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Sustaining Peace - Women Lead

BOUGAINVILLE stands on the threshold of becoming “The mother – that’s how we made the breakthrough at
the world’s newest nation after 98.3 per cent of the population Burnham,’’ Miriori recalled.
voted for independence from Papua New Guinea. “Out of the 75 (delegates) who went, there were 20
While actual independence may take another five women leaders, so they made the difference and because of the
years, the referendum of December 2019 and the result of the mothers begging their sons to make peace.”
vote guarantees a continued peace. Miriori said, however, that it was not enough for the
Wracked by civil war from 1988 to 1998, the re- women to merely achieve a peaceful outcome to the civil war.
source-rich Melanesian Island east of PNG and north of the “They are very instrumental in maintaining the peace
Solomon Islands was led to peace by its women. and it’s important that they continue to be involved in the process
For had the women not intervened, it is possible the post-referendum.
men of Bougainville would never have laid down their weapons. “That is part of an inclusive approach to negotiations
And the death toll from the conflict could have far exceeded the the government is going to include women … they must be part
20,000 killed by war and disease. of the negotiating team.’’
Bougainville’s men – who will lead talks with the PNG During the conflict, women carried peace baskets filled
government on the future of the island – are quick to acknowl- with essential supplies such as food and medicine into vulnerable
edge the critical role women played in the struggle for indepen- communities.
dence. These practical messages of peace supported by
Martin Miriori was a member of the Bougainville Interim frequent radio messaging and broadcasts and prayer vigils
Government as the island descended into war. He said women encouraged solidarity and kindness.
helped end the war. Support for peace grew, as did the respect for women
“Women’s groups played a critical role in negotiat- who, through leading figures like Josephine Kauona, were able
ing for peace and bringing an end to Bougainville’s civil war in to represent female voices and experiences at negotiations.
2001,” said Miriori, a candidate for president in the island’s 2020 Former Deputy Speaker of Bougainville’s Parliament,
elections. Francesca Semoso, said peace would not have been possible
“They have the power; In our matrilineal society the without women who now have three reserved seats in the 33-
women own the land, and they used that influence to bring about seat legislature.
peace.’’ But Theonila Roka Matbob, Independent beat her
On Bougainville, women are allowed by custom to rivals to take the non-reserved Ioro Open seat and take women’s
exercise control in trouble spots and their peace messages were representation in parliament to 12 per cent.
heard by all sides during the conflict. “Women were the backbone of the peace process – in
Men are believed to have a duty to protect the land on the lead up to the referendum. I take my hats off to them for their
women’s behalf, perseverance. They provided that leadership, from traditional to
This gives women the ability to instruct men on different cultural and government settings,” Semoso said.
methods of protection. As Bougainville prepares to take its next step, it is clear
“Coming together from across political, religious and that the women will once more play a significant role.
regional lines, they mobilised to end the violence,’’ Miriori said. That is the spirit of Bougainville’s women.
“Through marches, petitions, vigils and mass meetings,
women’s groups built and maintained the pressure required to Netani Rika is an award-winning regional journalist and former
chart a new way forward.’’ Editor-in-Chief of The Fiji Times. He was the last recipient of the
By 2001 the people of Bougainville had fought off a Tavake Fusimalohi Pacific Media Freedom Prize. Rika covered the
better equipped and organised PNG Defence Force. But now, Bougainville Referendum of 2019 for the Pacific Islands Forum
fractions had emerged between the islanders. Secretariat
At peace talks in Burnham Barracks, New Zealand, the
women were forced to step in again.

Localising Peace Education ful communities explains Justine Maravu a community facilitator
with Transcend Oceania who contributed to the development of the
‘Solesolevaki’ is a concept of working together, contributing to
manual: “There is no one size fits all solution. The collaboration of
Sautu or Peace. This includes Peace Education.
different actors of society enabled a process of learning and reflec-
Several years ago the European Union and the United Nations
tion that resulted in the design of a manual for Peace Education for
Development Program Strengthening Citizen Engagement in Fijis
grassroots communities”
Initiative (SCEFI) brought the Fijian Government’s Itaukei Affairs
She adds that the peacebuilding community, including the faith
Board, government departments and civil society organizations
community remain an important voices for the prevention of vio-
together to develop a training manual on ‘Leadership, Good Gover-
lence and conflict: “The next step is to bring together all of these
nance, and Management for local-level leaders’. A specific module
resources for each conflict setting and implement it together for
was dedicated to Conflicts, Conflict Management, and Resolution.
better results and change.”
This was an opportunity for civil society organisations, in particular
peacebuilders to provide transformative actions to building peace-