The residents of Bougainville, which today is an autonomous part of Papua New Guinea, vote that either independence or the archipelago continues to belong to Papua New Guinea, but with more extensive autonomy.

About 207,000 people, out of about 250,000 residents, have registered for the referendum, which began on Saturday morning local time and lasts for two weeks.

Bloody civil war

The referendum is a cornerstone of the 2001 peace agreement that was concluded following a bloody civil war that lasted over ten years and demanded close to 20,000 casualties.

There are few reliable opinion polls, so both outputs are possible, but those who hope for independence are still victorious. The results will be presented on December 15.

Concern for more independence movements

If the independence side wins, the decision must be ratified by Papua New Guinea's parliament. There is concern in Papua New Guinea that an independence for Bougainville may trigger similar independence movements in other parts of the island nation. At the same time, a refusal from Papua New Guinea could re-ignite the unrest in Bougainville.

Bougainville Regional President John Momis urges residents to be patient and points out that the referendum is only a first step in a long process. He says it can take several years until everything is ready.