very warm greetings to you Minister, Mr Don McKinnon.
As the paramount chief representing the BIG/BRA (John Taruna) has pointed out, your hospitality in New Zealand, the way you looked after us, the way your officers performed their job - all disciplined forces, all officers of your department with John Hayes and every person in New Zealand did a wonderful job in bringing together the people of Bougainville, in bringing together those of us who for many, many years saw ourselves really as enemies or - if not - mixed-up people not knowing whether we can trust one another for the past nine years.
Through your effort Mr Minister, you have broken the ice in your own land - the Land of the Long White Cloud.
Today, it is a great honour and privilege to welcome you on both sides of Bougainville.
I know Premier Gerard Sinato did the same at Buka and now we are according you this welcome on our side.
We hope and pray that the spirit of Burnham that has now brought about much hope of seeing long-lasting peace and freedom and justice on Bouganville can go on.
We know today there was a bit of a hiccup and we almost did not see you here on our side. But, thank God, you are here with us. Thank God we had consultations on both sides - your side, our side with the others.
I thank all in the name of the spirit of finding long-lasting peace and justice on Bougainville that the trip has eventually resulted in you setting foot on our side.
Mr Minister, at this time, we know there are all kinds of interesting politics that are going on. We know that even when we were in New Zealand, we heard and we read in papers that Australia was beginning to see and feel that they were being undermined by the efforts that you are now taking on Bougainville.
Now we hear that Australia is committing a huge anount of $100 m illion over a five-year period - that comes down to $20 million for each year.
We hope that this sort of generosity does not have any strings attached - strings that may water down the spirit of Burnham.
We urge you, and through you the New Zealand government, to stay put, to stay firm, and not to waver from the hard earned Burnham Declaration that both parties to the Bougainville conflict helped to achieve in New Zealand.
We know that there are all kinds of difficulties - minor hiccups - along the way. But let me assure you, Minister, that we are committed to making sure that any hiccups will not derail the Burnham spirit and the Burnham Declaration. That is our commitment.
People on Bougainville, on both sides of the conflict, are saying: "Enough is enough."
I know this is what my colleague - Premier Gerard Sinato - always says on the radio and we shared the same sentiments when we were in New Zealand.
People are saying: "No. We cannot continue to fight one another. We must live in peace and harmony and must live as people belonging to Bougainville and not people to be divided."
We have come up with a mechanism that we believe - humanly speaking - is the best that we can come up with in order to achieve a long-lasting solution.
This is the message that we are continuing to give out to our people, and I know that the same is is going on on the Bougainville Transitional Government side.
Before I conclude, Minister, I once again appeal to you and your government: Don't allow the Australian influence (perhaps seeing itself as bigger brother) to push you around and perhaps try to redirect the spirit of Burnham in some other way that we in negotiating in New Zealand came up with.
Even the issue of self-determination is an issue that must remain the property of the people of Bougainville. It's the people of Bougainville who must decide and the mechanism has been put in place in Burnham.
We will not accept any person - be it the PNG government, Prime Minister or whoever - saying that independence for Bougainville is non-negotiable. That is not the language that we would like to hear.
The negotiability of independence should remain the property of the people of Bougainville. It is the wish of the people of Bougainville who must determine whether independence becomes a negotiable issue or whatever. It is the people of Bougainville's property.
The mechanism is there. People must be given a real choice. The land, and the blood that has been shed, are intricately linked together - intimately linked together - with the issue of self-determination.
Therefore it is the people of Bougainville that must decide.
Sir, those are a few comments that I would like to make in welcoming you and expressing our heart-felt gratitude and sincere appreciation for your coming and setting foot on our side.
Thank you. We are committed to walk forward hand-in-hand in the spirit of Burnham to find long-lasting peace and freedom for the people of Bougainville.
Joseph Kabui is Vice-President of the Bougainville Interim Government and was Premier of the former Provincial Government of Bougainville until the nine-year civil war erupted.
