CoveragePost
September 5, 2025
By Margot Staunton, RNZ Pacific senior journalist Bougainvilleans went to the polls today, keen to elect a leader who will continue their fight for independence. “There’s a mood of excitement among the people here,” said Electoral Commissioner Desmond Tsianai. “It is important that this election is successful and credible, because we want legitimate leaders in ... <a title="‘We want legitimate leaders’: Bougainvilleans head to the polls amid push for independence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/09/05/we-want-legitimate-leaders-bougainvilleans-head-to-the-polls-amid-push-for-independence/" aria-label="Read more about ‘We want legitimate leaders’: Bougainvilleans head to the polls amid push for independence">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 27, 2025
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist The President of Bougainville, Ishmael Toroama, says he is not feeling the pressure as he seeks a second five-year term in office. Bougainville goes to the polls next Thursday, September 4, with 404 candidates vying for 46 seats in the Parliament of the autonomous Papua New Guinea region. ... <a title="Bougainville’s President Ishmael Toroama candid and relaxed a week out from polling" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/08/27/bougainvilles-president-ishmael-toroama-candid-and-relaxed-a-week-out-from-polling/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville’s President Ishmael Toroama candid and relaxed a week out from polling">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
June 28, 2025
RNZ Pacific The leaders of Bougainville and Papua New Guinea have signed a deal that may bring the autonomous region’s quest for independence closer. Called “Melanesian Agreement”, the deal was developed earlier this month in 10 days of discussion at the New Zealand army base at Burnham, near Christchurch. Both governments have agreed that the ... <a title="Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/06/28/talks-result-in-png-and-bougainville-signing-melanesian-agreement/" aria-label="Read more about Talks result in PNG and Bougainville signing ‘Melanesian Agreement’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 22, 2025
By Don Wiseman, RNZ Pacific senior journalist In recent weeks, Bougainville has taken the initiative, boldly stating that it expects to be independent by 1 September 2027. It also expects the PNG Parliament to quickly ratify the 2019 referendum, in which an overwhelming majority of Bougainvilleans supported independence. In a third move, it established a ... <a title="Bougainville takes the initiative in mediation over independence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/04/22/bougainville-takes-the-initiative-in-mediation-over-independence/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville takes the initiative in mediation over independence">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 7, 2025
RNZ Pacific Autonomous Bougainville Government President Ishmael Toroama has condemned the circulation of an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video depicting a physical confrontation between him and Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape. The clip, first shared on Facebook last week, is generated from the above picture of Toroama and Marape taken at a news conference ... <a title="Bougainville president condemns ‘dangerous’ AI-generated fake video of scuffle with Marape" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2025/04/07/bougainville-president-condemns-dangerous-ai-generated-fake-video-of-scuffle-with-marape/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville president condemns ‘dangerous’ AI-generated fake video of scuffle with Marape">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 2, 2024
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT: By Aubrey Belford of the OCCRP High in the forested mountains of Papua New Guinea’s Bougainville Island lies an abandoned, kilometer-wide crater cut deep into the earth. Formerly one of the world’s largest gold and copper mines, the open pit now serves as an unsightly monument to the environmental and social chaos that ... <a title="Lawsuit promises justice for Rio Tinto’s mining disaster in Bougainville – but some say it’s a cash grab" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/08/02/lawsuit-promises-justice-for-rio-tintos-mining-disaster-in-bougainville-but-some-say-its-a-cash-grab/" aria-label="Read more about Lawsuit promises justice for Rio Tinto’s mining disaster in Bougainville – but some say it’s a cash grab">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 24, 2024
RNZ Pacific About 4500 Bougainvillean residents now back a lawsuit against mining giant Rio Tinto. This is an additional 1500 people from the autonomous Papua New Guinea region joining the action since it was filed in May this year. Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama said the lawsuit was disappointing and was pursued by those people acting ... <a title="Thousands of Bougainville residents support lawsuit against mining giant" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2024/07/24/thousands-of-bougainville-residents-support-lawsuit-against-mining-giant/" aria-label="Read more about Thousands of Bougainville residents support lawsuit against mining giant">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
August 1, 2023
PNG Post-Courier Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has called on Prime Minister James Marape to spell out “clearly and honestly” his fears about Bougainville obtaining independence from Papua New Guinea. Toroama made this call over the PNG government’s delay of the referendum ratification process, which has been stalled beyond the required period for Parliament to give ... <a title="‘What are you afraid of?’ Toroama asks PNG about independence vote" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/08/01/what-are-you-afraid-of-toroama-asks-png-about-independence-vote/" aria-label="Read more about ‘What are you afraid of?’ Toroama asks PNG about independence vote">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
April 4, 2023
Asia Pacific Report Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama today condemned a visiting Papua New Guinean member of Parliament for “mocking” the autonomous region’s independence aspirations during a drunken exchange in Buka last week, saying that he must “atone for his blunder”. A video of Ijivitari MP David Arore allegedly abusing security guards and airport staff while ... <a title="Bougainville president slams ‘mocking’ by drunken MP over independence" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2023/04/04/bougainville-president-slams-mocking-by-drunken-mp-over-independence/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville president slams ‘mocking’ by drunken MP over independence">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 29, 2022
RNZ Pacific The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) wants to delay the next meeting of the Joint Supervisory Body with the Papua New Guinea government, claiming Port Moresby is “dragging the chain” on drawing up critical constitutional regulations.. The key focus of the ABG is on achieving independence by 2027 by the latest. This latest dispute ... <a title="Bougainville says PNG ‘dragging chain’ over independence issue" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/10/29/bougainville-says-png-dragging-chain-over-independence-issue/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville says PNG ‘dragging chain’ over independence issue">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
October 25, 2022
By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama says Bougainville’s future as an independent sovereign nation is inevitable and nothing can change the resolve of the government and people from achieving sovereignty. And he warned in the Autonomous Bougainville Parliament that no foreign government or foreign leader would dictate to Bougainville the outcome ... <a title="Bougainville’s Toroama blasts Australia: ‘No foreigner will dictate outcome’" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/10/25/bougainvilles-toroama-blasts-australia-no-foreigner-will-dictate-outcome/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville’s Toroama blasts Australia: ‘No foreigner will dictate outcome’">Read more</a>
CoveragePost
July 27, 2022
The National Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama has visited Guava village in the heartland of the Panguna mine in Central Bougainville to pay his respects to the resting place of Bougainville Revolutionary Army (BRA) leader Francis Ona. It was the first time President Toroama had visited Guava in 25 years after the 1997 Roreinang coup that ... <a title="Bougainville’s Toroama visits Ona’s rebel village 25 years after civil war" class="read-more" href="https://eveningreport.nz/2022/07/27/bougainvilles-toroama-visits-onas-rebel-village-25-years-after-civil-war/" aria-label="Read more about Bougainville’s Toroama visits Ona’s rebel village 25 years after civil war">Read more</a>
