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 PORT MORESBY, Australia (AP) - Francis Ona, the charismatic leader of a bloody secessionist movement in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, died Sunday.
He was believed to be in his 50s and may have died of malaria, the country's National Broadcasting Corp. reported. His death was confirmed by Bougainville's new president, Joseph Kabui.
After 16 years of seclusion in his mountain retreat, Ona emerged from his mountain retreat a few weeks before elections on May 20 to proclaim Bougainville already independent from Papua New Guinea. He had begun referring to himself as king of the province within the past few years.
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