Late Fr Simon Dumarinu described as a ‘true peace builder’

Bougainville Affairs Minister Maneseh Makiba has described the late Central Bougainville MP Fr Simon Dumarinu as a true peace builder.

Minister Makiba says late Dumarinu hailed peace as a virtue and wanted the people of Bougainville to live peacefully.

The Bougainville Affairs Minister says his ways were unique and calm.

“As a meekest, humblest, gentle, soft-spoken and peaceful leader as he was, his love and commitment to serve his people of Central Bougainville and to pursue the greater interest of Bougainville's future was uncompromising and unwavering, as I would gather from his conversations with me and often during debates here in this floor.

“Late Dumarinu was a peace-loving and a wise leader who had a great sense of duty to the mandate he had from his people of Bougainville and also the national constitution and the Bougainville Peace Agreement in approaching the common issue that we have at hand,” Minister Makiba said.

Minister Makiba says late Dumarinu brought to the attention of the national government key recommendations for a better pathway of dialogue between the Government of Papua New Guinea and Bougainville.

Meanwhile, Regional Member for Bougainville and Internal Security Minister Peter Tsiamalili Jnr describe late Central Bougainville as a leader who pushed his people's agenda right to the floor of the national parliament.

Tsiamalili says with the referendum completed, there is more work to do between the two Governments and leaders and he appealed to all members of Parliament to support Bougainville MPs in their plight for Independence.

“Please, all leaders, understand this word, empathy, by helping me to resolve the Peace Agreement, like all people where today our leaders are sitting in front of us to conclude this peace agreement.”