The Government is shocked and saddened at the reported assassination of
Theodore Miriung, Premier of the Bougainville Transitional Government.
At this stage few details are known of the attack and it is not known who
was responsible.
Miriung was a courageous and influential figure who dedicated himself to
the pursuit of a peaceful resolution of the eight year conflict in Bougainville.
With his passing this will become all the more difficult to achieve.
Theodore Miriung was last in Australia for the two rounds of Bougainville
peace talks which were held in Cairns at the end of last year.