Reg Renagi 2: Sowing seeds of Papuan autonomy

“Eventually our beautiful daughter Jeannie failed to respond to the long term regime of medicinal drugs, special diet, family love and support, and left us to meet her maker in September 2007,” says Reg.

“It was such a gut-wrenching experience for an anguished father and a desperate family - watching our beautiful daughter’s life slip away daily in the terminal stages of her illness.

“I miss my daughter terribly and still mourn for her in my quiet moments and say a short prayer for her before I start my day and before I go to sleep each day. The healing will take some time as she was my favourite girl since she was a baby.”

“But we have weathered the storm,” he says. “I praised our Lord for giving us the strength to provide the best for our little girl, with what little resources I had at the time on a small military pension, to make her final moments a little comforting.”

Reg is thinking of writing Jeannie’s story one day. But right now he’s writing a book about former army mate, Bruce Copeland. The book looks at HIV/AIDS as a serious national issue that the government is not seriously addressing despite the political rhetoric. “It’s based around the work done in the last ten years by Bruce and a small band of courageous people,” says reg

In recent times, a group of concerned Papua New Guineans convinced Reg to be involved in community advocacy to help others in need of professional support. He has given his time freely, mainly ex-servicemen with no government support, who could not afford the high fees of “those who charge an arm and a leg for advice”.

Reg is also deputy chairman of the Papua Focus Group which is in the process of launching the first Papuan newspaper, Papua Gadona (Voice of Papua).

“I am encouraging Papuans to contribute anything of interest to raise our people’s awareness of what being a Papuan is like today in PNG,” he says.

“There is a growing groundswell of Papuans who desire autonomy in future,” says Reg. “The majority of Papuans feel PNG is not really a united country and they feel marginalised and failed by the present political system.

“The system is corrupt to its core and politicians have let us down since self-government. We want to see Papua on its own as an autonomous region to develop a secure and peaceful society for the next generation of smart Papuans.

“This sentiment is sowing the seeds of a future autonomy push by Papuans as they think of the good old days under the Australian administration. Life then was good, secure and safe – but not now under the present political leadership where insecurity and the threat from primitive non-Papuan groups have increased over the years.”

Welcome aboard, Captain Reg. Controversy and all, we look forward to hearing a lot more from you.

Comments

[Kawasi Nagun, Buka]

As a Bougainvillean, I fully support Papua to be autonomous as should be the whole of PNG. It will be easy to manage and govern the country better than trying to do the same thind with great difficulty with about 22 provinces.

Keep up the discussion, Papuans, as many New Guineans in Momase and the Islands area fully support the idea. One group of primitive culture is spoiling everything for everybody in PNG, so separate regions is the only answer in future.

[Phil Fitzpatrick]

I suspect there are many people on the New Guinea side outraged by the government too. What happens to them if Papua secedes? There are thousands of highlanders in Port Moresby. Papua Besena got going as a reaction to the highlands invasion of Port Moresby and got nowhere. "United we stand - divided we fall" is a well-tested truism. Divide and rule is a classic despot's strategy and I would advise caution, you might be playing into the government's hand - better to take on Somare as a united country. If my Motu serves me correctly there are a lot of pseudonyms attached to these comments - that tells me people are afraid of speaking out. That needs to be overcome, take Reg's lead, he's not afraid to put his name to his comments. As Keith says in his separate summary, it's getting hot in the kitchen. Now is the time for all the honest people in PNG to stand together, not split into factions. Don't form a Papua Party, form a Papua New Guinea Party.

[Colin Huggins]

Is this a case of opening a can of frustrated anger?

Comments flow today -why?
It would appear that the situation in the present PNG is at boiling point from reading the comments.
Surely the "Status Quo" must continue of a unified PNG, with obviously a change of the Government. How? - well that can have many ways, some would be disasterous. You, up there, will have to work it out in a democratic process. The powers of the GG might be a good start? Then there is the Surpreme Court to use - that is supposed to be above political influence?
The frustrations of the "bloggers" of today would suggest that something has been "boiling" for some time. These comments have been the subject of collective "years of displeasure and disappointment" appeared 2 months ago. ( 14/10/09)

Oh yes, where is the PM Somare today? Copenahgen, ( beautiful city) or in Port Moresby?
I think Port Moresby would be far more sensible endeavouring to explain to his people what really is going on!
Best wishes to the people who have spoken at last and good luck.
Colin

[Papua Tauna Natuna]

Papua needs new honest political leaders not the compromised bunch with the NA now. All Papuan MPs must now join forces with the New Guinea Islands and those few honest highlands and Momase politicians to form a new group to challenge the current corrupt mob in parliament.

This is why Papuans support Bougainvilleans in their quest and also want a new Papuan political order for the following reasons:

• The current political system is corrupt, unfair and has failed to live up to Papua’s aspirations and expectations since independence;
• Papuans want fair distribution of its resources and equal opportunity in developing their region;
• The government and authorities have deliberately turned a blind eye to problems facing the local inhabitants of Port Moresby, Central and the other Papuan provinces;
• Massive and spreading non-Papuan squatter settlements on traditional lands in Port Moresby and Central province (and also other Papuan provinces);
• Deliberate manipulation of the electoral system mainly by non-Papuan primitive people to put their crook members in the political and public service system;
• Deliberate targeting and raping of Papuan womenfolk with impunity, even in broad daylight by a primitive race of people taking over the capital city;
• These same groups of people are also committing most of the crimes in the city;
• The markets in the city have become a total exclusive zones by particular primitive ethnic groups making it almost impossible for the local people and other Papuans to enjoy our rights to our land;
• Population growth and movement into the capital city and central province by aggressive non-Papuans who now introduce their primitive cultural practices of tribal fights, pay-back killings, the ridiculous massive compensation demands and rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS pandemic that is now a direct threat to the peaceful and civilized nature of the Papuan society, and cultural practices.

PNG will never be a united country with these ethnic group’s presence and continuous destructive tribal activities so politics will also be corrupt now threatening future Papuan generations in their own land. The bottom-line now is a separate, peaceful and safe Papua society. Papuans must all stand up now and demand full autonomy like Bougainville now using any means available.

[Oro Avara]

It is time Papuan leaders from both sides of parliament stand together and break away from the corrupt National Alliance party and its coalition MPs. They are all bought off with money and are highly compromised.

Papua and its people have for a very long time since independence lost total confidence and respect in Somare leadership and the corrupt way the government is stealing the nation’s resources and selling it to foreigners. Papuans want a new Papuan political order and Somare is too old and incapable of good leadership and governance of this country. The whole of Papua demands full autonomy now like Bougainville.

Papua resources and people have been raped and defiled by non-Papuans in the government and it is time to stand up as one region and work for the future benefit of its people. Somare and his corrupt regime will not give the Papuan Deputy Prime Minister Puka Temu the PM’s job to him and it is clear but the NA Papuan MPs are totally blind. If they stay on with NA, then Papuans will reject them totally now and will not come back in 2012.

[Bula Papua]

The present political system has miserably failed that a new leadership change is well overdue. PNG is now no longer a united country but a very fragile and fragmented nation of different primitive peoples. It is time the new generation push for a separate autonomy region for Papua.

Papuans are now urged to see their politicians to push for a new beginning for our children and grandchildren. Papuans have lost total confidence and respect for Prime Minister Somare. Somare has failed Papua and we do not need him now or in future.

Bula Papua
Lae

[Bese Matamata]

In the past 15 years, the issue of political autonomy has come about as a result of the Bougainville crisis. However, in more recent times, some provinces have openly indicated their intentions to the national government to be given greater levels of autonomy. These provinces are not very happy with the way Prime Minister Somare has for many years mismanaged the affairs of PNG. The Governors of these unhappy provinces now want to be managers of their own provincial resources and administration. Nothing wrong with that.

As apart from Bougainville, the provinces who have indicated to date that they are wholly fed up with the status quo and want autonomy are: New Ireland, East New Britain, Morobe and Central Province. There may also be other provinces waiting in the wing to see what the government's response will be to these demands, before they make their move.

Thus, in the next few years, the government must have a policy and law in place to seriously address the issue of autonomy. Furthermore, for some time now a growing groundswell of sentiments by many people from the Papua region of PNG are also calling on their political and community leaders to demand from the national government some autonomy status, like Bougainville. They have very good reasons for this.

Bese Matamata
London Beat

[Kiwai Tauna]

The Somare government has totally lost the plot of governing PNG properly. The prime minister has also made too many costly mistakes that no country anywhere, unless a corrupt dictatorship can afford to, and seem to get away with it.

[Motu Hahinena]

Papua was a former Australian colony but relinquished its status when Papua and New Guinea merged to form an independent nation on 16th September 1975. Papuans were then still Australian citizens when PNG got its political independence from Australia. The Papuan people were not given the opportunity by the then Australian government to have a referendum of a 'free choice' whether they want to be part of New Guinea or remained independent from Australia. Papuans are a proud and intelligent group of people who feel that they are being suppressed by the government.

The truth which Australia and the Somare government do not want to admit that Australia made very serious political bungle to forcibly lump these two very different regions together without first properly preparing the whole country well for eventual political independence. The result today is total national disaster due to the failure of a badly flawed political system that has been consistently corrupted by poor political leadership.

[Mururuga Paitana]

Successive governments since independence have also not managed the affairs of the country well. The politicians have grown richer while the rest of the country’s population became poorer.

Papua's development has been very much neglected and it is now time for Papua’s leadership to stand up and demand for a better deal for Papuans. Papuans now want all their members of Parliament to get their own region moving forward to a brighter future for its people.

[Kerema Poi]

Since independence, PNG's political and government system is wholly biased towards the progress of the Papua. Papuans today feel a much marginalized group of people. They feel the time is right for all Papuans to break free from their government’s suppression and forge a more autonomous region and subsequently an independent destiny. Papuans are now talking among themselves to speak out about the unfair system of politics today that does not benefit Papuans as it is a very corrupt system that Prime Minister Somare can not fix, because they think he is the major part of the reason why PNG is in a total mess today.

[Hereva Korikori]

The autonomy and Papua issue will not go away but get more vocal as time goes on. The issue must be seriously addressed by the Somare Government or it is soon blow up in its face.

Papuans will not remain silent any longer but are now encouraged by next year’s referendum by Bougainvilleans to decide whether they want to be part of PNG, or break away and form a separate independent country.

[Tom Sere]

Many Papuans in PNG welcomed the recent move to form a Papuan bloc by Papuan MPs in Alotau. It is a good move to get some real development in Papua. Many Papuans are now encouraged by this and there is a lot of talk to get their MPs to not continue to support a very corrupt government under Somare. They want the MPs to use the Papuan MP bloc to support the Opposition and other like-minded MPs to form a clean, honest government under a new and capable leader.

Many Papuans want autonomy now and will go for independence is required along with Bougainville next year. Papuans do not need the corrupt Somare leadership under a most unfair political system. The truth is PNG's independence in 1975 has been a very big disappointment for the papuan people and the whole country too. This has not brought delivered us from political bondage but more suffering, and kind of regional enslavement for our people.

Papuans and other citizens have been totally fooled by Somare and his cronies to enrich himself with their family, friends and other corrupt foreigners since Independence.

Papuans want a referendum next year to push for their own autonomous region. If the worse comes to worse we will fight for our freedom. Papuans feel Australia should not have lumped them together with the New Guineans without giving them a choice through a proper refferandum. Papua should have had their own Independence at the time as we were still very much a part of Australia and Australian citizens, and many were Australian educated then to look after our own affiars.

[Hanua Merona]

Thanks Reg for raising the Papuan issue here because many Papuans in PNG and Australia feel the same. We have no proper forums to air our sentiments out so hopefully other papuans will read of our vision of being an autonomous region within PNG, as the whole country has already gone to the dogs under Somare's government.

Putting out a Papuan newspaper: Papua Gadona is a very good idea and lots of papuans in Australia and over in PNG will also like to send in their contributions as news items for publishing.

Keep it up mate.