AUSTRALIA AND BOUGAINVILLE

Hostilities in Bougainville, New Guinea began in the mid-late twentieth century, around the issue of Bougainville's independence.

Bougainville is an island located east of Papua New Guinea's main landmass, however wasn't particularly culturally tied to the mainland. They had developed a culture more similar to that of the neighbouring Solomon Island and referred to the mainlanders as "red skins." After a history of interaction with mainly Britain and Germany, Bougainville became part of the Australian colony of New Guinea after World War One.

Papua New Guinea became independent of Australia in 1975, and Bougainville stated that it too, would like to become independent - of New Guinea. Both the Australian and PNG governments disallowed...