, ▁vol . 2 , p .   8 5 0 ▁ ▁Category : Pass enger ▁ships ▁Category : Sh ips ▁built ▁in ▁Bar row - in - F urn ess ▁Category : 1 8 7 8 ▁ships <0x0A> </s> ▁A ▁non - binding ▁independence ▁refer endum ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁B oug ain ville , ▁an ▁autonom ous ▁region ▁of ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea , ▁between ▁ 2 3 ▁November ▁and ▁ 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁The ▁refer endum ▁question ▁was ▁a ▁choice ▁between ▁greater ▁aut onomy ▁within ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁full ▁independence , ▁vot ers ▁voted ▁over wh el ming ly ▁( 9 8 . 3 1 %) ▁for ▁independence . ▁ ▁The ▁refer endum ▁was ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁a ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁agreement ▁between ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁and ▁the ▁Aut onom ous ▁B oug ain ville ▁Government ▁that ▁ended ▁a ▁civil ▁war ▁fought ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁The ▁vote ▁is ▁non - binding ▁and ▁the ▁government ▁of ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁has ▁the ▁final ▁say ▁on ▁what ▁becomes ▁of ▁B oug ain ville . ▁Ob ser vers ▁have ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁clear ▁result ▁makes ▁it ▁difficult ▁for ▁Pap ua ▁New ▁Guinea ▁to ▁ignore ▁or ▁delay ▁the ▁result , ▁but ▁that ▁independence ▁could ▁take ▁years ▁to ▁achieve . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁Disc uss ions ▁about ▁an ▁independent ▁B oug ain ville ▁had ▁been ▁held ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁ 1 9 6