Bougainvillean presidential election, 2008
Encyclopedia
Presidential elections were held in Bougainville (an autonomous region of Papua New Guinea
) from November 30 to December 18, 2008. Voters elected the new President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
, following the death of President Joseph Kabui
while in office, on June 7.
The potential resumption of controversial mining activities, which were at the root of Bougainville's civil war
in the 1990s, was reportedly a key issue in this election.
The two main candidates appeared to be Papua New Guinea
's former mining minister Sam Akoitai
and former rebel soldier Sam Kaouna. In total, 14 candidates stood in the election.
James Tanis
, a former separatist who came third in the 2005 election behind Kabui and the former governor John Momis
, won the election, as announced on 28 December 2008. He was sworn in on 6 January 2009.
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
) from November 30 to December 18, 2008. Voters elected the new President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville
The President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville governs the island, which is an autonomous entity within Papua New Guinea.The first President of Bougainville was Joseph Kabui, who was elected in June 2005, following the 2000 peace agreement which ended the Bougainville War...
, following the death of President Joseph Kabui
Joseph Kabui
Joseph Canisius Kabui was a secessionist leader and the first President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville, off the coast of Papua New Guinea, from 2005 to 2008. He was also the leader of the Bougainville People's Congress....
while in office, on June 7.
The potential resumption of controversial mining activities, which were at the root of Bougainville's civil war
History of Bougainville
Bougainville is a province of Papua New Guinea. It was named after the French navigator Louis Antoine de Bougainville.-Prehistory:Bougainville has been inhabited for at least 33,000 years...
in the 1990s, was reportedly a key issue in this election.
The two main candidates appeared to be Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
's former mining minister Sam Akoitai
Sam Akoitai
Sam Akoitai, born 5 May 1961 in Bougainville, is a Papua New Guinean politician, a member of the United Resources Party.Akoitai joined the Bougainville Copper Limited company in 1978, and worked there for eight years...
and former rebel soldier Sam Kaouna. In total, 14 candidates stood in the election.
James Tanis
James Tanis
James Tanis is a politician in in Papua New Guinea who was President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville from 2009 to 2010. He was previously the Vice President of the Bougainville People's Congress....
, a former separatist who came third in the 2005 election behind Kabui and the former governor John Momis
John Momis
John Momis is the current President of the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. Momis was sworn in as President of Bougainville on June 10, 2010, after defeating his predecessor, President James Tanis, and five other challengers by a landslide in the 2010 presidential election.Momis, who served as a...
, won the election, as announced on 28 December 2008. He was sworn in on 6 January 2009.