The president of Bougainville, John Momis, says the lack of funding from the Papua New Guinea government for referendum preparations is becoming desperate.
Bougainville is due to hold a referendum on independence from PNG in June.
The national government is a co-signatory of the Bougainville Peace Agreement of which the referendum is the ultimate step, and Mr Momis told Don Wiseman Port Moresby must meet its funding obligations.