Bougainville President Ishmael Toroama was dressed in military clothing this morning as he celebrated an early morning prayer service in Arawa Town to commemorate the Bougainville Remembrance Day.
May 17th has been endorsed and gazetted as a public holiday in the Autonomous Region by the Bougainville Executive Council in 2018, to remember those that fought and died in the decade-long war.
Up to 20,000 lives have been estimated to have been lost in direct fighting or from other causes as a result of the crisis.
Accompanying President Toroama in a procession from the Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Parish to the Independence Oval were ex-combatant members, also dressed in military fatigues, and hundreds of residents of Arawa Town and surrounding areas.
Today’s commemoration is an initiative of Ishmael Toroama not as President but as an individual and a Commander of the then-Bougainville Revolutionary Army.
Other Commanders of the then BRA who are part of today’s event include Moses Pipiro, James Onatoo, Glen Tovirika, and former BRA General Sam Kaona.
NBC News- Kelvin Kasper (Buka)
Melanesia News 