| Place | Oceania: Pacific Islands, Solomon Islands, Bougainville |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL33552 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Heraldry |
| Physical description | Rubber |
| Maker |
Unknown |
| Date made | c 2002-2003 |
| Conflict |
Period 2000-2009 |
Balloon : Peace Monitoring Group, Bougainville
Description
Yellow balloon with black logo showing a dove of peace superimposed on a map of Bougainville within a circle. Around the edge is PEACE/ PEACE MONITORING GROUP'.
History / Summary
Associated with Richard Fairbrother, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, in his capacity as Senior Civilian Monitor with the Monitoring Team at Arawa (MT-A), and Chief Negotiator (CNEG) on the island of Bougainville between September 2002 and January 2003. MT-A was part of the wider multi-national Peace Monitoring Group, led by Australia, which eventually resulted in partially autonomous self-government for Bougainville, which had been seeking succession from New Guinea. Fairbrother also served as a Civilian Monitor on Bougainville in 2000, while he was working in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. These balloons were designed to be handed out to Bougainvillean children, but met with mixed success as many children who had been exposed to the fighting during the civil war, were frightened of the noise made by a balloon when it popped, reminding them of small arms fire.