Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE

Justice for PNG lies in the ballot box

TODAY’S EDITORIAL IN THE
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

THE STAND-OFF BETWEEN Papua New Guinea's parliament and its judiciary reached a dangerous flashpoint last week, which can only dismay the country's well-wishers in Australia.

The rights and wrongs of the legal and constitutional points involved are too arcane for all but a few specialists to grasp fully. What is clear is that both sides of the political contest at the bottom of it are resorting to force.

The action of the Deputy Prime Minister, Belden Namah, in storming into the Supreme Court at the head of a posse of police, to order the arrest of the chief justice, Salamo Injia, for sedition is outrageous. Namah is not the instrument of the law, nor are powers of prosecution on other laws such as sedition part of his ministerial responsibilities.

It was a snap, unilateral political arrest. The police, legal agencies and lower courts should have no bar of it but it appears they have. Five months ago Namah gave amnesty to some armed soldiers who had tried intervening in politics. Now he sees sedition in a private emails between two judges.

Similarly, some police associated with the officer appointed as police commissioner by the ousted prime minister Michael Somare made a disturbing intervention. They blocked access to the parliament on Friday to prevent Peter O'Neill, who replaced Somare in August, recalling MPs to reaffirm parliamentary support for his leadership. This is a contest between the law, as the highest court interprets it, and the parliament. The constitutional dilemma remains.

O'Neill convened parliament and retains its confidence, gaining extra emergency powers. The chief justice remains on the bench, despite government efforts to suspend him, and the court's ruling that the ousting of Somare was invalid also stands.

Fortunately, this parliament is in its last weeks, as elections are due next month - a resolution in practical terms. Debate will continue whether Salamo was right to push things on such fine points of parliamentary procedure, knowing political chaos could result, when the voters have an early chance to decide. The Supreme Court's important role against political misconduct now seems greatly weakened.

That PNG gets a fair and well-run election on schedule is supremely important. In its 37 years of independence from Australia, it has stuck to the constitutional schedule assiduously, despite many problems in holding elections in such difficult terrain.

Politics have been debased at times by bribery and intimidation but elections have delivered political change accepted by all.

O'Neill has headed off a push from within his ranks to delay the vote. He and his colleagues must now apply all possible resources to ensure an honest, transparent election.

The next parliament will present a tremendous opportunity for PNG's 7 million people. The ExxonMobil liquefied natural gas project centred on the southern highlands will start deliveries to foreign customers in 2014. In its first year, it will boost gross domestic product by 20 to 25 per cent. Already, development work has given PNG the seventh highest growth rate in the world. The revenue streams will mightily boost the government's resources.

But much of the population still lives a subsistence lifestyle, growing and catching food, barely touching the modern economy except in the odd cash sale. How to connect that LNG revenue and other resources from tax-paying activity with that subsistence village world is the job of the government.

It means steady painstaking work in extending roads and boat jetties, harnessing communication leaps such as the spread of mobile telephones, improving security on roads and in market places, and building human capacity through schooling, health services and adult education.

We can only hope the next parliament focuses more on these policies and less on squabbling over the spoils of office.

Intense day of activity for Martyn in Canberra

BY KEITH JACKSON

THIS IS THE 5,000^th POST PUBLISHED ON PNG ATTITUDE

A VISIT TO THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL marks the start of two crowded days in Canberra for Martyn Namorong as he moves into the second and final week of his Take the Truth to Australia tour.

In the chill of a Canberra Autumn morning, he will visit the newly-installed Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial in the AWM grounds, accompanied by Don Hook, a prominent member of the Society under whose auspices the memorial has been constructed.

The memorial will be officially unveiled on 1 July, the seventieth anniversary of the sinking of the prison ship Montevideo Maru and the deaths of all 1,000 plus trrops and civilians who had been serving in Rabaul.

Immediately after, accompanied by Ben Jackson, his program organiser and ‘minder’, Martyn will be interviewed on Alex Sloan’s Morning Program on 666 ABC Canberra before heading to Parliament House.

Here he will have his first political meeting with Nick Champion MP, ALP Member for Wakefield (SA) and chairman of the foreign affairs sub-committee.

As with all of the meetings at Parliament House, discussion will focus on the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea and how it might be improved in the interests of the PNG people. [See our earlier story here.]

Martyn will then head across Canberra to the campus of the Australian National University where he will lead a seminar for the State, Society & Governance in Melanesia Program before returning to Parliament House for a meeting with former leader of the Australian Greens and friend of PNG, Senator Bob Brown.

The intense day’s activities will finish with discussions with Richard Marles, the parliamentary secretary for Pacific Island Affairs.

During this meeting, Martyn will propose to Mr Marles (as he will do also later to shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop) that the Australian and PNG governments jointly initiate an exchange program for young Australian and PNG professionals to get to know the other country and to build better relationships.

 If you would like to meet Martyn Namorong in Canberra there will be an informal opportunity at the Hotel Kurrajong from 4-5.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday). Call Ben Jackson on 0417 407 565

What my fathers taught me: a tribute

BY EMMA WAKPI

AT A TIME WHEN THE FOCUS of the world is upon Papua New Guinea and its attitude toward women, I have been reflecting upon the male influences in my life.

I know there are good men in PNG and we need their support and encouragement in order to create a safer more equitable society for both sexes. I want to introduce to you three such men who have impacted my life - my grandfather, uncle and father.

These men influenced me in unique ways and the lessons learned were not from longwinded lectures (although they were prone to those too) but rather from observing how they lived their lives.

What my grandfather taught me

Every individual is unique and must be accorded dignity.

My grandfather had a soft spot for the scorned and oft ignored of our clan and would strive to let them know they mattered. He had a way about him which made it seem that you were the favoured one, that you were special.

Most times upon his return from a feast, often the best meat cuts were quietly slipped to the widows, divorcees or the least favored wife of a clansman.  He would cut smaller portions, wrap them in banana leaves and hide them in various locations then give their children riddles to find them – a treasure hunt of his creation.

This was something he did regularly with his grandchildren and we thought we were the only ones with whom he played this game. At his funeral however I was overwhelmed by the amount of people (most I did not know well) who told of his generosity and recalled his treasure hunts.

He also made it a habit to every so often, visit the homes of the aforementioned women. He would ask them how they were and if there was something that needed doing. If they required assistance, appointments were made and at the set time he and his family would team up and help; fencing gardens, making new gardens, harvesting kunai to thatch roofs.

To us children he made such outings an event and would teach various chants and games turning work to play. Firewood distribution was another duty he took upon himself and would ensure that not only his own household was provided for but that of those who did not have a man to look after them. He never made any help seem like charity for he would call on those assisted to reciprocate by helping him in his garden etc.

Words cannot describe the bond I had with him and even though he has left us, his memory and the continuing of this legacy gives life a feeling of completeness.

Joseph Kabui & his leadership of Bougainville

BY LEONARD FONG ROKA

THE LATE JOSEPH CANNSIUS KABUI was the last premier of the North Solomons Province in 1990 when the Bougainville crisis erupted and the first President of the Autonomous Bougainville Government in 2005 as the result of the Bougainville Peace Process that slowly began in 2004.

Joseph Kabui was born around 1954 in Sipuru Village (new Paruparu in the Evo-Torau constituency). His mother, Agatha Sipura (my great grandmother), was a widower and hails from the Tumpusiong Valley of Panguna. She had my two grandmothers with her first husband and remarried into Evo (our neighbouring constituency) and had the next three that are from the elders, Martin Miriori, Joseph Kabui and a woman.

He was educated at Pirurari, Sipatako village schools, Tunuru, Saint Joseph’s Rigu mission schools and Ulapia (Channel College) in PNG. He took sometimes with the BCL civil works as a spotter handling the stop-go sign in the work places. From here, late Henry Moses (then head of BCL workers’ union) had him in the Panguna mining workers’ union and from here he spent a year or two at the University of PNG and back in BCL again. After sometime, the union had him in the United States in a program on labour laws.

After returning, he was into politics. He was with the community government for a while in the early 1980s and contested the provincial election in the mid-1980s and began the premier of North Solomons in 1987 to 1989 when the crisis came about to splash out the PNG people and government.

Has many, for example his NSP government secretary, late Peter Tsiamalili left the island he after being threatened by the BRA, he remained back and faced the consequences. Despite being harassed by the order less and unorganized BRA personnel of the 1990s, he remained steadfast a Bougainvillean leader.

In 1990, the late Francis Ona after shutting the mine and getting rid of non-Bougainvilleans had not much interest in the former NSP premier but, it was Ona’s military strategist, Sam Kauona, who actually invited Mr. Joseph Kabui in the BRA politics of that era. In one of the late months of 1990, Sam Kauona ordered his faction of the BRA to bring Mr Joseph Kabui and his elder brother, Mr Martin Miriori to his village in Tororei; there he officially asked them, especially Kabui to help the BRA in its political manoeuvring.

From here, the Bougainville Interim Government (BIG) was born. Some peace efforts like the Endeavour Accord, a trip to the UN Rights of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples hearing in Geneva, and the declaration of independence in 1991 (UDI). Also, there was this establishment of the Radio Free Bougainville that broadcasted from Arawa that drove a lot of BIG propaganda to the population.

Namah: Feathers fly as the point man weighs in

BY HAMISH McDONALD
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD

PAPUA NEW GUINEA HAS SEEN plenty of political wild men - like the late prime minister Bill Skate with his Albanian-Australian political adviser and connections to Port Moresby's raskol gangs. But has there been anything like Belden Namah, the present deputy prime minister?

This year alone he's made the headlines a lot. In March, the Herald reported he had been in Sydney's Star casino at 7am one day last year, drunk and propositioning the male croupier, with $800,000 to blow. Not him, Namah said.

On Thursday this week he turned up at the Supreme Court in Port Moresby at the head of a band of police, demanding the chief justice, Sir Salamo Injia, turn himself in to be charged with sedition. After a long stand-off, that seems to have happened.

Namah has been the point man in the government of the prime minister, Peter O'Neill, in its extended skirmishing with the country's highest court over the legality of the ousting in August of the independence leader Sir Michael Somare's government.

Twice, in December and again this week, benches of the court including Injia have ruled that the rules had not been followed to the letter and ordered that Sir Michael be reinstated. In December, O'Neill quickly got a big majority in the parliament to reaffirm his support.

The ailing Sir Michael has twice tried to meet the governor-general to get sworn back into office, but has been turned away at the gate by police following O'Neill's orders. In December, Sir Michael appointed his own police and military commanders, getting a small group of soldiers to come out for him, but the initiative soon faltered.

This week, Sir Michael also failed to get into Government House, while O'Neill struggled to get parliament recalled. But Namah decided to go for the judges, ordering Injia and the two others on the bench for the latest ruling to resign within 24 hours for alleged bias against the O'Neill government.

Before being charged, the chief justice appealed to police and military personal to abide by the court's ruling. Asking their chiefs to ''take your oath seriously and stand up for the constitution'', Injia said: ''This country is being run by men who are happy to use force rather than the rule of law.''

It is a nasty stand-off, and the only blessing is that writs have already been issued for a general election to start on 23 June. Within a couple of months, a new hand of political cards will be dealt and the Somare-O'Neill legal contest will be a matter of history.

But it will be a very tense time until the voting starts. Namah was also leader of the drive to postpone the elections for six months, in violation of the constitution's very explicit limits of leeway from the five-year parliament term.

O'Neill has managed to overrule him and election preparations are well under way. But PNG is always a land of surprises, good and bad.

Courting trouble in Papua New Guinea

BANYAN BLOG – THE ECONOMIST

JUDGES HAVE THROWN Papua New Guinea into turmoil by pronouncing yet again that the current government, led by Peter O’Neill, is illegal—this time on the eve of scheduled elections.

On 21 May, the chief justice, Sir Salamo Injia [pictured], joined two other judges in upholding the Supreme Court’s verdict from December, which ordered the restoration of Mr O’Neill’s predecessor as prime minister, Sir Michael Somare.

Another two judges from the five-member bench again dissented, but this time they were blunt with their disapproval: Gibbs Salika, the deputy chief justice, said the court’s deliberations had been compromised by the circulation of an email from one of the majority judges which called the O’Neill administration an “illegal regime”.

Another dissenting judge said that endorsing the majority verdict would be contrary to his judicial oath of office.

After the majority’s verdict was handed down, Sir Michael travelled to government house hoping to be sworn in. He was turned away by police officers, who insisted that “no one goes in until after the elections”.

Their operations commander, Colonel Walter Enuma, said that the police had had “enough of this chequebook war”, implying that both sides were using cash handouts to curry favour around the country.

The Supreme Court has had to wrestle with conflicting principles. The removal of Sir Michael Somare last August was clearly not in accordance with constitutional procedures, which required that two doctors appointed by the Governor-General declare the prime minister unfit to resume office.

At that time, Mr Somare was hospitalised in Singapore after a serious heart surgery, and his own family had announced that he was stepping down. The speaker of parliament prematurely declared the office of prime minister vacant. In the consequent election, Mr O’Neill obtained a large majority, with 70 MPs for him to 24 against.

But then Sir Michael made a miraculous recovery, and returned to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to claim back his old job. December’s Supreme Court ruling supported his case, which resulted in the first showdown between the judiciary and the legislature.

For a country where a large share of the population is beyond the effective reach of the state and where the rule of law is anyway highly precarious, confrontation between core institutions of government is a risky business. In any case, judges are usually sensibly wary of stepping into political affairs, and thus undermining the separation of powers.

The Supreme Court’s majority verdict in December was questionable, but to insist on the same decision now seems reckless. At the time the result was a constitutional crisis. The O’Neill and Somare camps battled for supremacy, even appointing rival Governor-Generals and police chiefs.

G-G won't sign off on emergency – heads overseas

BY EOIN BLACKWELL
AAP

PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S GOVERNOR-GENERAL has washed his hands of both sides of the nation's political dispute, with his office saying he will not sign any documents until a government is formed after the election.

A senior member of the office of Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio says the head of state has refused to sign any documents presented by parliamentary elected prime minister Peter O'Neill or from his court-appointed rival for the top job, Sir Michael Somare.

The spokesman says the governor-general has also refused to sign an instrument recalling parliament for a special sitting last week in which the government voted for a state of emergency in three provinces including the capital, Port Moresby.

"No documents have been received by the governor-general and that includes the state of emergency (declared by parliament on Friday)," the spokesman, who declined to be named, told AAP today.

He said Sir Michael Ogio had refused to sign the document approving Friday's special sitting of parliament at which MPs voted for a state of emergency.

"He received that document but he did not sign it," the spokesman said, answering "negative" when asked the question two more times.

"Go to the election. That was advised to everybody from the beginning, go to the election."

The spokesman said the governor-general was seeking legal advice.

Constitutional lawyer Ray Williams told AAP that parliament could not be convened without the consent of the governor-general.

"The instrument must be signed by the governor-general, otherwise it is not an instrument at all," Mr Williams said.

"In terms of the sitting itself, if it is not approved by the governor-general, in effect it would not be constitutional to do that."

AAP has learned that Sir Michael Ogio will depart PNG tomorrow for Britain to participate in the Queen's Birthday celebrations.

According to protocol, Speaker Jeffrey Nape will become acting governor-general until Sir Michael returns on 12 June.

Martyn Namorong hints at a future in politics

BY KEITH JACKSON

IN A WIDE-RANGING interview on Radio Australia, Martyn Namorong has hinted that he may be interested in a future career in Papua New Guinea politics.

And he said the PNG government should make the five ‘directive principles’ of its constitution enforceable by law in order to correct the current imbalance between government and people.

Asked what might be the reaction of the people if there was not a more equitable distribution of PNG’s wealth, he responded that if the elite failed in its obligation the people “would eat them”.

You can listen here to this hard-hitting interview with Pacific Beat host Bruce Hill.

UPNG campus in crisis as admin buildings looted

WWW.NEWSPNG.ORG

A MONTH-LONG POWER BLACK-OUT at the University of Papua New Guinea’s Waigani Campus has incited angry residential students to loot the Administration and other buildings.

UPNG students on popular social media sites Facebook and Twitter have reported that tensions are high at Waigani and are demanding the Administration act immediately to fix the situation.

The black-outs started a month ago when an underground electricity service cable became faulty and could not provide electricity to the majority of dormitories in the main campus.

Next week will see examinations go into full gear on campus and students are frustrated at the frequent disruptions to their studies.

Last night many students felt that it was not fair to conduct exams when they were not afforded the proper facilities to study.

At about 7.30pm the temporary generator servicing the dormitories Tuloan, Luavi, Lasitewa, Poroman, Veari and Toa 2 and 3 failed and frustrated students mobilised in the darkness and spilled out on the road and attacked the Gunther Administration Building, breaking glass and blocking off the entrance road.

A meeting was held between security personnel, Police and student leaders during which, among other things, it was agreed that the students return to their rooms and properly address the situation this morning. \

A University security spokesperson was reported to have said that, while the looting of school property was not good, the black-out was causing problems for security operations as well.

A Police spokesperson said that Police were there upon calls from concerned parents but would only enter the campus grounds upon request of university security.

Student leaders condemned the Administration for stalling in rectifying the black-out situation for over a month and called for a swift response of face further action. The Administration could not be reached for comment.

Now Martyn Namorong takes the truth to Canberra

BY KEITH JACKSON

PNG WRITER AND ACTIVIST Martyn Namorong continues his Take the Truth to Australia tour in Canberra over the next two days where he will meet with senior Australian political figures.

Included in a busy program will be encounters with shadow foreign minister Julie Bishop, parliamentary secretary for Pacific affairs Richard Marles, foreign minister Bob Carr's adviser on PNG matters, and a number of members of parliament’s foreign affairs committee.

It is still hoped to arrange a short meeting with Senator Carr.

The messages Martyn will take to the corridors of parliament house will be the same he canvassed in an article he wrote for The Age newspaper last Thursday (Australia not a good friend), focusing on what Australia can do to improve its relationship with the people of Papua New Guinea.

He is also expected to ask that the Australian government work with the PNG government to offer more exchange programs between young Australian and Papua New Guinean professionals in an effort to build better personal links between the two countries, so strengthening the overall relationship.

Martyn will use the experience of his current visit to emphasise how such exchanges can work and have an impact on hundreds of people in both countries.

While in Canberra, he will also join Don Hook for a visit to the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru memorial, due to be unveiled on 1 July.

Later he’ll conduct a seminar at the Australian National University, be interviewed for ABC Radio Canberra, and meet people interested in PNG at an informal function at the Hotel Kurrajong.

Martyn will be accompanied in Canberra, as he was in Sydney, by Ben Jackson, a young Australian communications professional who has been responsible for the tour itinerary – which in its first week included eight media interviews and 10 meetings as well as sightseeing in Sydney and Melbourne, and a night at rugby league where he saw the Storm-Broncos encounter.

Today he drives to Canberra with his Melbourne host, Linda Koerner.

Martyn’s visit is funded in its entirety by readers of PNG Attitude.

Here’s Martyn’s recent interview on the Australia Network….

 

Literary shame games in the PNG intelligentsia

BY RUSSELL SOABA

An essay on the underlying reasons for the sacking of Storyboard, and its progenitor, from The National newspaper

FOLLOWING PNG ATTITUDE’S ARTICLE of 31 March (‘The National bans two prominent writers’), this is how The National reacted in its Column 1 section. The wording was the work of both the Weekender editor and the overall editor of the paper.

OK, we admit it. Journalists (and writers) are generally egoistic people, some to the extent that they regard themselves as god’s gift to the profession. Criticise or offend and you are likely to experience first-hand a reaction akin to the saying, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

Perhaps that explains Russell Soaba’s response when we decided to end his Storyboard column in our Weekender after some vitriolic and less eloquent emails spewed forth from the writer. The professional relationship between Soaba and the Weekender editor had descended to a personal one…..

In the first instance, for some unknown reason, he retracted his allegations the next day. The peace lasted only a while though. The mysterious fever returned and the poor man went on a venomous binge again. Rather than have such an unstable and unpleasant relationship, The National decided that the column come to an end. Of course if you ask Soaba, he will have a different story to tell as he seems to be doing so now.

[The National, Tuesday 3 April 2012]

But the underlying reasons to Soaba’s sacking still remain a mystery. What does seem to be slowly emerging to the surface is that soul searching attempt at self-redemption or hypocritical cover-up that makes the whole scenario all the more comical and profane.

This by email dated 10 May 2012 in response to the ungodly flyer that ran: check out the blogs for the underlying reasons behind Storyboard’s sacking.

Russell,

What really is the matter with you?

Are you lonely, bitter, angry, sad, mentally affected, unrepentant, lost perhaps.

Why do you carry on and on and on. Like a spoilt child who wants a toy from the shop. Let it go, get over it.

Commit everything to God, pray, read your Bible, go to church, spend time re-thinking your life. Repent, recommit your life to God. It is never too late to do this while we still live and breathe.

Maybe there are things in your past which you need to put right with your children and your family, your late wife's family.

I urge you to do these now and you will find peace. God's peace that passeth all understanding. Don't look down on yourself, don't compare yourself to others and above all don't think that nobody loves you. God loves you and He is a forgiving God, He is merciful and full of grace and He loves you more than you will ever know. Seek God, He is the only one that will grant you the peace of mind that you so desperately need.

I tell you this because I have found that for myself in a number of situations in my life.  Mum and I have been praying for you and for your salvation. I felt I had to share to her about this situation because this is a spiritual battle and I need Mum to stand with me in prayer.

God works in mysterious ways. He allows things to happen to save and protect His children from evil. I have found peace. I rest in the knowledge that God is in control of everything and I stand on the scripture, "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."  Exodus 14:14

Take good care of yourself. Have a pleasant evening and a wonderful weekend.

God bless you,

Margaret

There are times when people who are spared the Christian principles of forgiveness simply take advantage of their moment of relief and choose rather to exercise their powers in the opposite direction.

But then who is Russell Soaba anyway that even a large organisation such as The National newspaper would take the trouble of paying so much attention to?

There will be more on this coming soon under the title, The underlying reasons to Storyboard’s sacking. 

Lloyd Hurrell - Kiap, soldier, planter – dies at 95

BY JOHN FOWKE

LLOYD HURRELL CMG OBE MC DIED PEACEFULLY at home last Tuesday. He was the last of the pre-World War II Kiaps- and one with an exemplary record.

Later a pioneer coffee-planter at Wau in the 1950s, Lloyd was a member of the TPNG Legislative Council and one of the founders of the old Coffee Industry Board - the boardroom at the present Coffee Industry Corp in Goroka is named after him.

Lloyd is survived by his wife and five children. His son Don is one of the few AusAID consultants serving in PNG who can be said to have made a real difference by his presence as a police adviser in Goroka.

The National Archives of Australia note:

In 1939, (Albert) Lloyd Hurrell applied for the position of cadet patrol officer advertised in Sydney newspapers. After serving briefly as a Kiap in New Guinea, Hurrell joined the Australian Military Forces in 1940 (NGX18). He was awarded the Military Cross for his actions on 11 November 1942 during fierce fighting after the recapture of Kokoda.

After World War II, Hurrell returned to Kiap duties in New Guinea. In 1950 he was appointed Acting District Officer of the Menyamya district, and was instructed to establish a new settlement at this remote post in the ‘uncontrolled’ Western Highlands.

The following year, Hurrell was ordered to investigate a raid on the village of Kiatsong during which several people were killed. While investigating the raid, Hurrell’s party was attacked. He fired a warning shot, which unfortunately killed one of the attacking men.

Hurrell resigned from his Kiap duties in 1954, and established a farm and coffee plantation near Wau in the province of Morobe. He entered national politics in Papua New Guinea, and served for many years as President of the PNG Coffee Marketing Board. In 1969 Hurrell was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to the Board.

Three years ago, Lloyd published an account of his early PNG experiences in the memoir Hurrell's Way, described by James Sinclair as “a marvellous, highly informative read by an ex-soldier – Syria and Kokoda Track in World War II – and then patrol officer in New Guinea’s early days of Australian administration.”

Lloyd Hurrell’s funeral will be held at 11am on Monday 4 June at Tweed Heads Crematorium.

Top photograph from Lloyd Hurrell’s World War II army record of 1939

Scars of the storm

BY STEVEN ILAVE SNR

After the chaos and confusion of Mum’s death

Debris on beaches;
Meet my stare
Flotsam below still waters;
Give that eerie glare

Broken branches;
Strewn here and there
Scattered leaves;
Left lying without care

Jigsaw puzzle pieces;
Now marred and bare
Jagged, not smooth edges;
Suddenly not so rare

Heaps of missing parts;
Life can be so unfair !
Must pick up the fragments;
And once more dare

The fleeting calm’s;
My time to prepare
Another storm looms;
And I’d better be AWARE!

Steven Hulamari Ilave Snr (54) was born in Kikori in Gulf Province.  His family comes from Ihu on the coast to the east. He is married to Annie and has eight children. He studied at UPNG and in the UK and is a development economist by profession. His inspiration to write comes from two prominent Gulf Province men: Albert Moari Kiki and Vincent Eri. He has started his first book which he hopes to finish in 2013.  He writes poems part-time as an escape from the rat-race of a life in the city of Port Moresby

Born with a purpose

BY RACHAEL BERRY

A life’s journey destined to fulfil God’s purpose

TYRA GREW UP IN THE REMOTE TOWN of Tabubil located in the Western Province of Papua New Guinea. Amazing landscapes, rainforest and waterfalls surround the township. A place that, long hidden, has now been discovered to be rich in the natural resources of gold and copper.

Tyra’s father had been a heavy equipment operator for Ok Tedi Mining Limited, the company that owns the mine. While her mother is just an ordinary homemaker who comes from an ordinary village life, she appreciates the privilege of living a modern lifestyle of having to travel and using modern whitegoods.

Being third in a family of six can be fun and exciting, but the family’s regular domestic violence placed a negative impact on Tyra’s life while growing up. She developed bitterness and hatred for her father for his violent abuse of her mother. But she was never afraid to stand up for what was right and cared for her mother more than anyone in her life.

Tyra has a strong personality - she enjoys adventures, embraces nature and outdoor activities. A character that is passionate about helping poor and needy people and living a life that brings glory to God.

At the age of 14, Tyra transferred to a mission school called the School of Tomorrow in a remote village in her hometown Wewak, in the East Sepik Province. That year there was a drought and it was difficult for the small town of Tabubil to supply food for the whole population of the town and so the company had to send the wives and children of the workers away.

Those years taught her to be independent and to take care of herself. She was taught Christian values while studying at the mission school. Memorising bible scriptures, having regular devotions and fellowships were a normal discipline of the mission run schools.

The mission school was a few kilometres away from her traditional village and so she spent a lot of the term breaks in the village with Grandma. During those years of being away from her parents, she loved village life and mostly her love for her Grandma.

They shared such a special bond and friendship that Tyra kept her Grandma as one of those special people in her heart. She prayed that God could give Grandma the strength to live each day so she could see her get a job and take care of her one day. The drought ended after two years and Tyra moved back to Tabubil to be with the rest of her family.

Life goes on at the bottom as PNG reels from the top

BY JO CHANDLER
THE AGE

ENLISTING THE MIGHTY MODERN EPISTLE of the tweet, and the old magic of a powerful image, the ABC's Port Moresby correspondent nailed the bleak, stranger-than-fiction reality his city woke to yesterday morning.

There in a stream - a rubbish-clogged drain, really - running just below the blockaded gates of the Papua New Guinea Parliament, unbothered and unnoticed by rebel police protesting against the latest twist in the Byzantine power play capturing the capital, a young woman scrubbed her laundry.

On her head she proudly wore the national colours. ''While the political storm rages, the lives of grassroots PNGeans continue unaffected,'' observed Liam Fox.

Whether that holds true this morning, following potentially explosive moves within the Parliament late yesterday to declare a state of emergency in the capital - the first in well over a decade, and the first ever provoked by political events - and in restive parts of the highlands, remains to be seen.

For several hours early in the day, the group of apparently unarmed police at the blockade refused to let anyone into Parliament.

No MPs would be allowed in until after the national elections, scheduled to begin late next month, they told reporters.

The action of the police in blocking the gates - trying to thwart any political moves that might derail the election - reflected the exasperation and yearning of people across PNG who are desperate to use their votes to bring about an end to seven months of crippling political impasse.

Such sentiments are shared by street vendors, rural farmers and the elite ''twitterati'' who have harnessed social media to campaign, all the while urging fellow citizens to keep a lid on their frustrations lest they provide authorities with an excuse to delay the poll.

Although Parliament had been officially dissolved almost two weeks back, for three days Prime Minister Peter O'Neill has been trying to rustle up a quorum to deal with the latest crisis - a controversial decision by the Supreme Court on Monday reaffirming its judgment of last December that his claim on power is illegitimate.

Despite enjoying the support of the bureaucracy, the majority of the police, military chiefs and a population largely disenchanted with the failures of the Somare era, the court has now twice determined the process by which Sir Michael was removed was unconstitutional.

O'Neill and his deputy, Belden Namah, accused the court of bias. Namah's tirades against the judges had already provoked them to whack him with contempt charges.

On Thursday, he displayed his contempt by charging into the Supreme Court with a posse of police and soldiers and demanding the arrest of Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia for sedition. Sir Salamo secured himself in his chambers, telling reporters he feared for his safety and for PNG's democracy. The Chief Justice yesterday found himself before a court, and bailed until July 1.

By yesterday afternoon, the police blockade had been overcome by the momentum of the conflict between the nation's executive and the judiciary. The MPs made their way into the chamber and more than 40 of them voted to nullify the Supreme Court order and to declare the state of emergency across the capital and in the volatile Southern Highlands provinces, where the $16 billion Exxon-led gas project approaches completion.

Some experts say that under the constitution, a state of emergency does allow the deferral of an election, and this prospect ignited distress on PNG's social media political sites. Anxieties were also high that the crisis might provoke another attempted military intervention. It's understood military leaders are deeply divided over the events.

This was despite the PM's declaration the election would go ahead on schedule, and his assurance that people's movements would not be restricted.

Police would ''do their best'' to respect the rights of citizens, he said. But experts recall that previous emergency provisions have enlisted heavy-handed policing, harassment and abuses of human rights.

Land, money & the contradictions of rural life

A POEM BY MICHAEL DOM

WHILE WE MAY VIEW VILLAGE LIFE, and people living by subsistence agriculture, to have food security challenges, it should be appreciated that villagers also wish to take part in the cash economy and see that as a direct means to address their needs.

This is true of today’s village living despite the perceived hand-out mentality, which was created by successive governments failing to fulfill their fundamental development role of helping their people to help themselves.

To those Australians who may be less familiar with Papua New Guineans and our outlook on how we live, please take this poem as a snapshot of the contradictions of simple village life in ‘The Land of the Unexpected’.

We are not as poor as some people say

Michael Dom

Our land is our source of food and our home
We work on our land almost every day
Selling coffee beans is our main income

In remote lands, where tourists find welcome
An old aid post is sixty miles away
Our land is our source of food and our home

Since there are no roads to town from our home
We carry coffee bags most of the way
Selling coffee beans is our main income

We don’t just wait for services to come
While struggling to survive another day
Our land is our source of food and our home

Enjoy some coffee when your tour is done
That cup or two of brew gives our day’s pay
Selling coffee beans is our main income

We own our land and work it, unlike some
We are not as poor as some people say
Our land is our source of food and our home
Selling coffee beans is our main income.

A villanelle: Labu Station, 19:00 – 20:00, 24/05/2012

A tribute to Papua New Guinean writers of old

BY REGINA DORUM

MOST OF US TAKE THIS COMPUTER AGE for granted. I couldn’t help but admire those authors from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Man, talk of using typewriters and handwriting drafts! It must have been a pretty mega headache with more time spent on dictionaries and libraries.

They are hardworking and committed people and we the current generation must appreciate their work fully and truly. For such men as Vincent Eri, Sir Paulias Matane, Sir Albert Maori Kiki, Dr John Waiko, Sir Ignatius Kilage, John Kasaipwalova, Russell Soaba and others where English is but a second language, I cannot help but admire them.

As Papua New Guineans, we truly should be proud of them. They thought and thought and searched and searched. The library became their home and the dictionary their bible. The countless hours of work they did for us, their future generations, so we could have an insight into their lives and appreciate their work.

I always thought that writing a book is easy, just like reading it—especially fiction. Now I will never look at it the same way again. You simply have to appreciate every word written, its uses in descriptive writing that captures your imagination and draw the authors view into your mind.

Most times when I read books, I just read for the story that it tells but not with a writer’s eyes.  I never really valued their evocative words that embed the picture into my mind.

Now that I am almost in the middle of my book, I went back to re-reading my novels— this time with a writer’s eyes— and I am overwhelmed with the play of words and their proficiently in the turns and twist of events.

The first time I entered the Crocodile Prize, I mentioned that anyone can be a writer, but I take back those words. Anyone can, but you have to learn and grow each time you write.

You have to put your thinking caps on and express yourself in a way that your readers will fully comprehend what your intentions are. Anyone can be a writer, but then, not just anyone. It takes a lot of self-discipline and courage and a lot of brain-wrecking moments.

When I started writing my book, I just wrote as the words came and I was sort of full of pride—at first. But then as I wrote on, pressure built up. I had to research to describe everything from my character’s clothes to their houses to food to everything that we take for granted.

Man, it was hell of a job and still is. Sometimes I would stare into space for hours just thinking and looking a bit lost, even in between conversation. My friends thought I was on my way to Laloki Mental Institute!

I went back on re-reading my books; I found out that my first ten thousand words were rubbish! Yes, I got the story, but hell, I was not descriptive enough! I had to re-read, rewrite and re-read and re-write! And as I wrote on, new characters entered and my location changed and villages had to be made into cities and east had to be west! Directions and maps gave me the biggest headache.

From one article I read on writer’s guidelines, there are no laws when you write a fiction. You can write whatever you please but you cannot lie or break your own rules either. Some things had to be true so that you capture your reader’s attention and make them want to find out more. I had to make my characters and their lives real and it is very frustrating.

Once I was reading a Stephen King novel and at the end, he gave insights into being a writer. He mentioned how he had to write his drafts thirty times to finally get it right. God help me if I will write my book thirty times! I have not even completed the first draft!

I would like to thank the writers of the past for this inspiration and hope that many Papua New Guineans use the opportunity we have and be like them, or even greater. And I would like to express my sincere gratitude to PNG Attitude for giving us modern and young PNG writers  inspiration and assistance. No dream is bigger than us.

You play with words, in your minds.
So that we may comprehend
You wrote them down
So that we may recollect
You put inspiration into our hearts
So that we can be like you
You sat up sleepless hours
So that your dreams may come into life
Now you are our shining star
So we are grateful
Thank you.

The miraculous birth of baby Francis Kiln Kiken

BY LAWRENCE GIGMAI

ABORTION HAS BEEN AND IS a very controversial subject.  One important question is whether a woman should be permitted by law to have an abortion and, to what extent, laws should protect the unborn.

People who wish to legally limit or forbid abortions describe their position as “right-to-life” or “pro-life”.  Those who believe a woman should have the right to an abortion refer to them as “pro-choice”.

This article is written especially for those that believe in pro-choice.  However, I personally believe, as I am a right-to-life advocate, that natural mothers of such children should be brought to justice but somewhere along the line, there should be a place for some leniencies based on sympathetic grounds.  But the truth remains that one day nature will take its own course of action and there is no doubt about it.

Many major medical centres have a neonatal intensive care unit and Kundiawa General Hospital has everything.  There, sick infants and pre-maturely born babies are usually cared for by a team of neo-natologists, Registered Nurses, Respiratory Therapists, Paediatric Doctors, nurses and supporting staff.

The definition of abortion is, as we know, the termination of a pregnancy before the infant can survive outside the uterus.  The age at which a foetus is considered viable has not been completely agreed upon by medical books. 

Many obstetricians use either 21 weeks or 400 to 500 grams birth weight as the baseline between abortion and premature delivery, because few infants have survived when they weighed less than 500 grams at birth or when the pregnancy was less than 21 weeks duration. 

From the outset, it can generally be seen that the foetus has almost no chance of living it if weighs less than 1 kilogram and if the pregnancy is of less than 24 weeks duration.

The inducing of premature delivery is in order to destroy the offspring and it often occurs with young mothers out of unwanted pregnancies.  According to medical text books, most neonatal deaths occur among infants who weigh less than 1 kilogram at birth but my son’s birth weight was a mere 900 grams.

One such birth was the birth of young neonate, Francis Kiln Kiken (male) who is now 3 years, 4 months old and weighs 13 kilograms (at the time of writing this article).  The neonate survived the ordeal and was born 4 months premature on 6 January 2008 at Wandi Sub-Health Centre, Simbu Province.

The body was not fully formed in that he has no ears, still has a tail, the face profile did not fully take shape and he has soft spots all over his head.  At the nursery he was fed from a tube inserted through his nose into his stomach as his mouth was not opened to suck his mother’s breast milk and nothing could be taken orally. 

The feeding tube was pushed through his nose and was visually seen going down and settling in his stomach and the outline of his guts could be clearly seen from the outside.

A lesson too late to learn….

BY SEIK PITOI

The folly of wife-beating - A young father’s rueful contemplation

SHE LOOKED LIKE A LITTLE ANGEL. The black and white laced dress she wore wrapped itself cozily around her cute little body, and the coconut shell-made hair clips her mother had bought her were beautifully arranged on her flowing black hair.

She stretched her legs and sank down in her seat, her chubby little hands tightly clutching her mother’s photo. It had been a long night and she was tired. She nestled down, leaning towards her aunty who drew her close and hugged her.

Little Janine rested her head on her aunty’s chest while her tired eyes surveyed the faces of the mourners. She glanced briefly across to where her father sat. He sat motionless and deep in thought. Soon, the sound of weeping subsided as the minister began his homily. After a brief while, Janine peeked back into the open casket. She noted how her mother lay peacefully; but her once ever-smiling beautiful face was now still forever…

Meleni leaned forward, his head in his hands. He had cried his heart out when he first heard the news. Now, his own thoughts drowned out the words of the preacher. He tried hard to gather himself together. Realization was beginning to dawn on him. Was that really Martha lying there? Meleni reminisced, his thoughts retracing the happier years of his life.

A fun loving boy from the atolls, Meleni grew up enjoying the sun and surf. He showed at a young age his superior skills in canoeing and fishing. His father was the paramount chief of Lei Islands and his mother was the second of Chief Tomale’s seven wives.

After completing his secondary education on the island, Meleni enrolled at the University of Papua New Guinea. He was proud that he was the first of Chief Tomale’s children to get a university education.

Coming from a small island community, Meleni was initially taken aback at the sight of tall buildings and numerous vehicles of all sizes in the capital, but he finally got over that. Meleni made friends easily and soon joined the university’s Rugby League team. He proved himself to be a star player which made him quite popular. Meanwhile, he plodded on persistently with his studies in law.

The university sports teams often held fundraising dances at the Drill Hall. Meleni looked forward to those evenings because of the chance to meet with female students. He was normally shy and couldn’t strike up a conversation when sober; but after a couple of beers under his belt, he found he could chat up any girl.

It was at one such dance that he met a pretty young lady called Martha. Martha was part Australian and part Bougainvillean, and her father had passed away some years before. She was doing a degree in social work. Her older sister, Veronica, had recently graduated in surveying and was now working with the Lands Department. Meleni had befriended a number of girls earlier on, but he seemed now to fancy this quiet spoken girl, much to the annoyance of the others.

It wasn’t long before Meleni began to take Martha out on dates. The pair enjoyed a pleasant relationship in the main but also had their share of ups and downs like every other relationship. There were times, however, when Martha felt like giving up on Meleni because he started to show traits of jealousy.

State of emergency declared in Port Moresby

BY KEITH JACKSON

THE O’NEILL GOVERNMENT has declared a state of emergency in the National Capital District and in the Hela and Southern Highlands Provinces as it moves to tighten its grip on threats to its economic and political well-being.

It has also given itself the ability to declare a state of emergency anywhere else in the country "that poses a threat to national security".

After three failed attempts this week, Parliament finally secured a quorum of members and was able to convene.

And it moved straight into an agenda of controversial decision-making.

Parliament passed legislation to declare a state of emergency for the three regions in which the government believes it faces - or, in the case of NCD, may face - serious problems.

It also approved a motion nullifying Monday's Supreme Court decision that declared the O’Neill government illegitimate.

Hela and the Southern Highlands have significant resource developments underway, and there has been associated civil unrest.

But more sinisterly, the emergency was extended to Port Moresby where strenuous civil disobedience would be assessed to be more likely after effective protests against government policy in past months.

Papua New Guinea now moves into uncharted waters as the government adopts a more authoritarian approach to its role.

The major outstanding issue it could face now is how the disciplined forces of the PNG Defence Force and Police will react.

There was already antagonism to the government shown by some police who barricaded the Haus Tamberan for a period this morning.

It has become clear that the O’Neill-Namah combination does not intend to easily give up its control of PNG.

It could be that next month’s  general elections may now be in jeopardy.

And Australia has a huge crisis - it may end akin to Fiji - occurring right on its doorstep.

Australia urges restraint after chief justice charged

AUSTRALIA’S MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS, Senator Bob Carr, today counselled all sides in Papua New Guinea to act with restraint following developments in Port Moresby concerning Chief Justice Injia.

Senator Carr said he had spoken directly with the PNG Foreign Minister Ano Pala to discuss the issue.

“As a friend of Papua New Guinea, Australia urges all parties to act with restraint in very difficult circumstances.

“Papua New Guinea has taken the crucial decision to proceed to elections in accordance with the Constitution — to give the PNG people the chance to determine their national leadership.

“It is important that recent events not distract from proceeding to those elections in a peaceful and orderly way.

“Australia remains fully committed to assist Papua New Guinea in the planning and holding of its elections.”

Chief Justice Injia arrested in new political crisis

BY JAMES GRUBEL
REUTERS

POLICE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA stormed the Supreme Court in Port Moresby yesterday afternoon and arrested the nation's top judge on sedition charges in response to the Court’s ruling that the prime minister held power illegally and should step down.

On the day nominations closed for June elections, police arrested Chief Justice Salamo Injia after the Court ruled former leader Michael Somare should be reinstated as prime minister.

Somare and prime minister Peter O'Neill have been jostling for power since August 2011, when O'Neill took office after Somare was ruled ineligible to be a lawmaker after a prolonged absence from parliament due to illness.

But the Supreme Court in December ruled Somare should be reinstated, and in another ruling this week the court said Somare should be the caretaker prime minister during the current election period.

O'Neill and his deputy, Belden Namah, have refused to accept the court ruling, accusing the judges of bias and demanding they resign, extending a prolonged feud with the judiciary.

Namah led armed police who arrived at the court as Injia started hearing a case, forcing the judge to run to his secure chambers where he remained holed up for several hours.

In a brief statement, he told reporters he would not be forced out of his job. "I've done nothing wrong. I will not resign," he said.

Injia was charged with sedition late on Thursday, and was released on bail. He was due to appear in court on Friday.

The dramatic development comes after months of political uncertainty in PNG.

O'Neill, who has the support of the majority of PNG's politicians, has attempted to recall parliament to deal with the latest court finding, but he has failed to muster a quorum three days in a row. Most lawmakers are in their electorates campaigning for the elections.

Somare, meanwhile, has written to PNG's media, warning they could be held in contempt if they do not recognize him as the legitimate prime minister.

Somare has also twice attempted to visit the country's governor-general to be sworn in as caretaker prime minister, in line with the Supreme Court rulings, but the titular head of state has refused to intervene.

This morning’s newspaper headlines in Australia:

Papua New Guinea Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia held for sedition - Herald-Sun (Melbourne)

PNG top judge charged and will face court - Sydney Morning Herald

Carr tries to dial down PNG drama - Courier-Mail (Brisbane)

Gillard urges restraint in PNG - Business Spectator

Australia urges restraint as PNG judge arrested - Yahoo 7 News

PNG to charge judges with sedition - The Australian

PNG top judge charged and will face court - Brisbane Times

Deputy PM Namah leads security operation to 'arrest' Chief Justice - PNG Perspective

We now have a national conversation in PNG

BY MARTYN AWAYANG NAMORONG

“I thought all my life that I was destined to great things. Today, faced with the hardship of living in the city, I’m more concerned with being able to survive each day. I don’t dream anymore, I am grounded in the reality. Perhaps there are too many visionaries and no one is there to deal with the reality of life in Papua New Guinea” – Martyn Namorong

I AM A WRITER AND STREET VENDOR. I sell buai – betel nut – in the markets of Port Moresby. I also write about political and social issues, usually for social media.

I am in Australia to tell people things they perhaps don’t know about my country, Papua New Guinea.

I want to bring the truth to Australia.

I am here because I believe in the dignity of all human persons.

I believe that human beings are born with certain inalienable rights.

I believe that Melanesians have inalienable rights conferred upon them by Nature and Kastom – our culture and tradition - at birth.

I am here because I believe in the defence of those rights.

I am here because I believe that, in defending those rights, we need to take into consideration fundamental questions of governance and the use of land and resources for the benefit of our people and the preservation of our Papua New Guinean ways.

Papua New Guinea is a country of 7 million people. It is a great country and we are a great people. Like Australia, we are also a country of vast natural resources which have the power to transform our lives.

But we do have our problems – problems of governance, problems of equitable wealth distribution and problems of effectiveness in service delivery.

 

We must build the capacity and create enabling mechanisms to defend and improve the lives of our people as well as to promote and preserve our Papua New Guinean ways.

In recent years, there has been a power that has descended on our nation of 800 tribes that wields an influence like nothing else before it.

It is the internet. And, with the comparatively recent deregulation of our telecommunications industry, the so-called Information Superhighway has been opened up to millions of our citizens.

Many Papua New Guineans have seized this opportunity to articulate our hopes and dreams. A national conversation has begun online and - despite ominous rumblings from our government from time to time - it will continue to happen.

Photographs: (1) Martyn and minder Ben Jackson in front of one of the great Sydney icons; (2) Martyn at Circular Quay; (3) Martyn and cameraman Thomas Ybarra at the Rocks; (4) Martyn and a coat hanger; (5) In the Opera House forecourt

Dominoes of love

BY PETER SEVARA

THE DRUNK’S EYES ARE MOLTEN RED as he sets out to grab innocent females in the evening dimness. The female’s yelps of fear are drowned by the loud music blaring from the taxis parked leisurely at the bus-stop.

The cop-shop is all but empty and deserted. It’s Fortnight Friday at Boroko bus-stop at its peak hour. Hova is among a handful of late passengers heading for Waigani. She checks her phone. Why isn’t he answering my text messages?

Darl I need you. Fear creeps up her spine. She logs into facebook: dayumm…stranded @ bko bustop 4 2 hrs nau! Log in time: 5:30pm.

The sun glares down at Ela Beach. Haivavu is sweltering in the 38 degree heat; He brushes off the droplets of sweat on his “goaty” and tucks back his sharp jaw in a yawn. His brown deep eyes scan the sea for some peace of mind. His tall lanky frame steaming under the heat!

The beach is mostly filled with teenage love-birds, street vendors, and a handful of public servants boozing away. He walks towards the Okari trees lining the beach. He is playing patience because Hova is late - again.

Hova wipes her broad sweaty brows as she waits with her cousin-sister, Uaopou at Boroko bus-stop. The buses are all full. Her dimples show because she knows that Haivavu is already tired of waiting. Her full lips sucked in. It’s been two hours now and she still hasn’t got a chance to get on a bus. She looks around at the raskols sneering for an opportunity, pushing amongst the passengers to fish out a phone or wallet. She shivers. No! She would rather wait for an empty bus. She turns to Uaopou.

“Sorry for keeping you with me tita.”

“Nah it’s okay, you just worry about your bf ok?” She offers kindly.

She gives her a weak smile and logs into facebook: oi osem wanem? PMV short ah? Kasssttt!! Log in time: 2:00pm.

Haivavu tires of waiting. Two hours is too much to wait. He ignores her messages and leaves town. An hour later as the bus rolls into Tokarara Service station, Haivavu checks his phone and sees a new message. It’s from Hova. 

“Wer r u? m @ town alredi. Walkn 2 ela beach nau. Wer r u?”

‘Ye lon taim yu stap lo wer? Wari blo yu.’  He ignores the text and sets the alert to silent. Its 3:30 pm.

He gets off for the main market. As he walks toward the market he senses eyes on his back. He turns around and hears Hirisi calling his name as she crosses the road.

“Hi sexy?” she drawls.

Haivavu can tell from her watery eyes that she had a little too much.

“Upla drin ah? tokaut tokstret! Haha!” he asks smiling, taking her hand into his.

“Darl I’m sure you wouldn’t be bothered. And of course…I kinda get hot when I’m oiled up ya know!” She laughs a deep throated laugh.

He feels his face get warm and manages a feeble laugh through clenched teeth. He checks his phone to avoid her directness. Nineteen missed calls, seven messages and five voice messages! Hova is at Boroko. What the fuck? I thought she’s already at her house! A look of concern crosses his face.

He broke the egg

BY KELA KAPKORA SIL BOLKIN

ONE MOONLIT NIGHT in April 1953 the sky was inundated with twinkling stars. Nineteen year old Apa, standing at the peak of Dua, saw the flicker of lights at Urgiai, Gor and the Bari II lands to the south and south east.

The lights were an indication that people were staying indoors because of the stiff cold wind.  Indeed, the rushing wind up the hill from the Ulma and Gapal Rivers made him too yearn for warmth.

‘It is a perfect evening to crawl into a bed with a beautiful girl to generate some heat and squeeze out the aches in the muscles,’ he thought.

He whistled a courtship song but it was whisked away by the wind. He looked at the hills ahead and saw a cane grass torch at Mebir. It was a sign that Molpa, his girlfriend was going to and fro to the pig’s hut feeding them but Apa also knew that the torch was also a deliberate ploy to signal him to walk over to her home that very evening. The Ulma River separated him and the bearer of the cane grass torch that he saw on the other side of the hill.

Molpa was an innocent 17 year old Mor Baulo girl. They had been friends for a while.

He could see Molpa’s beautiful body and her smiles in his mind’s eye from where he stood. He wanted to sleep close to her heart and feel her maturity. Yes, he was willing to walk the distance to her home that night.

He strolled down the hill and crossed the Ulma River. He ascended the hill with speed and arrived at Molpa’s home and hid in the dark shadow of the banana patch. Once in a while he had to wave off the fire flies that circled the banana patch.

From the rear of the hut he heard voices a few times and quickly worked out the occupants of the hut. Molpa and her parents were inside. The smaller siblings must have gone to their uncle’s hut for the night.  

That night he was convinced that he would take Molpa home as his wife for the first time and break the egg just like the other boys.

Molpa had retired to bed but was not asleep because she expected a soft whisper on the wall nearest her bed calling her name.

The week before Molpa and Apa had met at the Ulma River when she returned from her garden. They had sat on a huge boulder and Apa had told her that he would come this very night to take her home as his wife. Molpa who was determined to become Apa’s esteemed wife for as long as she was alive and was keeping a vigil that evening to see if Apa would come and take her as promised.

‘Close the door, cover the embers and sleep. I am already tired and am off to bed,’ instructed Molpa’s father, Yau and jumped onto his log bed.

His wife, Wari started to bury the embers with the ash and said, ‘I am going to bed as well. I have to wake up early tomorrow to go weeding.’

In the cold night Apa crept over to where Molpa slept and quietly scratched the wall.

Molpa whispered from inside her room, ‘Apa.’

‘I am outside,’ said he.

‘As soon as Wari goes to bed I will come out and let you in. Right now sit under the banana trees and wait. Make sure nobody sees you,’ warned Molpa.

‘I know.’

Apa sat under the banana trees for some 30 minutes. The damp soil and cold winds made him restless.

Struggling between two cultures

BY PATRICIA MARTIN

Young, wild and free
I grew to believe that the tapa and grass-skirt is for the villager
I chose to wear jeans and shirts
Accusations and assault appalled me

Aren’t I a Papua New Guinean growing up between two cultures?
I disposed the thought to relieve myself of shame
For not knowing my peoples’ ways
Bored and bothered, I bungled the bridge of my cultural identity

Logic started whispering tormenting scads of loss
From what?
Haughty hugged me tight
And gave me sobriquet

On a fast lane, fast food and falling frenzy
I heard voices chanting
Goon… Goon… Goon… Goon
Have you forgotten?

That being a Papua New Guinean
You have cultural roots
Your ancestors wore tapa and grass-skirt
Simplicity was the order in the village

And oh, yes there is a place called village
Where the father and brother of your father live
Where your father’s brother can also be called dad
Where your grandmother cooks food in a clay pot

Where dinner is served in wooden bowls
Where you sit on a sago leaf woven mat and eat
Where you sleep in a bush material house
This is shelter and home to your people

I blush yet baffled
What has become of me?
To live that life is difficult
To adapt is unthinkable

Pride rests in the deepest part of my inner being
To know who I really am
The comfort of what I am experiencing now
Inhibits me from confronting the truth

I hear an unpleasant continuous music
Beckoning me to sing
I choose instead to listen
Intently will I listen

The dark cloud hovering over me will be diffused
Then I will embrace reality
And be liberated
To accept growing up between two distinct cultures

Patricia Martin (42) was born in Port Moresby and now lives in Lae.  She is a teacher and enjoys teaching poetry and story writing.  She is hoping to one day have her poems published

The chief justice's sacrifice is a sad day for PNG

BY KEITH JACKSON & TWITTER

LATEST TWITTER FEEDS FROM PORT MORESBY:

2000 (AEST) - Chief Justice Salamo has been charged under section 54 of the Criminal Code and will face Committal Court tomorrow [Tavurvur]

__________

1740 [AEST] - Tavurvur ‏@Tavurvur - It also appears that CJ Injia Salamo has agreed to be charged with "sedition" if peace is maintained in the Supreme Court

Tavurvur ‏@Tavurvur - It is clear to me that no appropriate warrant was issued by any relevant bench. CJ Salamo has sacrificed himself. It's a sad day for PNG

Liam Fox ‏@liamfoxpng - Chief Justice Sir Salamo says his attempted arrest sets a dangerous precedent. Says he fears for his safety & democracy in PNG

__________

1630 (AEST) - CJ Salamo, Registrar for the National/Supreme Court Ian Augerea, J Kirriwom and J Gavara-Nanu have surrendered [Tavurvur tweet]

Earlier - There were scene of chaos in Port Moresby this afternoon after deputy prime minister Belden Namah, together with police and soldiers, attempted and then succeeded in arresting Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia and other judicial officers.

Sir Salamo locked himself in his chambers for some hours before surrendering to polkice and, it seems, soldiers.

Earlier this week the Court declared Sir Michael Somare to be the constitutionally-determined leader of Papua New Guinea.

Since then there has been a number of unsuccessful attempts to reconvene Parliament, presumably with the intent of seeking to override this ruling.

Mr Namah says the Chief Justice will be charged with treason and sedition.

Upon arriving at the Supreme Court, Namah is said to have shouted "This country is bigger than Injia!".

It is not known whether there was a warrant for the Chief Justice's arrest and, if so, wehere this may have come from.

Blogger Tavurvur tweeted that it was "very possible" that prime minister Peter O'Neill may have not been consulted about this action.

Link here to read Tavurvur's background to this afternoon's dramatic events

Australia not a good friend: Namorong in 'The Age'

I'M ON MY FIRST VISIT to Australia right now - and what an introduction to your country. A two-week run of four major cities where I'm meeting politicians, journalists and ordinary Australians.

I'm trying to help foster a relationship between Papua New Guineans and Australians beyond business, politics, diplomacy and academia.

After all, PNG is a lot more than the Kokoda Track and birds of paradise. We're a nation of 7 million people who aspire to be better than we are.

The relationship between my country and Australia is complex. You were once our coloniser. You created institutions: Western democracy on our behalf - a Westminster-style parliament, a free press, a fairly robust judicial system, university education - and modern commerce and a working infrastructure. All on our behalf. And yours too, let's be honest.

Campaigning is under way in PNG for the general election.

When Australia thought the election might be delayed, it spoke patronisingly to us and got a telling off for its trouble.

When the Papua New Guinean people thought it might be delayed, we marched in the streets and got an election.

The message is clear - as a people, Papua New Guineans might just be a bit better and more effective than Australians think we are.

There are some other issues between Australia and PNG that need to be addressed

When you get to PNG and land at Jackson airport in Port Moresby, you can buy a visa at our front door and we let you in. When we want to come to Australia, we are regarded as potential absconders and the visa process is a torture. I know people who couldn't even visit Australia for weddings and funerals of relatives.

Papua New Guineans do not present a major overstayer issue for Australia. We really do love the country we come from, despite its faults and privations. And we don't like being treated like potential criminals when we want to visit your place.

PNG is geographically closer than New Zealand and all other neighbours of Australia. Yet Australians don't see boatloads of Papua New Guineans heading down south. We have a strong attachment to our ancestral lands and as such we prefer living on our land. Yet the treatment we get for wanting to temporarily visit Australia is perhaps based on a lot of Australian prejudice.

This sort of treatment of Papua New Guineans also extends to the arena of business.

In my home of Western Province, BHP Billiton is responsible for the destruction of the Fly River by Ok Tedi mine, an environmental disaster of world-scale proportions.

Australian gold miner Newcrest dumps mine wastes into the sea around the island of Lihir in the north-east of Papua New Guinea. Newcrest also has a 50 per cent stake in Morobe Mining's Hidden Valley project that has been blamed for fish deaths in the Markham River.

Papua New Guineans are becoming increasingly weary of Australian attitudes towards us. As the Australian government pursues its trade agenda with PNG and other Pacific Island nations, we Papua New Guineans are concerned about the likelihood of further exploitation of our people by your government and businesses.

We protected and cared for young Australian men during World War II. We have also developed many friendships with Australians. But we are not happy with Australia's attitude to us.

I don't know if you've heard the expression ''boomerang aid'' - it's got a real Aussie ring to it, hasn't it? A lot of the half-billion-dollar-a-year aid you give to PNG boomerangs right back to Australia - as consultants' fees or for the purchase of goods and services.

Australia's development agency, AusAID, has invested in training and equipping PNG police. While maintaining law and order is a critical issue in PNG, recently serious and credible allegations have emerged of police being retained by resources companies and acting inappropriately against protesting landowners.

There have been some excellent Australian aid projects in Papua New Guinea but you need to know the truth - most of the aid money doesn't get to where it could do the most good: the provision of better health services; better roads; you know the list.

PNG's increasing engagement with China is in many ways a rejection of Australia due to Australia's failure to be a good friend since independence.

I do not suggest for a moment that it is not possible for our land to be used for other than traditional purposes. But this must happen with our informed consent and approval.

Australia has been good to my country - and I think my country has been good to Australia. You are, by and large, a benign neighbour. But there is such a concept as benign neglect.

We need a more understanding relationship with Australia. And that means you must adopt a more engaged and intelligent approach to Papua New Guinea and its people.

Martyn Awayang Namorong is an award-winning writer and blogger on PNG politics and a social activist. This article was published in the The Age (Melbourne) this morning

PNG parliament – the highest form of mobocracy

BY NOU VADA

IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME the Melanesian way of conflict resolution was needed, it is now.

If both factions go into a tug o' war using the security forces then we will see a possible destabilisation of security for the Electoral Process... and that won't be good for anyone.

Both sides must consider a coalition caretaker government to see the country through elections. If the election fails, we are looking at intervention from Australia and maybe America.

PNG is no longer an obscure country to the American machine...

PNG will serve American energy interests in the future and for that the yanks and Oz will pay much attention to how effectively elections can be conducted.

For the judges, the judicial activism shown thus far is a double-edged sword. While it compounds the constitutional call to develop a Melanesian jurisprudence, the danger of furthering destabilisation of the country is very real.

The courts are traditionally regarded as "the least dangerous arm" but the way in which our constitution literally cycles the exercise of power in the three arms is tricky.

The system hasn’t developed over hundreds of years as in the case of England and Oz. The processes aren’t entrenched.

I remember feeling that all it takes for a meltdown is a bunch of stubborn people in the wrong seats of power.

While Kirriwom J and Injia CJ's refusal to step down at the slightest hint of apprehension is a concern objectively, it also tells a deeper story of how fragile judicial power in the country is, and yet how great the responsibility must be for the Supreme Court as the Office of Judicial Government in PNG...

The decision given by Kirriwom J, Gavara-Nanu J and Injia CJ is by and far logical, legal and in order.

Imagine what the outcome could’ve been if Kirriwom J and Injia CJ would have stepped down because of mere allegations of bias... The court system would have been effectively compromised! That is the scary flipside to the calls that both learned men should’ve stepped down.

I mean, what if they did... and the Supreme Court ended up legitimising a government that is unconstitutional?

You might as well run the constitution through a shredder eh?

This impasse has been caused by stubborn people who think they can muscle in anything... that might is right.

This is the cause of corruption. Koim calls it a "mobocracy"... When parliament uses numbers to circumvent the Supreme Court that is the highest form of mobocracy.

O’Neill-Somare struggle is now irrelevant to PNG

BY TAVURVUR

I UNDERSTAND THE RATIONALE behind the suggestion of the possibility of military intervention by the PNGDF in assuming some type of authority until the return of the writs for the general election.

But it's the wrong solution to the issue.

The problem with any domestic military intervention is that unless it has the ubiquitous support and direction of the government, it is essentially an unauthorised military action similar to that of a military coup.

The police would be a better option here.

But in saying that, the reality is that PNG has already begun the process of elections - parliament has risen, the writs have been issued and nominations close today.

The government (whoever that is) is in caretaker mode and that should mean a very limited role in the affairs of national governance as per pre-approved financial allocations.

No major decisions should be made right now, that is, unless a state of emergency is declared as per the constitution.

The PNGDF, police, and the public service have always had a role to play in terms of the period of time between the signing of the writs and the return of writs - but this has always been under the supervision of parliament via the caretaker government.

Anything else is not acceptable. Furthermore, I am totally against any type of 'intervention' - whether military or civil - from foreign nations (e.g. Australia).

If we really look at latest political development - that is, the friction between O'Neill and Somare as to who is the legitimate PM - it is actually irrelevant and should have no bearing on elections going ahead (as they are).

I use "should have" because, as others have observed, the only interest in both O'Neill and Somare in being the caretaker government is being in control of government resources in the lead up to polling. It's as simple as that.

Apart from that one aspect which does have significant ramifications on how elections are contested, and possibly how they may be influenced and even won, having Somare and O'Neill argue over the prime ministership really is now negligible on PNG.

Meetings & interviews dominate Sydney trip

BY MARTYN AWAYANG NAMORONG

I DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT the Kokoda Track Foundation till I met the lovely staff [pictured with me] who work at the Foundation's Office in Sydney.

I must say I'm impressed with the work they're doing and wish them well.

In Sydney I have also had the privilege of meeting some ex kiaps, teachers, broadcasters and military men who have seen Papua New Guinea from its formative years to its transformation into a Melanesian State.

I got a sense of how things were around independence, and learnt of the "D-cell Battery" index for inflation in PNG, which is now at the grand sum of 500%.

I had two interviews on Tuesday. One on SBS World News regarding the political dogfight in PNG between the Judges and Politicians. The other with Philip Adams on ABC Radio National [click links to view and listen]. I was also interviewed for ABC TV’s News 24 last night after I arrived in Melbourne

Am I enjoying myself? Hell yeah!

I've also learnt something about Australia's knowledge of PNG and the Pacific: like the USA, Aussies know very little.

This lack of knowledge is graphically illustrated by the priority the ABC gives to its Pacific Beat program.

Forget the website images, visit the Pacbeat office in Sydney and you will realise where Australia's priorities are - not the South Pacific.

Landowners revive decades old Konedobu claim

BY OALA MOI

A DECADES OLD CLAIM that the Konedobu foreshore and Harbour City were unlawfully acquired by pre- and post-Independence governments and other stakeholders has been revived by contemporary members of a landowning clan after a four year break.

The people behind this revival are a band of male second-cousins who refreshed their solidarity this week after honouring the previous efforts of their Tau Sere Land Group Incorporated executives.

The group of second cousins is led by Vai Ruma and comprises Davai Tau (who is represented by his nominee Puka Tau), Nou Vai, Adam Vakona, and Vagi Boe. It is apparent that the land fight has run into the third generation. Vai Ruma follows his father, Ruma Vai, and his grandfather and namesake Vai Tau. This is the same situation with Davai, Nou, Adam, and Vagi.

The group represents Kua Tau, Seri Tau, Vai Tau, and Muraka Tau; the children of landowner Tau Sere of Mavara Laurina clan of Hanuabada village in the nation’s capital. Tau Sere Land Group Incorporated corporatizes Tau Sere’s descendents and has been pressing their customary ownership claims in recent years.

While members of Vai Ruma’s group are also land group members, they think they are not circumventing the land group’s efforts. In fact, here are land group members consolidating their cause and that of the Tau Sere Land Group Incorporated.

Vai Ruma’s group is claiming customary ownership of land area commencing from the high water mark and going as far as Champion Parade road on the land, then running through the Scouts Headquarters at Konedobu to as far as the Saint Michael’s Catholic parish; and ending at the Laurabada United Church precincts just before Hanuabada village.

Altogether there are a total of 8 State portions covered by the group’s claims. And like those generations that came before them, Vai and his cousins are demanding the return of ownership of the Konedobu and Kaevaga foreshore to the descendents of Tau Sere.

Vai’s group is also threatening legal action to nullify the sale and transfer of allotment 25; i.e. reclaimed land that is known as Harbour City. The group claims that Harbour City is land that was claimed by the wrong customary landowning clans which incorporated as Gidare Landholdings Ltd, and who in turn sold it to road construction company, Curtain Brothers.

They think the contract of sale was signed by a vendor that did not have the permission of the Tau Sere descendants who were and who should be the lawful customary landowners.

And they are not misleading themselves by this line of thinking! A fellow villager from Hanuabada has already admitted in a Facebook post this month that: “I am from the hahine [matrilineal] side and what we were told was our claim to ownership of harbour city was through the material used in the reclamation exercise.”

This admission is significant in a sense that the contract of sale entered into by Gidare Landholdings Ltd and Curtain Brothers may have been grounded on a legal falsity; a falsity that is not supported by law.

The falsity is that the legal person that sold the land was not and has never been the owner of the property the subject of the sale. Firstly, an ownership claim made by Gidare Landholdings Ltd may have been based on this argument that there are two distinct properties involved; one is the excavated material dumped at the Harbour City, and the other is the seafloor.

Both vendor and buyer operated on this false and untested assumption that the seafloor is ownerless; and that therefore there had to be an alternative way to claiming ownership of the reclaimed land.

This is where the owners of the excavated material come in. The only difference was that the source of the excavated material lies outside Harbour City, and therefore their ownership claim lies outside Harbour City.

To think that customary rights of land ownership can ride on a tipper truck together with the excavated material and be attached to reclaimed land is absurd that it should not be accepted as fodder for public policy in Papua New Guinea.

Rather, the argument should be that where statutory law has failed to find an owner of reclaimed land, as in the present case, then the custom of the Motuan people of Mavara Laurina clan of Hanuabada should have been given prominence in identifying the customary owner of the seafloor that lies underneath the Harbour City.

That is what the lawyers advising the vendor and the buyer should have advised either parties. In the absence of statutory law, they should have cited custom as a source of law in Papua New Guinea.

Namah threatens to arrest Supreme Court judges

BY LIAM FOX
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S GOVERNMENT has threatened to arrest the judges who ordered the reinstatement of Sir Michael Somare as Prime Minister.

Deputy prime minister Belden Namah threatened to arrest the three judges involved "for sedition" unless they resign.

Prime minister Peter O'Neill said Somare has no mandate to retake the PM role.

He said the judges are biased and have no right under the PNG constitution to order Somare’s reinstatement.

O’Neill rejected the suggestion he stand aside to allow Somare a caretaker role before next month’s general election.

"Why should we do that when we are heading towards an election...which takes place in six weeks time, when he has absolutely no mandate on the floor of parliament," O'Neill told the ABC.

Mr O'Neill earlier said the court had overstepped the separation of powers, and said he will not respect its decision.

"It has become apparent the Supreme Court has made decisions to try and create a chaotic situation in the country," he said.

"If the Supreme Court and members of the bench cared about the stability of the country, this should have been handed down after the elections and the election of a new government."

Old warhorses meet young colt: result - symbiosis

BY KEITH JACKSON

ON MONDAY, DELIVERING THE OPENING REMARKS at his first public forum in Sydney, Martyn Namorong had relied heavily on notes; some of which fell to the floor while he was presenting. Their disorder was not a great help to fluency.

Martyn also had a series of slides to illustrate his talk. Not needed. Especially when you forget they’re there and have to scrabble though them every few minutes to find where you’re up to.

You only need visuals when your content has no other visible means of support.

Despite such technical difficuties, the event was a great success.

Martyn later went on to the Kokoda Track Foundation (see picture), where he again wowed the assembled group.

Yesterday lunchtime – at Mido Restaurant in Neutral Bay, Sydney – Martyn, poised somewhere between the ABC and the SBS and their need for interviews, and sitting on a single beer throughout, fronted a round table of (let me be polite) older gentlemen.

All of whom had spent some time in PNG in the 60s and 70s. A tough audience. Tough as in: ‘What’ve you done with place since we left, eh?’

There were ex chalkies, ex journos, ex military, no ex kiaps thank god. It was a tough enough gallery. But a fair one.

So it was that the assembly threw every issue at Martyn except what happened to the kitchen sink – corruption, media freedom (or otherwise), Chinese influence, demographics, Chinese illegal immigrants, gun running, what happened to old so-and-so from Karkar, Bougainville, politics, even the events of the day (the Supreme Court had just declared Somare the rightful prime minister, again).

Our man Martyn, who had been out and about all morning, and who I anxiously wondered was across the day’s events, was on top of every question and every nuance.

Not a question without a substantive, informed and often witty answer.

I wish the camera crew had been present for this event: the old colonials meeting the newest edition of the post-independents. The two groups, despite being separated by two generations, saw eye to eye on just about everything.

I also wish I had the memory bank (and the space here) to repeat the anecdotes about times past with which Martyn was regaled by the likes of John Highfield and Leo Carroll and Phil Charley.

Each story received with a silent smile and eyes glistening with encouragement.

No question unanswered, no tale unappreciated, no false statement unchallenged (but in the gentlest way).

If you get a chance to catch up with Martyn Namorong in Australia, make sure you do. You won’t regret it.

On Tuesday Martyn also featured on the ABC's Late Night Live and on the SBS-TV News as well as being interviewed for Radio Australia and having a guided tour of the ABC broadcasting centre in Sydney. Early in the morning he had written an 800 word article for The Age newpaper.... http://www.sbs.com.au/news/video/2237661694/Leadership-crisis-grips-PNG

Top Australian author for Crocodile Prize awards

BY KEITH JACKSON

EVENTS ASSOCIATED WITH the Crocodile Prize national literary contest are scheduled to take place in Port Moresby on Monday 10 September.

Prominent Australian author, Drusilla Modjeska [pictured] - whose recent PNG-based novel The Mountain has met with great acclaim – will be in Papua New Guinea for the awards.

Once again the Prize will offer a full day of activity including the AustAsia Pacific Health Services Writers Forum, the awards ceremony and a reception hosted by the Australian High Commission.

The first annual general meeting of the PNG Society of Writers, Editors and Publishers will also be held and a new constitution adopted.

Through the High Commission, Ms Modjeska has been invited to facilitate a master class for emerging PNG writers and to present one of the awards.

This year the Prize offers awards in seven categories – short stories, essays & journalism, poetry, heritage literature, student writing and women’s literature as well as a lifetime achievement award for a prominent Papua New Guinean writer.

Hundreds of entries have been received from about 150 contributors to the contest, which offers total prize money of K35,000.  The final date for entries is just over a week away - Thursday 31 May.

PNG CEOs optimistic about business prospects

PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S MAJOR EMPLOYERS are optimistic about the year ahead, with almost 90% expecting higher profits in 2012, according to a major new business survey.

The PNG 100 CEO Survey, conducted by Business Advantage International and published in the new edition of Business Advantage Papua New Guinea, asked the CEOs of PNG’s major companies across all sectors of the economy to answer questions about their profits, future investment and employment plans, and the key issues facing their businesses.

Higher profits expected. The survey findings show the country’s major employers are bullish about the year ahead, with almost 90% of respondents expecting 2012 profits to exceed those of 2011. Remarkably, none of those surveyed expected a decline.

This statistic is all the more impressive when the companies’ 2011 performances are taken into account: two-thirds of respondents said their 2011 profits had exceeded expectations.

Greater investment. There is evidence from the survey that these stronger-than-expected profits are being ploughed back into business. 57% of respondents indicated that their own investment in new plant, equipment and other assets would increase in 2012, with a further 25% saying investment would at least match 2011 levels.

More jobs. There is also good news on the employment front, which is especially welcome given PNG’s low levels of formal employment. Just over 50% of responding CEOs said they were expecting to increase their headcount during 2012, with a further 40% saying their staff numbers would remain steady.

Critical issues. While the survey reveals a positive picture of corporate growth, there are undoubtedly some major issues facing PNG’s corporates. We asked PNG’s top CEOs to rank various business issues on a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 meant the issue was not relevant to their business and 5 meant it was mission critical.

The four most critical issues were, in order: PNG’s skills shortage; security/law and order problems; getting access to necessary expertise; and the lack of reliability of PNG’s state-owned utilities.

“Overall, the business issues uncovered by the PNG 100 CEO Survey are not a big surprise to those familiar with PNG’s business environment,” said Andrew Wilkins, Publishing Director of the Business Advantage International.

“What may surprise many, particularly those overseas, is that PNG’s top corporates are flying high in the face of such challenges.'”

Anti-violence group seeks Australian support

BY SALWAH KIRK

SOME PNG ATTITUDE READERS may be aware of the very active group called Papua New Guineans Against Domestic Violence (PNGADV) set up by Lydia Kailap and others.

Of the original group, only Lydia is still involved in a big way and she is doing extraordinary work on several fronts.

If you have looked at the PNGADV Facebook page recently, you'll have seen how the numbers are exploding, to the point that we are about to appoint a committee so we can become incorporated and begin to lobby and apply for grants.

The reason I'm writing is to ask if you could encourage the ex-Kiaps group to donate to PNGADV, and/or to join our page and help give comfort to the victims of domestic violence.

For people in Australia, we are about to set up a special centre for donations and in the meantime we can send money to Lydia for current projects. We have some pretty amazing people on board now and it's starting to get exciting.

We would love to be able to train Papua New Guineans in the skills of community recovery and reconciliation by way of scholarships, for instance, and I was thinking that if the ex-Kiap group could be persuaded to donate even just $2 each, that would amount to a tidy sum.

Lydia and Peter Kailap have started the Ricochet Cafe, which sells good quality, huge hamburgers at an affordable price. They got a bunch of street teenagers and trained them in cooking, cleanliness, customer relations and so on, and only in the ninth week were they able to pay them a partial wage.

The kids get fed, of course, and sleep at the cafe, partly to protect it and partly so they have a safe place to sleep. Once Ricochet is fully on its feet they hope to spread into clubs, so more kids can be trained and hopefully kept off the streets.

When you add this to the petitions, street demos and emergency responses the group has organised, you will see how it is gaining momentum.

I'll leave this request with you, to do what you can with. I'm the ex-wife of an ex-Kiap and my first son was born in Mt Hagen in 1969. I grieve at what has happened to this lovely country since independence.

Peace ceremony - PNG's equitable code of justice

BY FRANCIS NII

THE TRADITIONAL CODE OF CONFLICT SOLUTION known as the peace ceremony is PNG's most equitable and timeless alternative justice system.

In peace ceremonies, the aggrieved parties come together in a public gathering to a neutral location with money and goods like animals, food stuffs etc. The money and goods are exchanged between the aggrieved parties preluded by heart-moving words of remorse, forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration and friendship from the chiefs and leaders of both sides witnessed by church and community leaders including officials of the law and justice.

The amount they give each other is dependent on the degree of damage or suffering one incurs or endures as a result of the conflict. Naturally the party that suffers the most or incurs the worse damage is given more and vice versa.

 The peace agreement is profoundly binding and lasting because the amount of money and goods that are exchanged hands are have being negotiated and mutually agreed on by both parties in peace mediation. Negotiations continue if and when there is a disagreement until a final agreement is reached. Then the peace ceremony is equitably and amicably executed.

The money and the goods add substance and value to the whole peace making. Without either a peace agreement would deem vain and unbinding vulnerable to collapse sooner or later.

Tears and/or hugs are instant signs of total remorse, forgiveness, reconciliation, restoration, friendship, peace and harmony. They are the first indicators of a true and lasting peace.

Moreover, there is no loser in a peace ceremony. Both parties are winners.

In contrast, in a modern court of law, there is only one winner and it is either the complainant or the defendant depending on how one convinces the court with his or her evidence regardless of the veracity of the affidavits. The worst villain can bluff his or her way out making the innocent unjustifiably bear the brunt of the law.

On many occasions the victims of such legal blunders take the law into their own hands because they lose faith in the modern legal justice system. They seek justice themselves.

 For this and other reasons, many Papua New Guineans prefer peace ceremony than a court of law to solve their conflicts even in this advancing modern society.

A classic example is the recent peace ceremony that was held between the Highlands Police Mobile Squads 05, 06 and 07 and their colleagues in the National Capital District on Friday 11 May, 2012 at the McGregor Police Barracks in Port Moresby.

Plesman's postscript to the political impasse

BY NOU VADA
EDEBAMONA BLOG

YESTERDAY I GOT A TWEET from PNG's most prolific anonymous blogger, a man named Tavurvur who runs the Garamut blog: "The Supreme Court passed its decision 3 - 0 in favour of Somare. Two judges abstained. Unheard of #PNG"

It was a bombshell no doubt. And one that will throw the political impasse into a new, unpredictable direction. But we'll try do some preliminary assessment. 

So at approximately 7:30 last night, the Supreme Court in a 3-0 decision upheld the prime-ministership of Grand-Chief Michael Somare. They did so after Parliament dissolved itself on Tuesday 15 May and writs were issued on Friday 18^th.

We have to mention the dates because the dates are important to highlight the next bit of information. Parliamentarians are both representatives of the people and makers of laws.

On Tuesday Parliament invoked s105(c) of the Constitution to dissolve Parliament. Parliament unanimously moved to dissolve itself. In PNG, the last law that Parliament makes, at the end of its tenure, is the law to dissolve itself.

This, it did on Tuesday. When it did this, Parliament placed the law-making powers of the people in suspended animation... this simply means the power is there, but it is not active.

On Friday the Governor-General issued 111 writs for the 111 seats of Parliament to be contested. By doing this, the suspension of the law-making powers of Parliament was affirmed, and further, the mandate of Parliamentarians to represent their people in the Tambaran Haus was taken back to the people.

So if Parliament meets, it will be illegal and those occupying the seats of the Legislative Chamber will not be protected by parliamentary privilege and will open themselves up to contempt of court and, when they are charged, will forfeit their chances of running for election. Shiit!

Another tweet from Tavurvur last night: "O'Neill-Namah faction has refused to recognise the SC ruling & have recalled Parliament for a special session 10am tomorrow! #PNG #pngpol".

So would a sitting of Parliament be lawful? I think not.

It is like in the film The Terminator II, the Terminator has to destroy himself after his mission is complete... Well, in the same gist, Parliament has to end itself at the end of its tenure. It did this on Tuesday, and the decision was consolidated on Friday.

Let us now look at the Supreme Court. What will the Supreme Court's decision ultimately mean for the future of the country... nothing really!

The only ones getting an adrenaline rush are those of us at law school who now have a lot of good stuff to write about in our final major research papers. But really nothing big is at stake....

Suppose today Team Somare, dressed as The Avengers, storm into Morauta Haus and Parliament, the only group of people who are gonna suffer are members of the O'Neill camp, and to some extent their stellar legal advisors.

The rest of us will go to the polls and in a few swift weeks the Somare faction forming the caretaker government will reduce themselves to a bare minimum as everyone will be lobbying and meeting at March Girls Resort trying to form coalitions to form the new government.

We will go to elections. Not even Somare can stop the elections... and if he does, I will gladly take to the streets again to remind them that it is my right to vote.

The truth is, it is business as usual for we, the 99% of Papua New Guineans who struggle daily but don’t complain too loudly about it. We want to vote...

As a wise man by the name of Poin Caspar once told me, MPs and nappies are full of the same thing.

My message to politicians of both factions is as stated in the Facebook Song: Yupla bungim ass na pekpek!

I want a free, fair and safe election.... and afterwards a hard push for reform.

Law student, blogger and writer Nou Vada describes himself as Chief Interpreter of Bullshit

No easy solutions for PNG, says Namorong

BY KEITH JACKSON

MARTYN NAMORONG PROVIDED a clear indication of the core of his message to the Australian people at a forum in Sydney yesterday when he told participants that there were no simple, easily classified solutions to the challenges facing Papua New Guinea.

In the first public engagement of his Take the Truth to Australia tour, Martyn canvassed issues ranging from land ownership (“too much part of our soul to be called an issue,” he said), urban dispossession, development (“I prefer the term bagarapment”), corruption, environmental despoliation, education (he pulled a face when asked about the quality of teaching in PNG), the failure of Australian aid, and the impact of the social media.

“I’m not here to provide answers,” he said, “I’m here to let you know who we are and how we feel about things.”

He said PNG was caught somewhere between tradition and modernity. “We are a hybrid nation.”

The genuine warmth of the audience yesterday was match by its willingness to ask questions and join in discussion.

Asked whether people in cities who couldn’t earn a living should “return to the village”, a commonly proposed nostrum, he said: “They could not survive on the land – and the clan would not want them.”

Martyn said sometimes felt he “must be insane” to do what he was doing, “although I haven’t had any death threats,” he said.

He said many people didn’t believe that his main source of income was selling buai – “they think I’m lying and that I’ve got a government job somewhere” – and that he would not accept advertisements for his popular blog The Namorong Report because he wanted it to be authentic and uncompromised.

The forum was filmed by a crew that will now follow Martyn’s progression through Sydney and Canberra. It is hoped that clips will be soon be made available for the internet.

Meanwhile, media requests to interview Martyn have started to escalate to a point where they are being rationed to provide him with enough time to experience some of the other, less stressful, pleasures of Australia.

Australia's Pacific diplomacy needs recalibrating

BY DEREK BRIEN
THE AUSTRALIAN

DISMISSING the current diplomatic standoff between Australia and Vanuatu as a case of "the mouse that roared" is a bad idea.

Neither does it help to view Pacific island countries solely as beneficiaries of Australia's $1 billion aid program. Their strategic significance is only growing.

As the axis of power moves eastward, emerging Asian powers including China, Indonesia and India are demonstrating increasing strategic interest in Australia's backyard.

Within days of expelling the Australian Federal Police, Vanuatu's Prime Minister Sato Kilman welcomed a delegation from Indonesia and offers to provide police and paramilitary training. Within 24 hours of that meeting, a Hercules aircraft loaded with equipment had arrived from Jakarta.

To resolve the current impasse and retain its strong footprint in the region, Australia would do well to recalibrate its relationships in the Pacific.

Australia's Melanesian neighbours Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu have more than 1,000 living languages, a cultural make-up more diverse than anywhere else in the world.

Rules of engagement vary greatly from island to island. Islanders know that the way one person says something is not necessarily the way the other person hears it. Its not just what you say, its how you say it. Actions often speak louder than words, and both are always carefully examined. Getting language and approach right is no mean feat.

So it must be a source of great frustration that well-meaning Australian politicians, diplomats and aid workers find themselves labelled "big brother" or "bully".

Equally importantly, it frustrates Pacific leaders and policymakers not to be afforded the same degree of respect bestowed on their international colleagues. No matter how small the country, the prime minister is still the prime minister.

The Pacific is a region in the process of redefining its own identity. Most countries are led by the same ageing generation that won independence. As the biggest donor, Australia has played a significant role in charting the region's development path over the last 30 years.

Yet the discourse on foreign aid remains haunted by guilt, greed, and good intentions. Donors are accused of interference, neo-colonialism and aid conditionality. In some cases, such accusations have been warranted.

In other, the best of intents have been thwarted, often due to the failure to communicate a good idea. But unilaterally imposed solutions rarely gain traction, and for good reason.

Most of us don't like to be told what to do, and we certainly don't like to see our faults paraded in front of others. In a region where pre-independence memories remain fresh, such sentiments are particularly powerful. Stop focusing on corrupt governments, and start thinking about the people who need support fixing things.

In the Pacific, development is a process, not a product. Development partnerships may be forged between countries and institutions, but the interaction and engagement occurs between people. Person-to-person relationships come first and they extend far beyond government offices.

One of the greatest collateral effects of the Pacific seasonal workers scheme is that Pacific islanders not only gain access to temporary job opportunities in Australia, they return home enriched with new friends and exposed to new ideas.

Personal relationships can have far-reaching consequences. The battle for supremacy between China and the US is now playing out on the Pacific stage. As both powers boost their presence across the region, Australia's position is coming under closer scrutiny. Australia may have the deepest pockets now, but new donors are gaining traction.

Pacific leaders who have quietly bemoaned the imbalance in the relationship with Australia are embracing these new opportunities. Chequebook diplomacy it may be, but it comes with lashings of respect.

Kilman was politically compromised and embarrassed when his delegation was diverted and an adviser arrested at Sydney airport. An angry reaction was inevitable, and its fallout threatens to shake the foundation of the relationship between the two countries.

Both sides claim the high moral ground, making a face-saving resolution all the more important. Saving face is integral to the Pacific way and many across the region are watching in anticipation.

A new era of understanding is possible. A little effort and a lot of empathy could reset the relationship from the prevailing lop-sided, aid-centric approach towards mutually beneficial closer integration. Staying on the same track is in no one's interest.

Derek Brien is the executive director of the Pacific Institute of Public Policy, an independent regional think tank based in Vanuatu

Departing Morauta attacks Somare record

RADIO NEW ZEALAND INTERNATIONAL

ON THE EVE OF HIS RETIREMENT from politics, Papua New Guinea’s former prime minister Sir Mekere Morauta has taken a parting shot at his longtime adversary, Sir Michael Somare.

Sir Mekere says he’s satisfied with the reforms he put in place while he was prime minister between 1999 and 2002.

He’s credited with having stabilised government finances, a number of key public institutions and the economy from the verge of bankruptcy.

Sir Mekere says that subsequently, Sir Michael’s last tenure as Prime Minister did little for the country.

“At a time when oil and gold and copper revenues (flowed), in eight years he appropriated through the budget nearly K60 billion,” he said.

“One government for eight years - the result can’t be seen.”

Paga Hill demolition - Not an eviction; it was a crime

BY KRISTIAN LASSLETT

ON 12 MAY 2012, HEAVILY ARMED police officers attempted to forcefully evict residents at the Paga Hill settlement in Port Moresby. Lying behind the forced eviction is a long standing dispute over who has tenure to the land in Paga Hill.

On one hand, settlement residents claim they were given permission to reside on Paga Hill by its customary owners; while on the other Paga Hill Development Company (PHDC) believe they legitimately acquired a 99 year lease from the Papua New Guinea state in 2000.

In light of the forced eviction, and the PHDC’s response (see below), I wrote an article summarising a 2009 Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the disputed land.

In response to this article a representative from PHDC composed a thoughtful reply that articulates the developer’s views on the PAC report. This sort of dialogue is to be welcomed.

However, with respect to the legitimacy of the forced eviction itself, PHDC’s views are much less clear. In their response PHDC write “in spite of our best efforts to facilitate their move, a tough line had to eventually be taken”.

Lets be very clear on this matter, the actions of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) were not “tough”, rather they were a clear violation of the resident’s constitutionally enshrined human rights. Moreover, the demolition of the homes also violated international principles on evictions.

The UN’s Basic Principles and Guidelines on Development Based Evictions and Displacement, declare where evictions are necessary, there is a duty on the part of the state to observe certain guidelines. In particular, state officials should allow neutral monitors to be present at the eviction, while every effort must be taken to protect both the property of residents, and vulnerable groups such as women and children.

The principles also state that police officers involved in the eviction must observe the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.

Unfortunately these principles were ignored by state authorities when they attempted to evict Paga Hill residents.  Not only were the homes of residents destroyed, so were their contents.

Furthermore, when opposition leader Dame Carol Kidu expressly raised concerns over the illegitimate manner in which the eviction was being carried out – in line with UN principles – she was assaulted by heavily armed police officers (The National, 14/5/2012).

Police then used firearms to disperse concerned Paga Hill residents. The footage released on the incident, suggests the officers were not under “imminent threat of death or serious injury”, as is required under the aforementioned principles.

Compounding matters, those displaced by the demolition now reside under makeshift structures, and tents. This has had a particularly profound impact on children and women in the settlement.

It was incumbent upon the authorities to not only use minimal force during the eviction exercise, but to ensure that a) the property of residents was carefully secured; and b) provisions were in place to protect the fundamental human rights of vulnerable community members, in particular children.

From the visual and oral testimony made available, it does not appear these critical steps were taken, or the aforementioned principles observed. 

In order to avoid further confusion, PHDC must clearly state whether they condemn the actions of the RPNGC.

With respect to PHDC’s criticism of the PAC report, a few issues are worth responding to. PHDC argue that my article repeats a series of “false allegations” made by PAC.

Whether or not PAC’s allegations are indeed false as PHDC claim, in their press release dated 13 April 2012 the developer suggests, “investigations by both the Ombudsman Commission and Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have found no wrong-doing on the part of PHDC, or the associated government entities in issuing the leases over the site” [italics added].

Then on 14 May 2012, a PHDC spokesperson is quoted in the Post-Courier, stating “the fact remains that Paga Hill Development Company have had a lease over the site for over ten years, a process which both the Public Accounts Committee and the Ombudsman Commission found to be perfectly legitimate”.

Perhaps my understanding of “wrong-doing” and “perfectly legitimate” is different to that of PHDC, but surely any sensible reading of the 2009 PAC report, would support the conclusion that the parliamentary committee was extremely critical of PHDC, and the legitimacy of its claim over Paga Hill.

In light of the eviction, the April press release, and the company’s public statements in the eviction’s aftermath, summarising these findings and correcting the record became a matter of some public importance.

To avoid further confusion in this respect, perhaps PHDC should consider redrafting their 13 April 2012 press release (I accept PHDC’s point that they have issued a press release refuting the accusations made against them – unfortunately this is not available on their website).

Furthermore, rather than telling the media that PAC found PHDC’s lease over Paga Hill to be “perfectly legitimate”, it is essential journalists are properly briefed on PHDC’s position, which is more clearly set out in the aforementioned reply, i.e. “The PAC report makes a number of false allegations that would have provided grounds for legal action had it not been for the fact that they were made under Parliamentary Privilege”. 

Finally, I note PHDC now acknowledge the Department of Lands has failed to properly manage this vital area of Port Moresby. Indeed, PHDC observe, “on multiple occasions, the entire file at the Department of Lands has gone missing”.

This is to be lamented, perhaps PHDC and Paga Hill residents are both victims of departmental mismanagement.

If this is the case, PHDC certainly should seek compensation. However, equally it must be acknowledged that in light of mismanagement of this land file, local residents may indeed have legitimate grievances that need to be addressed.

Let’s hope that the O’Neill government are able to initiate a robust response to this regrettable dispute.

Dr Kristian Lasslett is a Lecturer in Criminology at the University of Ulster and he sits on the Executive Board of the International State Crime Initiative. Photos: Jeffry Feeger

Belden Namah could be Gold Coast Titans saviour

BY PETER BADEL
THE SUNDAY MAIL (Queensland)

BELDEN NAMAH, PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S CONTROVERSIAL deputy prime minister, has emerged as a possible white knight in Gold Coast boss Michael Searle's last-ditch plan to save the financially-stricken Titans rugby league team.

The development comes as Searle broke a two-month silence on the club's fiscal crisis yesterday, apologising to fans and revealing his and the Titans' future may hinge on securing fresh funds from a mystery backer.

Insolvency firm KordaMentha issued a creditors' report on the Titans' property arm on Friday, revealing the company, of which Searle is sole director, has operated at a loss since 2008 with debts as high as $26 million.

The report also questions whether the company traded while insolvent, an assessment Searle vehemently rejected yesterday.

Searle would not disclose the identity of any backers, but The Sunday Mail understands leading PNG political powerbroker Namah has been approached to personally fund a Titans rescue package.

The NRL has been notified of the development. Namah is one of PNG's richest individuals, having outlaid K30 million ($14.3 million) in his campaign to unseat Peter O'Neill as his country's prime minister in upcoming elections.

According to well-placed sources, Namah is considering an initial $2 million investment and could provide as much as $10 million to purchase a stake in the Titans.

Namah caused a political stir when he was ejected from Sydney's Star City Casino on April 16 last year after being accused of sexually harassing a male blackjack dealer in the high-rollers room.

Namah has vigorously denied any wrongdoing, with his lawyer Greg Sheppard saying the reports were "mistaken".

Australia riding a wave of Pacific culture

BY SAM BOLITHO
ISLANDS BUSINESS

BANANA TREES IN THE GARDEN, leafy greens for lunch, the childhood of Lisa Hilli [pictured] was like many others in the Pacific. Only she grew up in the Queensland capital Brisbane, hundreds of kilometres from her ancestral home in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

“It was just like a little jungle,” the 32-year old artist says. “My mum pretty much transplanted PNG to our suburban backyard.”

Hilli was born to a PNG father and an Australian mother, and migrated to Australia aged two.

It was only when she got older that she began to feel uncomfortable with her place in Australian society as a child of mixed heritage.

“I’m neither completely PNG or completely Australian. I have always been made aware growing up that I never fitted in as well. I’ve always felt as though I’m struggling [between] two cultures.”

It’s a struggle many Pacific Islanders experience living in Australia. But increasingly there are more places for Pacific Islanders to “connect” in Australia. Some have dubbed it the ‘Pacific Wave’.

Hilli has played an influential role in fostering this burgeoning community. Two years ago she co-founded the Pacific Women’s Weaving Circle, a group that gathers each month in Melbourne’s west.

The women weave baskets, mats and fans that they sell at markets around Melbourne. But the group is about much more than weaving, Hilli says.

“It’s also about sharing culture, sharing food, sharing laughter and stories. The group was created out of a desire to connect with other Pacific Islander women, particularly because we don’t live near our families so we were feeling quite isolated.”

And while they might not use the traditional pandanus, their wares are made in the Pacific tradition—using what’s available. “We use anything we can get our hands on, ribbons, raffia, wire.”

Hilli has also taken a lead role in the Wantok Stori project, a filmmaking collaboration between Australia’s Pacific communities and young people living in Solomon Islands.

In April, she went to the capital Honiara with Melbourne-based documentary filmmaker Amie Batalibasi to facilitate the project.

Over two weeks they helped five young Solomon Islanders produce a short film on the theme ‘Culture in Harmony with Nature’ that will premiere at the Pacific Arts Festival in Honiara in July.

Those selected to participate in the project had contributed to an online discussion group (facebook.com/wantokstori) about issues affecting young Solomon Islanders, which was later used as inspiration for the film.

 

Street vendors are a burden on modernisation

BY AXEL RICE

STREET VENDORS, THE BOTTOM END RETAILERS of our nation, are a burden to the modernisation of Papua New Guinea.

People hate the sight of them but use them a one-stop shop for the ever popular betel nuts and simuk.  Street vending is an issue that has made its way into the national media, an indication of the disturbance it causes.

It is hard to go into a single street in Lae, as with most of PNG, without seeing these street crawlers. The popularisation of betel nut and homemade cigarettes, along with the introduction of Digicel flex cards (notably phone credit vouchers) have paved the way for the establishment of these retailers.

I have seen as many as four vendors crammed into one street, which clearly shows the extent to which these micro-businesses are overpopulating our society.

Public opinion about street vending, with the minor exception of those that do it for a living, has reached an all-time level of disturbance. One example is the distribution of betel nut. Betel nut, though having a highly valued role in our society, is really “pollution in a shell”.

While vendors aren’t responsible for chewing betel nut, they are high contributors to the distribution of these nuts into almost every location in this country.

What I’m trying to say is that street vendors are just another of many ways of distributing corruptive goods, while along the way creating adverse effects such as pollution, halting modernisation and destroying our national reputation.

Street vending, convenient as it seems, has no future in our country. Markets can distribute betel nut and its what not; supermarkets and retailers can sell cigarettes and phone credits.  The convenience of street vending is outweighed by its negative aspects.

Some street vendors are now even beginning to upgrade to small tradestores – selling products ranging from buai to items such as bread.  The legality of this transitional phase is questionable and is eating away at the sense of what is legal in our country; once again corruption at full throttle.

It is up to the government to start acting and making wise decisions, even in terms of a compromise to create a sense of satisfaction for the various groups affected. A striving nation is a healthy nation.

Axel Rice (15) was born in Lae of mixed Australian and Papua New Guinean parentage.  He is a Year 10 student at Coronation College in Lae and has lived in Papua New Guinea most of his life

New evidence of eco-damage from nickel mine

BY ASH PEMBERTON
GREEN LEFT

THE CONTROVERSIAL RAMU NICKEL MINE near Madang in Papua New Guinea has come under fire for new claims of environmental damage.

The mine has been the subject of a long-running battle with locals over plans to pump 100 million tonnes of mine waste into Basamuk Bay over 20 years. The dumping threatens the pristine ecosystem of the area as well as the livelihoods of local people.

Locals who opposed the mine faced harassment from company and government representatives, including a number of violent attacks and threats on those involved in a legal challenge to the mine. People were forced from their homes to make way for mine construction and culturally significant sites were destroyed.

The mine is majority-owned by Chinese company MCC. Australian company Highlands Pacific owns a minority stake.

A Supreme Court appeal against a decision to allow production to go ahead was rejected in December. Highlands Pacific said in a report that the mine “has been commissioned and is now in production and nearing first sales in coming months”, the PNG National said on April 20.

As the mine prepared to come online, locals reported that several ships supplying the Ramu mine processing plant spilled chemicals into Basamuk bay, bleaching the coral reefs, PNG Mine Watch said on April 27. It was unclear whether the spills were accidents or intentional discharges.

MCC admitted to a “minor” spill of sodium hydroxide at its processing plant on April 18, but denied claims by locals that sulphuric acid had spilled from ships.

PNG environment minister Thompson Harokaqueh also recommended the mine stop using its 135 kilometre slurry pipe ― which carries waste from the mine to the sea ― due to its poor construction and closeness to roads, the National said on April 5.

Harokaqueh told parliament the mine owners had failed to develop a monitoring system for the pipeline or erect warning signs after sections of pipe had been pushed onto the road after a landslide.

Highlands Pacific denied reports the pipeline had shut, the National said on April 18.

A controversial meeting between the state, the Madang provincial government, landowner groups and mine owners began on April 23 to finalise an agreement covering “business spinoffs, royalties and infrastructure development projects,” the National said the next day.

The venue was mysteriously changed from Madang to Mt Hagen, almost 200 kilometres away. Media were banned from covering the meeting, The National said on 27 April.

The Panguna Mine

BY SIMON GARANA

No one knew for years
But history can tell in advance
There was gold and copper at Panguna
Multiplied with millions of copper ore deposit
All over the Emperor Ranges.

Copper copper and gold in every edge of rocks
So precious and valuable you are
Never say you are worthless
For the entire world depend on you
For their economy and development.

But how can one see your precious image
When you are hiding seven hundred feet under
Where it is impossible to dig you out
Only when there is monster equipment.

And here they come with a white tag
Conzinc Rio Tinto of Australia
With a team of technical experts and labour
Building camps and fire everywhere
Ready to overthrow the secrets of Panguna.

Never say the team can’t make it
For within days the Java River and sister rivers
All turned dark brown from natural white
For the fish and eels disappearing
And the trees standing naked
While the plants are gone for good.

And no more happiness for the landowner
For she comes home empty handed
And he comes with anger and frustration
For heaven’s sake everything is gone
With the use of poisonous chemicals
They cannot bear the hardship no more.

Standing over the Guava Hill
Overlooking the huge Panguna Mine
Francis Ona the true landowner
He sees Panguna disappearing fast
Then says no word
And takes up arms to shoot and kill.

No more days of dreaming
Total darkness over Loloho Arawa Panguna
Power pylons lay on the ground
Soon the mining town running empty
For their safety was critical.

Hiding in thick jungle of Panguna
Never say Joseph Kabui is a fighter
For he is a peacemaker
Who fought for peace on Bougainville.

Gone are the BCL regimes
Today ABG is negotiating
For a better deal
For the landowners to enjoy the benefits
With Bougainville as a whole.

Simon Garana (59) was born at Lemankoa on Buka in Bougainville.  He is a former Chief Executive Officer of the Division of Information, Culture and Tourism with the Bougainville Administration.  He is now retired

Guns and Viagra at the Wutung border

BY KELA KAPKORA SIL BOLKIN

THE PNG INDONESIA BORDER is a long stretch of land from the tip of Sandaun Province right down through Western Province and almost to Australia. Villages can be spotted in pockets along both sides of the border. The largest and most used entry point from either Papua New Guinea or Indonesia is the border at Wutung.

The PNG side of the border at Wutung is filthy with mountains of empty plastics, cans, and containers that are sprayed with betel nut stains. A lone colourless building houses the PNG customs office. Visitors to the Wutung border find shelters under trees or huts that fry bananas, lamb flaps and sausages. Visitors must answer the call of nature in the forests nearby.

A big tall monument which stands on the Indonesian side dwarfs a short and small one on the PNG side near Bougainville Bay. The Indonesian monument proudly flies the Indonesian flag above a mountain forest which seems to remind PNG not to muddle around with Indonesia.

As you look into PNG from the Indonesian side you see the fearfully scribbled inscription “Jesus Christ is Lord over this land”. The eagle in the Indonesian sculpture, looking like Uncle Sam, stares fiercely down on the inscription.

The Indonesian side of the no man’s land is called Batas and is well polished with pavement, four lanes for cars and properly fenced. All the different Indonesian government departments like Customs and Foreign affairs, Defence, Trade, etc. are housed within well designed Asian-style buildings.

Their soldiers are well polished with smart military attire and guns, unlike the mixture of pot- bellied and betel nut stained soldiers wondering around individually showing no signs of camaraderie and preparedness on the PNG side.

A kilometre into the Indonesian side is the famous Gordon Market-type stalls called Batas. Batas is a ghetto that gives the impression of a new refugee camp. In Batas they sell all sorts of Asian made goods, clothing, electronic equipment, Harley Davidson motorbikes and even sex appetisers like Viagra, Spanish fly, King Cobra, etc.

A digital camera sold in Papua New Guinea for K999 is only K300 in Batas. A Toshiba laptop is only K800 in Batas whilst in Port Moresby it is K4,000 plus.

The official days for Papua New Guineans to go shopping in Batas are Tuesdays and Thursdays but PNG and Indonesian authorities at the border both allow Papua New Guineans to shop at any time of the week as well. People rarely shop in Vanimo.

Most forest owners, some public servants and even visitors travel to Batas or Jayapura to do their shopping for goods as well as for sex. Therefore there much fewer super markets and stores in Vanimo town and these close at around 4 pm.

The PNG government loses millions on import duty and PNG entrepreneurs in Vanimo have lost business opportunities as well with the competition from Batas and Jayapura.

Vanimo market does not have the mountains of garden crops we see in Port Moresby, Goroka or the Mt Hagen markets. The timber royalty money it seems has made people lose their gardening skills.

We went shopping on Friday and Saturday last week.  Yes, PNG kina is spent in Batas on the Indonesian side of the border and it is estimated that half a million untaxed kina is going to Indonesia via Batas per week.

We were told that Indonesian soldiers sell guns to Papua New Guineans for up-front cash payment.  Asian and West Papuan sex workers prey on innocent PNG men who cross the border to Batas or Jayapura to shop. All the goods and fees for sex are very cheap.

The distance from Batas to Jayapura is just the same as from Batas to Vanimo so Papua New Guineans can travel with locals from the border area to Jayapura without any proper visas.

Caveat! The PNG government has to overhaul the facilities at Wutung and screen people moving in and out of Wutung smuggling and escaping import duties.

Otherwise, PNG will keep losing economically and will also be filled to the brim with imported social ills that include HIV as part of the package.

A pendulum plays a well-known rhythm

BY MICHAEL DOM

IT HAS BEEN A VERY GOOD Crocodile Prize year and I feel it’s ending on a high note for my own experiments into poetry. Here is another ‘final’ poem submission.

You can blame Peter Kranz this time because I was satisfied to let this particular project, a villanelle, sit until next year. Well, I think the momentum is good to continue with the title ‘A pendulum plays a well-known rhythm’.

To Peter – I’m sorry that the only ‘local’ characteristic about this villanelle is that it was written by one - Michael Dom (impenitent poet)

Movements between a left and a right swing
A pendulum plays a well-known rhythm
Moments between the ticking and tocking

An empty park-bench on a quiet lawn
A lonely figure bracing in the storm
Movements between a left and a right swing

Out at large, on and on the world races
Sometimes life is spent in little spaces
Moments between the ticking and tocking

Hearing bright laughter thru the gloomy fog
The distant baying of a hunting dog
Movements between a left and a right swing

Like a long lost memory towards dawn
In the absence of a shadow once known
Moments between the ticking and tocking

Life, long or short, fines a nominal sum
At the door to an unknown room knocking
Movements between a left and a right swing
Moments between the ticking and tocking

A villanelle started on 03/05/2012, finished on 19/05/2012, at Labu Station