Keith Jackson & Friends: PNG ATTITUDE

ASEAN: Diplomacy & strategic choices

BY FRANCIS HUALUPMOMI

IT APPEARS THAT domestic politics will affect how Papua New Guinea makes rational strategic choices at this month’s regional summits: the annual Australia-PNG ministerial meeting in Australia and the 44th ASEAN Meeting and 18th ASEAN regional meeting to be held in Bali.

At the height of political maneuvering of the current National Alliance leadership, three important issues were raised by sacked former Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister, Don Polye. As far as regional relations are concerned, these issues are strategically important for PNG to confront the changing geopolitical climate in the region.

The first issue concerns the Gillard proposal to revisit Manus detention centre, whilst the other two revolve around the ability of the government to participate in the three summits.

Given the magnitude of PNG’s domestic political tension, it seems clear that the issue of reopening the former asylum centre in Manus may not take shape. The asylum proposal has been controversial due to its failure to produce tangible outcomes. This may have shaped Abal’s position.

However, in the event that this may pop up in the meeting, the rational choice is for the government to maximise the national interest.

On the same lines, the ASEAN meetings are extremely important for PNG given its prominence in the Pacific. ASEAN is now a driving force globally with the Asian tigers and the recent ascendance of China’s economic power.

The puzzling question is how can PNG strategically reposition itself in the reconfigured international order under the framework of ASEAN?

Polye has pulled the string further by precisely arguing that the indifference in domestic politics may affect PNG’s regional relations and positioning in the forum.

Ano Pala, Polye’s successor, has responded with a positive but unclear proposal. The Post-Courier reported that Ano Pala and his chief advisor, Michael Mauve, will attend the meeting with no specific proposals. However, it is expected that all is set for PNG to drive its agenda in the context of national preferences and regional interactions.

The central issue is how PNG will shape up in the forum. With PNG’s elastic wallet, given its recent economic performance, it has the economic power to wield some influence in gaining credibility and recognition.

Within the context of economic power maximisation, it would be a rational choice for PNG to seek permanent status in ASEAN. PNG cannot afford to lose this important opportunity. Polye’s advice to open some embassies in ASEAN will be a strategic choice as far as national interest is concerned.

PNG has caught ASEAN’s eye already as a driving economic force given its material resources. Should PNG raise the voice of its national anthem in the forum under the framework of gaining permanent status; an outcome will be expected.

PNG can wield its economic leverage its current investors, for instance, US and China, to support its proposal to join the forum.

In summary, in the calculus of strategic choice and decision making, it would be wiser for PNG to seize these opportunities in summit diplomacy to exercise its growing influence in regional politics.

The annual Australia-PNG ministerial meeting is a playground in which PNG can opt for better package. In the ASEAN meet, PNG would be better to opt for permanent status – playing the ASEAN card is a strategic choice given the nature and scope of shifting geopolitical geo-economical dynamics.

The author studies a Master of Arts in International Relations at the Institute of International Studies, Jilin University, People’s Republic of China. His core area of interest is in International Security focusing on Geopolitics of Energy, China-US Foreign Policy in Asia-Pacific and Political Economy of East Asia. f.hualupmomi@yahoo.com

History of the conflict in Bougainville

BY VICTOR RAJAKULENDRAN

BOUGAINVILLE IS AN ISLAND 10,000 km2 in size with a population of 160,000 people who speak English, Pidgin and their own local languages.

French explorer Louis de Bougainville sighted the island in 1768 and named it after himself. By an agreement in 1899 between Germany and Great Britain, Bougainville was separated from the rest of the Solomon Islands and remained under German control while the Solomons went to Great Britain. Bougainvilleans object to this separation.

During World War I, Australians occupied Bougainville and, after the defeat of Germany, the German territories collectively called New Guinea became mandated territories of the League of Nations.  They were placed under Australian administration in 1920.  During World War II, Japanese occupied the island in 1942.  By 1944 US troops have regained control.

After the war, Bougainville was again put under Australian administration, but this time as a United Nations trust territory. By 1960 an Australian geologist had found copper and gold on the island and large scale prospecting began in 1963.

In 1968 elections were held throughout PNG. Bougainville called for a referendum on secession, but the Administration did not meet this request. Self-government was given to PNG in December 1973 and full independence from Australia in September 1975.

Two weeks before PNG gained independence, Bougainville unilaterally declared independence emphasising its wishes to remain separate from the new state of PNG.

Bougainville appealed to the United Nations without success. A year later, negotiations with the PNG government resulted in agreement for limited autonomy and Bougainville became a province of PNG and was to have its own government.

Many Bougainvilleans complained that the people did not democratically elect the Bougainvilleans to the delegation that signed the 1976 agreement.

By 1988 it became increasingly clear to Bougainvilleans that mining profits from Bougainville Copper Ltd were not benefiting them and that the mining activity was seriously damaging the island's environment.

This paved the way for the tension between the PNG government and the Bougainvilleans to escalate into violence. In the same year, an organised group of traditional landowners, later came to known as the Bougainville Revolutionary Army, forcibly closed the mine and demanded the renegotiation of contracts.

The PNG government responded by sending in the police riot squad and then the PNG Defence Force, which caused the displacement of 24,000 villagers.

This struggle to close the mine escalated into a struggle for self-determination and indigenous control of the land as the population of Bougainville turned massively against the PNG government.

As a result, in April 1990, the PNGDF left the island defeated and imposed a sea blockade. On 17 May 1990, Bougainville unilaterally declared its independence from PNG for the second time and established the Bougainville Interim Government.

In response, taking advantage of the hardships caused by the blockade, the PNGDF re-invaded Bougainville. By 1991, the PNGDF, although using Australian donated helicopters and Australian and New Zealand pilots, as well as being funded by Australian and international aid programs, continued to be unable to defeat the BRA.

As a result the PNG government imposed a blockade around the island preventing even the Red Cross from giving humanitarian aid, whilst continuing military offensives. It is estimated that more than 20,000 Bougainvilleans died from 1990-96.

During this time, some Bougainvilleans fought on the side of PNGDF against the BRA. These Bougainvilleans formed the Bougainville Resistance Fighters. During this crisis, it is alleged by many sources that many crimes including rape, torture, killing of civilians and destruction of property were committed by the PNGDF.

As a result people either joined BRA, BRF (who fought on the PNGDF side) or sought safety in PNG controlled care centres or fled to care centres in the Solomon Islands.

The war in Bougainville ended in 1998 with the signing of a peace treaty, leaving the island devastated but unbowed.

Source: www.tamilcanadian.com/article/1732   Reposted for PNG Attitude by Leonard Fong Roka

Did Rio Tinto fund the war in Bougainville?

WHATEVER MICHAEL SOMARE might have done in office (or out of it) over the past 22 years, as the first prime minister of Papua New Guinea, he undoubtedly displayed fibre in negotiating the terms of the country’s independence from Australia.

Not least in 1972, when his government forced a radical revision of the agreement, brokered five years earlier by Australia with Rio Tinto, to enable the Panguna copper-gold mine on Bougainville to proceed.

Last month Sir Michael swore an affidavit accusing Rio Tinto of having financed, and virtually master-minded, the war by PNG against Bougainville that followed an landowners’ revolt against the mine in late 1988.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11012

Central Bougainville MP Jim Miringtoro has said Rio Tinto and the Australian government were directly involved in the Bougainville crisis and used the PNG government to start a war against its own people for the benefit of the company.

Miringtoro said Sir Michael Somare had revealed that Rio Tinto was directly involved and responsible for the war on the island as reported on the television network SBS.

See the program Bougainville: Blood and Treasure: http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/watch/id/601246/n/Blood-and-Treasure.

See the transcript of the Bougainville program: http://www.sbs.com.au/dateline/story/transcript/id/601246/n/Blood-and-Treasure.

See the video Saving Our Land:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvuGPgMhGws.

Source: London Mining Network

Air France & Air Niugini in ticket agreement

ON 1 JULY Air France KLM and Air Niugini introduced their first interline e-ticketing agreement.

As from 1 July, passengers travelling between Port Moresby and Europe have benefitted from this arrangement.

Prior to the signing of the agreement, passengers could only be booked to Air Niugini destinations in the Air Niugini network, which excludes Europe. Passengers travelling to destinations outside the Air Niugini network were advised to book with another carrier online.

During their trip passengers then had to collect their checked baggage and recheck for the next flight, which can be time consuming.

“The implementation of the interline e-ticketing agreement ensures that Air Niugini and Air France KLM customers now have easy connections between Port Moresby and Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila, Tokyo and any European city in the network,” said Wasantha Kumarasiri, CEO of Air Niugini.

“We are very happy with this agreement to offer our customers a seamless service between PNG and our extensive network in Europe”, said Paul Rombeek, regional general manager for Air France KLM.

Air Niugini now has airline agreements with 28 other airlines.

Source: Travel Blackboard

Your editor has been travelling in eastern and western Europe for some weeks and on Friday and Saturday will be enjoying (?) a long flight back to Sydney.  Hence there are likely to be more than the usual delays in posting your comments, but please continue to submit them - KJ

Concern growing over leadership uncertainty

POLITICAL COMMENTATOR Orovu Sepoe says ordinary people in Papua New Guinea are concerned about the ongoing uncertainty over the country’s leadership.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, who since April has been in a Singapore hospital, was retired last month by his son, cabinet minister Arthur Somare.

His deputy, Sam Abal, has been acting prime minister during that time but it’s still uncertain who will replace Sir Michael as prime minister and leader of the ruling National Alliance.

Dr Orovu Sepoe, from the Australian National University’s College of Asia and the Pacific, says there’s concern that, if government can’t function effectively, ordinary people won’t benefit from the major resource development underway in PNG.

“There’s a lot of anxiety about the state of political affairs and the economic activities that are kind of happening all throughout the country,” she said.

“The biggest concern is how you can actually deal with the revenue from all these resource development projects.”

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Weasel words: analysing political doubletalk

When PETER KRANZ learned of the looming threat posed by the conjunction of a virulent TB strain in the Western Province and the closure of Torres Strait TB services to Papua New Guineans seeking treatment, he decided to bring this to the attention of Australia’s Health Minister Nicola Roxon and his local federal member, Greg Combet.  He received a reply, which is here parsed by KEITH JACKSON.  Melissa Cleary is the electorate officer for the Hon Greg Combet AM MP, Federal Member for Charlton and Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency

Melissa Cleary - Thank you for your email to Mr Combet regarding Tuberculosis (TB) clinics in the Torres Strait. He has asked that I reply on his behalf. Mr Combet has made representations on your behalf to the Hon Nicola Roxon, Minister for Health and Ageing, who has provided the following response.

KJ commentary– No wonder Labor looks like losing the next federal election; it's emulating the Howard government’s arrogance in all sorts of ways, including flicking constituents’ letters to electorate secretaries to ‘answer’.  As for ‘representations to Roxon’ - she would have been emailed a copy of Peter’s letter with a covering note saying something like ‘given him the stock reply’.

Melissa Cleary - Queensland Health is the provider of primary and acute care health services in Torres Strait and since 1999-2000 the Australian Government has continuously provided annually indexed grants to Queensland Health towards the costs of treatment of visiting PNG nationals in the Torres Strait.

KJ commentary– Factual but irrelevant.  The issue Peter raises concerns the threat posed by the funding of TB treatment for Papua New Guineans being stopped.

Melissa Cleary - There has been no cut in this Commonwealth funding and the Commonwealth does not direct Queensland as to how to spend this annual grant.

KJ commentary– In other words, not our fault.

Melissa Cleary - The department currently provides approximately $4 million per annum to Queensland Health for this purpose and the Australian Government will continue to provide a contribution to Queensland towards the cost of providing emergency healthcare to PNG nationals in the Torres Strait.

KJ commentary– It’s great that the federal government has earmarked funds for emergencies, but the main issue relating to dealing with the TB threat is not addressed.  Perhaps it's not understood.

Melissa Cleary - The Australian Government and Queensland Health agree that the current level of health service provision for PNG nationals at TB clinics in the Torres Strait is neither appropriate, from a public health perspective, nor sustainable.

KJ commentary – A chilling comment.  From a public health perspective, the spread of virulent strains of TB through the Torres Strait to Australia is a real and present threat.  And what exactly is meant by the use of the word ‘sustainable’, apart from it being a current buzz adjective.

Melissa Cleary - Queensland Health has decided it will cease the provision of TB clinics for PNG nationals in the Torres Strait. That decision is consistent with complementary plans to build health care services across the South Fly District of PNG adjoining the Torres Strait.

KJ commentary– Plans to build health care services?  Plans?  There’s a crisis here to which a reasonable response existed (which has been canned), and the government is talking about plans….  What is it about 'TB THREAT' that the politicians don’t understand?

Melissa Cleary - These plans are currently being developed by the PNG National Department of Health and the Western Province Administration in conjunction with AusAID and are intended to ensure TB services are provided closer to home for PNG nationals.

KJ commentary – Now I know Melissa’s just cut and pasted this and is being used as a postbox, but she signed the letter so she wears the outcome.  Mentioning “PNG National Department of Health”, “Western Province Administration” and “AusAID” in the one sentence is enough to kill off all hope of a timely and effective solution.

Melissa Cleary - This will mean that TB treatment in the South Fly is consistent with the World Health Organization’s strategy for TB control, which advocates treating TB on a community-wide basis – and not in the form of ad hoc services as are currently being provided to PNG nationals who visit Queensland clinics.

KJ commentary – Sorry Melissa, but in a crisis ad hoc is what you generally do.  Sure, TB needs to be dealt with in a strategic way but strategies take time to yield results and, quite often, they don’t yield the results desired.  In the meantime those little bacilli continue to spread.

Melissa Cleary - TB treatment provided in PNG is more likely to be successfully completed, and avoids the need for TB infected foreign nationals to enter Australia for treatment.

KJ commentary – As a statement of pious hope this is fine.  As a realistic response to the situation in PNG and Torres Strait it is dangerously banal.

Melissa Cleary - AusAID is investing $43 million this year in partnership with PNG to help improve PNG’s health services across the country. This includes a focus on improved TB services in South Fly District and at Daru General Hospital.

KJ commentary– 'Focus', another buzz word.  Which means exactly what?

Melissa Cleary - While there has been informal agreement for a staged handover of PNG TB patients between Queensland Health and PNG health authorities, timing and detailed arrangements are still being developed, following a joint meeting in Cairns on 17 June 2011.

KJ commentary – Great to hear they’re having meetings.

Melissa Cleary - Thank you again for writing to Mr Combet in order to bring your concerns to his attention. Please don’t hesitate to contact Mr Combet again should he be of further assistance with this or any other Federal matter.

KJ commentary – Why would you bother.  This mob are dead politicians walking anyway.

Photo: Tuberculosis bacillus - ugly little germ, isn't it?

Queensland refuses access to TB documents

BY PETER McCUTCHEON

QUEENSLAND HEALTH is refusing the ABC access to documents about the controversial decision to shut down tuberculosis clinics in the Torres Strait to Papua New Guinea nationals on grounds that are clearly self-contradictory.

It appears one part of the large State government bureaucracy clearly does not know what the other part is up to.  The government wants to shut down the TB clinics in the Torres Strait and shift them over to the PNG side of the international border.

TB specialists are worried the move could exacerbate the spread of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis in PNG's western province and heighten the risk of the bacterial infection making its way into northern Australia.

Queensland Health has repeatedly refused to discuss the issue with ABC TVs 7.30 program and has issued a four sentence statement. So earlier this year, 7.30 sought access to documents under the State's Right to Information laws.

The purpose of these laws - according to the government's official website - is to "provide access to information held by the government, unless on balance it is contrary to the public interest to provide that information".

There is no dispute the documents the ABC is seeking relates to an issue that is of public importance.  However, the administrative law team in Queensland Health ruled that releasing the documents would be contrary to the public interest.

It was ruled that release of correspondence between the state's TB control unit and the chief medical officer would "prejudice" negotiations between the Queensland and Commonwealth health departments.

"It is important for the state government to robustly negotiate with the commonwealth agencies involved in these deliberations to ensure Queensland is well placed throughout ongoing negotiations," Queensland Health said.

The problem with this argument is it contradicts the only public statement Queensland Health has given 7.30. On April 15, the departmental media team gave me a quote - "the provision and scope of health services for PNG nationals are commonwealth government responsibilities".

"Queensland Health stands ready, willing and able to provide services as directed by the Commonwealth".

If that is the case, there is nothing to negotiate - either the Queensland Health media team, or the administrative law team has got something wrong.

Source: Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Miners try to minimise environmental impact

MINING AND PETROLEUM developers say they aim to minimise the negative social and environmental impacts their operations have on Papua New Guinea.

Australian and other foreign resource companies in PNG have often been accused of environmentally destructive waste disposal practices they would not do in their own countries.

The Chamber of Mines and Petroleum says any mining or petroleum operation will have a direct environmental impact on people's lives.

Executive Director Greg Anderson says it's consulting with the government to review the country's Mining Act and the Environmental Policy to suit the changes in the industry.

He says the industry has also agreed in principal with the government to include a mine closure plan as part of the application process before a mining license is granted.

Source: Radio Australia

Lack of basic services hurting Kundiawa

GERARD PHILLIP, the president of the Kundiawa Chamber of Commerce says the government needs to show some initiative and sort out problems that are crippling the town.

For the past few months Air Niugini has chosen not to operate its Kundiawa services due to a broken fence around the airport runway.

The town’s water remains switched off due to a court battle and three weeks ago the hospital closed its doors because of the unreliable water supply.

Mr Phillip, who’s lived in the Simbu capital for 21 years, says nothing ever changes.

“No government or administration has made any good decision to have another water source,” he says.

“There are some other places where the water could be taken from or there is a big river that is very close to the town.

“Water could be pumped from there but that has to be done by the government and nobody has taken the initiative to do anything about it.”

Mr Phillip says people either have to go to the river and collect water or get rations from the town’s water tank.

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Trade teacher recognised for quality training

BY KEVIN GOMEZ

SKILLSTECH AUSTRALIA engineering teacher Wayne Tierney has received a Queensland Teacher of the Year award for his outstanding dedication, professionalism and achievements.

“I am currently working for SkillsTech Australia as a business manager on the Papua New Guinea Liquefied Natural Gas Project,” Mr Tierney said.

“The project is an integrated development that includes gas production in the Southern Highlands and Western Provinces in which we have been engaged to provide a range of training services and advice.

“A specific challenge was designing, developing and delivering manufacturing and engineering teaching resources for the PNG Nationals due to lower level numeracy and literacy skills.

“It was necessary to identify the literacy level (equivalent to Grade 5 at Australian primary schools) and develop teaching resources and practical exercises to ensure qualifications were being delivered to Australian Quality Training Framework (AQTF) standards.”

Source: Process & Control Engineering

Gay rights: getting it straight in PNG

BY MARTYN NAMORONG

This letter was sent to the editor of ‘The National’ earlier this year but was never published.  Upon a request from KJ, I have edited it for ‘PNG Attitude’ in light of the debate about Ganjiki Wayne’s recent article - MN

I refer to a report in your paper [The National 7 April, 2011] entitled Church petitions Dame Carol’s move in relating to Pastor Kwiberi’s opposition towards moves to decriminalise prostitution and homosexuality.

I do not dispute that Pr Kwiberi’s opinions are shared by a majority of Papua New Guineans.  However, throughout history there are many examples where the majority view has been wrong.

The Church is fallible

The Christian church got it wrong when it imprisoned Galileo when he declared that the Sun was the center of the solar system and not the Earth as taught by the church.  Did the Christians interpret the Bible correctly regarding Joshua commanding the sun not to set?

Throughout history the church in Europe used secular governments to persecute and murder many minorities who dared to oppose its views, for example the massacre of the Huguenots of France and the Inquisition. Did the church interpret Scripture correctly?

I believe therefore that Scripture is open to interpretation and only God knows the absolute meaning of His Word is. No human can claim to know the mind of God. I therefore do not intend to engage theological debate on matters I am not qualified to speak on.

I wish to concentrate however on the secular grounds by which I believe the matters proposed by Dame Carol are based.

Firstly, contrary to what many think, Papua New Guinea is not a Christian Country. It is not a theocracy but a secular democratic state. That is why you see a mosque and at Holola, Buddhist shrine at Gordons Industrial area, a Baha’i center at Tokarara etc…

Christianity does not have exclusive dominion on religious affairs in PNG however its important contributions to the nation are captured in the preamble of the Constitution. The secular state is therefore not under any obligation to kowtow to the views of the churches in Papua New Guinea including on issues regarding prostitution and homosexuality.

Secondly, Dame Carol’s proposition is about social reform. Dame Carol’s initiative is consistent with Universal Human Rights Principles as well as the promotion of social justice in our country. It is about protecting marginalized and stigmatized members of society who face many perils.

They are a modern day representation of the tax collectors of Biblical times. Tax collectors in Biblical times were the most despised members of Jewish society because they represented the evil Roman Empire. Why then would Christ have dinner with a tax collector? I believe it is my Christian/secular duty as a citizen to stand up for the lost, the last and the least in society.

I don’t mind if the church teaches that homosexuality is sinful because I also believe in freedom of expression and religion, etc.  However, churches should not impose their beliefs on the State and the rest of society who do not subscribe to its beliefs.

You don’t see a lot of opposition to Muslims, Hindus or Buddhists.  So why homosexuals? I bet corrupt politicians are more welcome at church services. There’s a lot of man-made double standard regarding this issue.

God loves everyone but man picks and chooses his friends.  God gives rain and sunshine to both the sinners and saved but man gives only to those he can be repaid from.

The majority view isn’t always right

More recently, the Nazis in Germany were democratically elected by a majority of the German people.  Yes, the Germans were also Christians and these Christians murdered over six million Jews, Gypsies and homosexuals. Was the majority view of the German population right?

I therefore believe that even if the majority view isn’t in favour, the right thing would be to decriminalize homosexuality based on universally accepted principles of human rights.  The issue is relevant to both rural and urban people

Many opponents of the moves to decriminalise homosexuality argue that the issue is not relevant to the rural people or traditional beliefs thus it should not be discussed. This highlights their ignorance about anthropological papers they describe homosexual practices in PNG and Melanesia.

Information about homosexual rituals amongst the Sambia and Marind-Amin is available on the web. Homosexuality is not confined to urban areas.

Defining a new society

With the onset of the new age of the gas economy there is a need to define a new Papua New Guinean society. A society that is inclusive and reflects the diversity of this beautiful nation of ours. A society where one is judged by the conduct of one’s character and not by one’s ethnicity, sexual orientation or social class.

A new Papua New Guinean society where its sons and daughter s have an equal opportunity to meaningfully participate in the social, economic and political development of the nation.

A society where one is rewarded on based on merit and hard work and not by the connections one has. A society where young people do not have fears about tomorrow because today was even better than yesterday.

I believe the new society is one that promotes the democratic values of liberty, equality and fraternity. I believe in a new and just society that Dame Carol has been working towards achieving.

A society that empowers its unemployed. A society where women have a voice in Parliament and in the corridors of power. A society that protects vulnerable members of the community and respects the dignity of every human person.

The new society is one that is well educated, well connected and governed well. It is a society whereby an educated population is empowered to excel. It is a society connected by efficient transport and communications infrastructure that act as the basis for the delivery of all other goods and services throughout the nation. It is a society that invests in good governance mechanism so that there is social justice and greater accountability.

I believe that is the kind of society all Papua New Guineans want to belong to regardless of our religion, ethnicity, social class, gender or sexual orientation.

Sam Abal sticks boot into Rupert Murdoch

RUPERT MURDOCH has come under fire from one of the furthest flung corners of his empire, with Papua New Guinea's acting prime minister accusing the Post-Courier of trying to oust him.

Sam Abal said he was closely watching developments on the far side of the globe in London, where Murdoch's News Corp is under intense scrutiny over phone voicemail hacking by the now-defunct News of the World.

The scandal forced Murdoch to close the tabloid and prompted the resignation of several close executives while two of Britain's most senior police have now quit over their handling of investigations into the matter.

Abal said the Post-Courier, which is 46% owned by Murdoch's Australian division News Limited, was only a tiny element in the global organisation but accused it of pushing for regime change in Port Moresby.

He said he had observed "the appalling conduct of journalists in manufacturing stories and demonstrating clear leanings towards determining political outcomes", in comments carried by rival paper The National.

"Their reporting has been lacking objectivity, fairness, balance and responsibility to a point where the behaviour of the paper seems akin to the behaviour and editorial attitude of the overseas tabloid," Abal said.

"If the editorial behaviour and attitude of the paper is instructed out of London and the empire headquarters, then I have real reason to be wary of the way my government, its readers and shareholders of the paper stand to be treated."

The publisher of the Post-Courier rejected Abal's comments, saying the paper was being attacked because it dared to report without fear.

Managing director Kevin Smith dismissed suggestions that Murdoch controlled the editorial content in the oldest and largest selling national newspaper in the impoverished Pacific country.

"I, in fact as managing director, have no say in what makes the paper daily," he said in a statement.

Smith said the paper, which was founded in 1969 and has a daily circulation of some 26,262, was not involved in any illegal or questionable news gathering.

Source: AFP

Leaders waits for Somare health report

THE PRESIDENT of the ruling National Alliance Party says it is still waiting on reports from Singapore doctors as to the health status of Sir Michael Somare.

There’s been uncertainty over the reported resignation of the prime minister who since April has been in a Singapore hospital.

His retirement was announced last month by his son, Arthur Somare, who cited Sir Michael’s ill-heath as the reason for quitting politics.

However, the PNG constitution requires a medical report by two PNG doctors to verify the Prime Minister’s incapacity to carry out his duties, but experts say their diagnosis wouldn’t have been recognised under Singaporean jurisdiction.

The National Alliance president Simon Kaiwi says they’re still waiting for reports from Singaporean doctors into Sir Michael’s condition.

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Commissioner says don't bribe my police

BY LIAM FOX

PAPUA NEW GUINEA's top cop has taken the unusual step of asking people not to offer bribes to his notoriously corrupt officers.

Commissioner Anthony Wagambie said bribery pervades all aspects of life in PNG, not just the police.

One example is the common practice of paying officers a small amount of money to avoid fines for traffic offences like failing to wear a seatbelt.

But Mr Wagambie said people should let themselves be charged instead of contributing to the bribery culture.

He is also asking the public to report police officers who charge fees for performing their regular duties.

In recent weeks Mr Wagambie has also publicly shamed officers who have been demoted or dismissed for disciplinary offences.

Source: ABC

Anthropologists! Anthropologists!

BY PHIL FITZPATRICK

ONE OF THE MORE curious phenomena spawned during the days of colony and empire was the discipline of anthropology.

What began as a hobby for voyeuristic and bored administrators and planters with too much time on their hands in the 1800s had evolved into a full-blown career option by the early twentieth century. 

Although not a colonist, an American by the name of Lewis Henry Morgan has a lot to answer for.

Anthropology purports to be the study of people and how they have developed physically and culturally.

Its value lies in the noble idea that an understanding of the diversity of humans can lead to new perspectives and help in future planning and learning.

Anthropology is usually one-sided however.  With few exceptions the anthropologist doing the studying comes from a dominant or richer group.  The phrases ‘ruling hegemony’ and ‘cultural imperialism’ come to mind.

More often than not the anthropologist is white and the people he or she studies are black; although I have heard of a Papua New Guinean anthropologist who once carried out a study of the impoverished denizens of a slum tenement in Brooklyn in New York.

Like most professionals, anthropologists seek to corner the market and keep others off their turf by using specialist educational qualifications. 

This is fine for people like doctors; you don’t want an untrained person taking out your gall bladder; as for someone recording your genealogy maybe it doesn’t matter so much.

They don’t have it all their own way however.  Pulling the anthropologist’s leg is a popular village sport and is probably most exemplified by the ladies in Samoa who led Margaret Mead up the garden path and forever linked the images of swaying palm trees, grass skirts and free-love together.

Mystifying the results of anthropological enquiry turns it into a marketable commodity.  To do this anthropologists have invented specialised codes and jargon which laymen cannot understand.

The people who buy the results of anthropological endeavour tend to be actually interested in other things - like money. 

A miner or oilman, for instance, might think that the people in the area which he wants to dig up are different to him and if he is going to deal with them he will need to know what makes them tick.  This is a notch up from the imperialistic idea that they are different to us therefore we’d better get rid of them.

Of course, to understand someone else, information must be couched in your own terms.  How can we relate to them if you can’t compare them to us?

Just as Papua New Guinea is a rich resource for missionaries it is also fertile ground for anthropologists.  For a budding anthropologist who wants to get his career ticket by producing an obscure and often unverifiable thesis, Papua New Guinea is ideal.  It is one of a diminishing number of places left in the world that will tolerate such things being inflicted on its citizenry.

The PNG government cottoned on to its potential very early.  To carry out anthropological and other academic research in Papua New Guinea you need a special visa which has special fees.

You also need a permit from the National Research Institute, which also levies fees.  The Institute is supposed to pass on a cut from these fees to the government of the province in which the researcher works.

This doesn’t happen and some favourite anthropological haunts like Central, Madang, East Sepik, Manus, Southern Highlands, Western Highlands and Western Province have introduced their own hefty fees.  No guarantees about personally safety however.

The legality of these provincial fees is not clear; neither is what they do with the money.  The people who are the subject of the studies certainly don’t see it.  Nor do they often see what’s written about them.

The Institute is supposed to be provided with copies of the research.  They keep a copy and send one to the University of Papua New Guinea library.  A copy is also supposed to go to the provincial government.  Finding a research copy at UPNG is hard enough but finding one in the provinces is next to impossible.

Does anyone read them?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Are they worth reading?  Well, yes and no; apart from those who had their legs pulled, quite a few anthropologists failed miserably to understand the societies which they studied.  There is a booming sub-arm of anthropology dedicated to pointing out predecessors’ blunders.

On the other hand, there are a lot of societies which have lost their traditions and the works of anthropologists are one of the few ways in which they can find out what their people were once like.

While I’m not sure I’d like some bloke with a notebook following me around and recording my every move I personally regret that there weren’t any anthropologists about when my bare-arsed Celtic ancestors in Britain and Ireland were wandering around.

Among blackfellas in Australia having your own personal anthropologist is a status symbol.  Not sure if that works in Papua New Guinea.  Would an anthropologist be able to explain what is going on among the Somare clan for instance?

Donald Ramsay – soldier and “a grand chap”

COLONEL DONALD RAMSAY OAM, former commanding officer of the 2^nd Battalion of the Pacific Islands Regiment has died in Sydney.

Colonel Donald McInnes Ramsay, was born and educated in Scotland and commissioned in The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) in 1943, seeing active service during World War II in Italy (including the Cassino battles) and Greece.

He transferred to the Australian Regular Army in 1952 and served with the Victorian Scottish Regiment and the Royal Australian Regiment, including with the 2nd Battalion in operations against the communist terrorists in Malaya (1955–57), initially as adjutant and then as a company commander.

He served with the Pacific Islands Regiment twice. From 1960-62, he was a company commander and then second-in-command of the Regiment, at the time a single battalion. From 1965-67, he raised the 2nd Battalion and became its foundation commanding officer.

The battalion was based in Wewak with responsibility for the border with Indonesia. He retired from the Army to lead Papua New Guinea’s largest community-owned export-import company until independence in 1975 and subsequently served on the administrative staff of the Scots College in Sydney until 1994.

He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2001 for services to international relations, recognising his contributions to both PNG and “gap year” exchange programs between British and Australian youth.

Battle intensifies over Bougainville Copper

BY ROWAN CALLICK

CLAIMS that Rio Tinto funded the civil war and fostered atrocities on Bougainville are being resurrected as a hurdle to the reopening there of the copper mine, whose proven reserves are worth at least $50 billion.

Today the opposition to the mine is strongest overseas, especially among Australia’s trade unions and non-government organisations. The Australian Greens have also joined the attacks. This is happening just as the reopening, after a full renegotiation of the terms, is winning overwhelming support on impoverished Bougainville; more than 97 per cent support it, according to Bougainville president John Momis.

The day after SBS One’s Dateline program about Bougainville was broadcast on June 26, the Bougainville Copper Ltd share price slumped 18 per cent.

German investor Axel Sturm, possibly the company’s largest individual shareholder, said “confidence in BCL, which is equated with confidence in Bougainville and its people, has been severely damaged. Months of re-polishing Bougainville’s image [have] been spoiled within a few hours.”

The program hinged on a 10-year-old affidavit signed while he was in opposition by Papua New Guinea’s prime minister Michael Somare, whose family announced this week that he will retire because he is seriously ill in a Singapore hospital.

Somare, who was foreign minister as Bougainville lurched into civil war, signed the affidavit that claimed “the actions taken by PNG to reopen the mine were not done for any public benefit except derivatively as the money the government made in its joint venture with BCL would trickle down to benefit the PNG citizenry”.

The mine provided the PNG government with about 20 per cent of its annual income when it was forced to close 22 years ago.

Somare signed the affidavit that said that Rio “controlled the government” of which he was a part.

It said: “BCL was directly involved in the military operations on Bougainville, and it played an active part. It supplied helicopters, which were used as gunships, the pilots, troop transportation, fuel, and troop barracks. It knew bloodshed was likely to occur because it instructed the government of PNG to reopen the mine ‘by whatever means necessary’.”

It said that although BCL participated in “the atrocities”, “no provision in the peace agreement addresses or resolves any civil liability or international law claim, which I understand are the issues in this litigation”.

However, Rabbie Namaliu, the prime minister during the first four years of the conflict, told Inquirer that the Iroquois helicopters used by the PNG army were deployed under an agreement he signed with Australia’s then-prime minister Bob Hawke in Canberra.

Nicole Allmann, now living in Queensland and who watched the SBS program, said: “The four Iroquois helicopters that were given to the PNG Defence Force by Australia were operated, maintained and crewed by Heli Bougainville for the PNGDF.

“I worked for Heli Bougainville during the crisis and did all of the invoicing. I invoiced the PNG Defence Force for this and not BCL.”

Namaliu said that “under the state of emergency laws, the controller can command access to any logistics support he requires”.

By the time the government deployed troops, BCL’s staff had left Bougainville leaving vehicles behind, some of which were commandeered. “To suggest that Rio did it deliberately is factually wrong. When I heard about those claims, I thought the whole thing was rather unfair. And Sir Michael is not in a position to make any response.”

But after the SBS program Western Australian Greens Senator Scott Ludlam demanded: “Rio Tinto must reveal the full extent of its involvement in the Bougainville war. And the Australian government must also explain its own role, and what it knew about the role of BCL. It’s time for the whole truth behind it to be known.”

Ludlam claimed that the war drove half of the population from their homes, and that “the conflict claimed 15,000 lives”. This total remains guesswork, although many did die who would have survived sickness before the war. Many additional deaths also occurred on mainland PNG because of the impact on health care of the sudden loss of government income.

A report in Socialist Alternative earlier this year said “it is a sign of the madness of capitalism that Rio Tinto did not close down BCL”.

Earliest bananas in PNG 6,600 years ago

BY G S MUDUR

SCIENTISTS HAVE PLUCKED clues from genetics, archaeology and linguistics to show that the earliest cultivation of bananas was in the Kuk Swamp area of Papua New Guinea about 6,600 years ago.

From here, bananas were ferried by small groups of people from Southeast Asia moving westward to India and beyond.

A Southeast Asian banana species known as Mlali, a short yellow variety, was carried from the Indonesian islands into India around 4,000 years ago where its genome is still found in three varieties.

“It probably arrived 4,000 years ago, give or take a few hundred years. We don’t have enough archaeological data to narrow things down,” said Mark Donohue, a linguist at the Australian National University who was involved in the study.

The researchers combined genetic, archaeological and linguistic information to trace the domestication of the Musa family of bananas, which includes the standard yellow bananas sold around the world.

The researchers assumed that any cultivated plant would travel with people along with its name, and when a plant is culturally new, its name would be retained in the places where it had been introduced.

Source: Calcutta Telegraph

Digicel Foundation gets stamp of approval

FEW ORGANISATIONS have received the prestigious honour of being featured on a postage stamp, however the Papua New Guinea Digicel Foundation was given the tribute recently when it was announced that it was to be commemorated on a PNG postage stamp.

The announcement was made to honour the Kaugere Women’s Resource Centre – a Digicel Foundation-funded project that offers immediate shelter to women and children in crisis as well as being used as a training and empowerment facility.

The PNG stamp – valued at K1.05 – was selected, amongst other projects, to be depicted on the new stamps related to “Urban Safety and Crime Prevention in PNG”.

“The Digicel Foundation is honoured to have received this prestigious award which commemorates our work with the Kaugere Women’s Resource Centre,” said Digicel Foundation CEO, Marina Van der Vlies.

“We have engaged in over 100 projects throughout PNG since the Digicel Foundation’s inception and we are thrilled to be working to support urban safety and crime prevention across the country.”

Source: Jamaican News

Security report card gives PNG a low mark

BY KEITH JACKSON

THE SECURITY FIRM Clayton Consultants has issued a report card on personal safety issues in Papua New Guinea which does not make for happy reading.

Claytons says lawlessness is a major problem, that “special precautions are necessary” and that “unguarded travel is highly inadvisable.”

At the same time it reports that police capabilities are limited and that budget shortfalls, indiscipline and high levels of corruption are problems within the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.

“Petty crime is rampant, and violent crime rates are very high, particularly in Port Moresby and other cities,” the document says. “Assaults, armed robberies, carjacking, rapes, and murders occur frequently, often involving criminal gangs. Walking or driving at night is potentially hazardous; females should not travel alone.

“Ethnic strife and clan disputes, typically linked to access to natural resource wealth, are problems throughout the country, particularly in the Highlands region. Ethnic conflict is also common in cities with large migrant communities.”

On a more positive note, Clayton’s reports that “terrorism has not been a problem and there are few indications that it will be in the near future. The country is perceived to be an unfavorable operating area for Islamist extremists, but the capacity of law enforcement to detect or thwart any transnational terror plots is low.”

Study: ecosystems are worth more than logs

BY KEITH JACKSON

DR IAN CURTIS was engaged by the Centre for Environmental Law and Community Rights in Papua New Guinea to assess the economic loss to the landholders of a large scale unauthorised logging operation in the Middle Fly region of the Western Province.

Unauthorised logging had been carried out between 1994 and 2004 by contractors of a road to connect Aiambak and Kiunga. In order to pay for the road, the environmental plan provided for selective logging up to one kilometre either side of the road.

Dr Curtis estimated that the loss or modification of the ecosystem services provided by the forest was about K56 million a year, or a value of about K500 million. The matter is currently before the National Court for a ruling to determine the compensation due to the customary landowners.

The contractor companies constructed a very inferior road, which is unusable and the source of many ongoing environmental problems. After ten years of construction and logging, the road did not even reach Kiunga.

During the process, the contractor principal companies extracted a large timber resource, pushing roads and logging tracks into the pristine lowland forest for up to 20kms off the main track.

It seems that no attempt was made to comply with the PNG Code of Practice for logging roads, and no attempt was made to comply with PNG environmental practice. As a result the customary landowners have been left with severe environmental problems and an unusable road.

The customary landholders lead a subsistence lifestyle, and this invasion and destruction of their resources has had a far greater impact on them than for more developed societies.

Dr Curtis calculates that the logging companies extracted or destroyed K157 million of trees, but did many hundreds of million kina worth of damage in so doing.

He concludes that either timber is overvalued as a resource with respect to the life-supporting benefits obtained from a natural system left intact, or ecosystem services, as a whole, are severely undervalued

Dr Ian Curtis is principal of Curtis NRA Australia -  www.curtisnra.com.au – and you can read his full report here: Download ANZPJ-Vol3-No2-Jun2011_Curtis

If we drive out God, who shall save PNG?

BY GANJIKI D WAYNE

IT IS BECOMING much clearer now. Our social and legislative reforms, together with the learned opinions of ‘enlightened’ Papua New Guineans, indicate an increasing line of thinking that PNG must no longer remain God-conscious if it is to be a modern State.

Sentiments are creeping in that we no longer need God to prosper.  That man is the Superior Being and must save himself without subscribing to a make believe, invisible being to bail him out.

This mindset-altering onslaught is sadly being pushed by a tiny yet powerful minority. Look around you and watch who controls our mainstream media. Watch what makes the news. Watch what doesn’t make the news.

Watch the increasing use of words that sound worthy and noble yet promote a conscience that disagrees with the mind of God.

Watch the onslaught of legitimate social concerns that stamp out the need for a God.

Nice words such as “empowerment”, “freedom of choice” and “human rights” are eating away at God’s perfect order; breaking down all absolutes and making everything relative. Even the term “unconstitutional” is made to drive a premise that what values we held on to as an ancient people are no longer applicable and relevant.

Watch how acknowledging God may soon become Unconstitutional if those who believe in Him stay ignorant or silent. Watch how His moral standards are brought into question by champions of social reform.

I recently came across our Education Department’s “behaviour management” policy: a guideline to improve the behaviour of school children. One page has a list of roles for students. Role # 2: “Treat peers in a caring and friendly way regardless of their gender, sexuality, health, disability, religion, race or cultural background.” Am I the only one who sees a problem with one of these standards?

Sexuality has been included in a yardstick that would usually only have “colour, creed and sex” not “sexuality”. That wasn’t a basis for potential discrimination until a depraved form of sexuality burst into the conscience of man and society; pushed of course by those of that “sexual orientation”, and those not accepting God’s moral order, desiring to have the society accept it as an “alternative lifestyle”.

Now my children who would most likely go to public schools will have to be taught that “homosexuality” is an alternative, legitimate orientation just like heterosexuality. The child must therefore be respectful to his male classmate who finds his male best friend sexually appealing.

A prerequisite for not being discriminatory is the acceptance of the “naturality” and “okayness” of that sexuality. Now the “sinner” person will be the discriminator and not the practicing homosexual person. See how social values are engineered and re-engineered to remove the God conscience.  Surely you see it!

And the terribly sad thing about that national policy: Nothing supporting the input of Christ’s Body: The Church. Nothing Religious. Nothing Christian. It’s all just man-made solutions…Solutions to man-made problems.

Are there any God-believing people in our Education Department (or anywhere) who can discern such subtle God-removing tactics and oppose them bravely? Shall we allow one advisor and one technical officer, from an international organisation with lots of money, to determine the conscience of our nation? I say, no I scream…NO!

How one word, unchecked and unquestioned by ‘enlightened’ Papua New Guineans, ushers in a no-God conscience in the very young! Sounding good and sounding right does not make something right nor good….unless of course if we judge so by man’s standards: everchanging, ever-differing, ever-failing, ever-seeking, merry-go-round man…

If we allow the removal of the God-conscience, what then shall save Papua New Guinea?

I say only God, so let’s keep Him!

PNG literacy rate is going backwards

LITERACY IN Papua New Guinea has fallen below 50% of the population, the PNG National Research Institute says.

The figures, obtained from national census data, show a 6% drop since 2000.

The Institute is calling on the government to do more to improve the literacy rate.

Director Thomas Webster the statistics were based on surveys and did not test "functionary literacy".

He believes the real illiteracy rate is between 30 and 40%.

Dr Webster said the quality of education in PNG and the high rate of school drop-outs contribute to low literacy.

Source: Radio Australia

Just let me lay my brother to rest

BY IAN MCPHEDRAN

THE FAMILY of secret World War II soldier Lieutenant Alan Gubbay had no idea he was buried in a war cemetery at Lae.

But the army knew all along the "Z" Special Unit officer died during a top-secret mission, was buried by locals on a tiny island and had been disinterred and moved to the Commonwealth War Cemetery at Lae in 1947.

His younger brother Donald is furious the family was never informed and wants the remains DNA tested and sent home to his birthplace - the French territory of New Caledonia.

He said he can understand the army's reluctance to admit its mistake because it would open up "all sorts of issues".

"They told us he had 'no known grave' and that is what my family believed," Donald Gubbay said. "I want the army to conduct DNA tests to confirm the identity of my brother so I can take him home to be laid to rest.

"If they had done their job properly in 1947, we would have taken him to New Caledonia then."

Donald, the youngest of four brothers, said he had the support of the French Government and would go directly to the Papua New Guinea government if he did not receive a positive response from Veterans Affairs Minister Warren Snowdon.

Australian policy prevents war dead from being moved and just one Australian soldier, General William Bridges, the first Australian to reach the rank of general, has been disinterred and moved to another country - from Gallipoli to Canberra.

Lieutenant Gubbay was a member of an eight-man "Z" Special team sent to Muschu Island off Wewak to identify the location of heavy Japanese guns causing havoc for Allied troops.

Seven of the eight men perished, including two who were executed and probably cannibalised by Japanese troops on the neighbouring island of Kairiru.

Three died in battle on Muschu before Alan Gubbay and three others fled the island on logs and either drowned or perished on the nearby island of Kairiru.

He and another soldier were buried by local people who led a postwar recovery team to the gravesite in 1947. The lone survivor, Mick Dennis, caused havoc with his Sten gun for 10 days on Muschu Island, killing many Japanese before he paddled a timber plank for 10 hours to the mainland.

The 92-year-old lives in Sydney and his remarkable story is told in two books called The Guns of Muschu and Against All Odds.

"They were hunting me, but every time they got close I would knock the first few off and then go bush," Mr Dennis said.

To this day, the Military Medal winner cannot understand why the executed men did not swallow the cyanide pills carried by every "Z" Special operative.

"I survived, that is the way the cookie crumbles," he said.

When he arrived back on the mainland he spent several days harassing the Japanese before he heard an Australian patrol and the familiar voice of one of his commando mates. "Is that you Fatty?" he yelled through the scrub.

Jim Bourke, from the recovery group known as Operation Aussies Home, led an unsuccessful search team to Kairiru Island in July 2010, which included Donald Gubbay, to try to locate any Australian graves.

According to interviews Mr Bourke conducted, Lieutenant Gubbay was almost certainly one of the two men buried by locals on the island and later moved to Lae.

Source: The Adelaide Advertiser

‘Bikpela Bagarap’ - logging's human face

BIKPELA BAGARAP is a tale of exploitation and broken promises, where local people are treated as second-rate citizens in their own country by Malaysian logging companies and corrupt politicians.

The film tells its story is through the voices of villagers without narration.

Customary landowners are forced to sign documents they don’t understand on promises of “development” - fresh water, health and education.

But these essential services are rarely provided. Instead, traditional hunting grounds are destroyed, waterways polluted and a way of life ruined forever.

Filmmaker David Fedele spent almost three months travelling in Sandaun Province to film Bikpela Bagarap. Based in Vanimo, David visited local villages and current and past logging operations.

A lot of time was also spent in two of the main logging camps in Sandaun – Maka and Amanab 56.

Note that the film begins with about 60 seconds of sound and caption with no other vision

Highest number of longlongs in the world

BY JEFFREY FEBI

“PORT MORESBY has the highest number of longlongs in the world,” my friend uttered suddenly in the back seat of the car.

It may not sound funny but for some reason it was to us that Monday afternoon, and in unison we burst into loud laughter.  We had a really good laugh.

Curious, the driver asked my friend to explain. And my friend said he thought there were just too many people in Port Moresby who couldn’t live a day without doing something against normal social order.

Things like spitting buai juice anywhere one pleases, littering, shouting profanities in public, parking awkwardly, driving recklessly in Port Moresby’s narrow and crowded roads, street fighting by students from different schools.

While he was talking, a passenger (in her work clothes) in a bus running alongside us threw out of the window on to the road a Coke cup with betel nut spittle and my friend exclaimed, “Gosh, this is what I’m talking about!”

I pondered over this remark and thought it was correct.  Through either arrogance or ignorance, many people break simple rules at will and act in ways that make Port Moresby’s streets filthy and unsafe.

The fact that people continue to do this despite much public outrage prompts me to think something is wrong with their minds.

And my friend might be right if we define a longlong as an apparently sane person who continuously doing things against anticipated social order and or continuously does wrong without guilt.

Martyn Namorong suggested in his article Does PNG really have an attitude problem that politicians have an attitude problem and need to clean their backyards before pointing fingers at the ignorant multitudes.

Many politicians and high office holders are the worst law breakers and are serial offenders. These are people who are supposed to know better, but don’t seem to so they fit the definition of longlongs too.

Port Moresby may not have the highest number of longlongs in the world but certainly it has the highest number of longlongs, educated and uneducated, in Papua New Guinea.

Gutpela kaikai tru bilong Papua Niugini

BY PETER KRANZ

ROSE HAS COME up with the perfect recipe for Wopa and Tinbif.

(1) Take a Wopa biscuit.

(2) Open a tin of Ox & Palm tinbif.

(3) Spread Wopa generously with Ox & Palm.

(4) Eat.

(5) Repeat until perfectly satisfied.

 

Women’s Bauka Blue: PNG’s newest coffee

ONE OF THE NEWEST coffees in Papua New Guinea is Bauka Blue. It is produced entirely by a dedicated group of women from Aiyura in the Eastern Highlands.

It may not yet be in the same league as some better known coffees, but it’s steadily developing a loyal fan base among missionaries at neighbouring Summer Institute of Linguistics and in Kainantu and Goroka.

Bauka Blue Kofi comes from the green rolling hills of the Aiyura Valley, backdropped by beautiful blue 1,800 metre high mountains in the Obura-Wonenara district. Bauka means “black” in the local Tairora dialect.

“We started it in 2000 as a women’s coffee project, involving ladies around the area where we live at Aiyura,” says Marey Yogiyo.

“We realised that ladies spend a lot of time making and producing quality coffee, however, when everything was done, the men take the coffee to the markets and get all the money.

“We decided to do it ourselves. We help ladies. We pay school fees; attend to health problems. The ladies are happy to work together.”

After picking, processing and drying, women of the Bauka group take their coffee to Arabicas in Goroka for roasting.

“I want to show farmers that we can make and drink our own coffee,” Yogiyo says. “Why should we work so hard and give it to somebody else?”

Coffee production is the backbone of the rural economy in the Highlands and, across the nation, about one-third of PNG’s people depend on coffee production for cash.

Source: Islands Business

MSF back to Bougainville after a decade

AFTER A LONG absence, the international medical-humanitarian organisation, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has returned to the Autonomous Region of Bougainville to assist in delivering much-needed healthcare in the remote southern region of Buin.

Ten years after the signing of the peace agreement following the Bougainville civil war, the situation in terms of access to healthcare remains dire.

The war began in 1988 and lasted 10 years, caused the deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of people and left the island’s infrastructure in tatters. Health services were severely limited, and today there is only one functioning hospital for a population of around 200,000.

Although relatively peaceful now, and despite rebuilding efforts, the southern area continues to be neglected and access to quality healthcare for the population poses substantial issues.

“If the people living in Buin need to go to a hospital, they have six hours to travel, if they are lucky. Sometimes it can take anywhere up to ten hours or more,” said Patricia Convent, Head of Mission for Médecins Sans Frontières.

“The only hospital is in the north, on Buka Island, and to get there it’s necessary to cross about 15 rivers and travel on roads which are not in good condition.  There are only ten qualified doctors in the whole of Bougainville, and eight of them are in Buka.

“People who cannot get to this area easily are left without adequate medical assistance. In an area where malaria is endemic, and where maternal mortality rates are some of the highest in the Asia Pacific region, we saw that we needed to come back.”

At the Buin health centre, the MSF team is working alongside the Division of Health to provide medical assistance in the outpatient, inpatient and maternity departments, as well as improving the quality of antenatal and postnatal care. Due to the lack of qualified medical staff throughout Bougainville, staff training across all departments will also be a core component of the work.

“We received one woman from a nearby village, who was having seizures during her labour,” said Convent. “She delivered a stillborn baby and stayed two days in a coma. We are so thankful that the woman survived, but without adequate intervention, she would certainly have died.”

Since MSF began work in April, the number of patients coming to the health centre has increased significantly. In May alone, the medical team saw 741 patients, compared to 1,110 patients in the first three months of the year.

“These figures reflect the need for our return to Bougainville,” noted Convent.

Source: Médecins Sans Frontières

PNG holds first census in eleven years

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’s first national census in 11 years is expected to confirm a growing trend towards urbanisation.

The census was meant to be held last year but was delayed because of logistical and funding problems.

The director of the Institute for National Affairs, Paul Barker, says it is believed the PNG population probably exceeds seven million.

And he says more people are moving to the cities.

“There’s a feeling that over the last 10-11 years there’s been a major shift towards the urban areas partly as a result of perceived opportunities in the towns and the poor services that are available for people out in the rural areas and we really want to know to what extent that has been occurring and to which towns,” he said.

Detailed results from the census won’t be available until next year.

Source: Radio New Zealand International

Ask not what your country can do for you

BY PHIL FITZPATRICK

THE OLD GUARD in Papua New Guinean politics has had its day; it’s time for a new generation of younger, educated politicians to step up to the plate.  How often have you read or heard this sentiment?

Trouble is, when you look around, there’s no one readily apparent who fits the bill or who isn’t already considerably tainted or shop worn.

In this sense, it might be useful to take a look over the near horizon for a role model - towards Vanuatu perhaps.

That lovely little chain of islands has many of the characteristics of Papua New Guinea.  Its people are Melanesian and its people were lumbered with a similarly inappropriate system of government when it gained independence.

The parliament is made up of a government and opposition which are virtually indistinguishable and which spend their time doing deals and playing musical members.  Vested interests reign supreme and corruption is rife.  Sound familiar?

There is a shining light that stands out from the crowd however.  His name is Ralph John Regenvanu.

Ralph will be 41 years old this September.  He has an honours degree from the Australian National University, where he studied anthropology, archaeology and development studies.

He was director of the Vanuata Cultural Centre from 1995-2006 and director of the Vanuatu National Cultural Council from 1995 -2010.  He became a Member of Parliament in 2008.

He was elected with a record high number of votes.  Transparency International Vanuatu said he was elected by the “protest vote” – essentially people who were sick and tired of the same old politicians.

In January 2009 he announced that he would use part of his parliamentary salary to set up and finance scholarships for students undertaking foundation-level studies at the University of the South Pacific in the capital, Port Vila. 

In the first year 12 students received scholarships; by the second year it was 19 because he had attracted other sponsors to the scheme.

In March 2009 he began to finance a Youth Solidarity Micro-Credit Scheme out of his parliamentary salary, providing loans to assist young people to set up small business projects.

In 2010 he donated one-tenth of his annual salary to a campaign to clean up litter in Port Vila.  In the same year he donated money to promote youth groups.

He also started a radio program where people can ring in and ask him questions or express their views.

He is not afraid to expose corruption and mismanagement in the government and the public service.  He is a critic of the constituency funds that are allocated to MPs and not monitored.

In 2010 he was instrumental in the tabling of a motion in parliament requesting that the United Nations look at the legality of the Act of Free Choice in West Papua.  He publicly criticised PNG for being cowardly and having consistently opposed discussion of West Papua within the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

This year, as Minister for Lands, he started reforming land laws so that applications for registration of customary land leases would require the consent of entire clans and not just a few greedy individuals. 

This upset the members of Parliament who had long been involved in shonky land deals and they forced a reshuffle and demanded control of his portfolio.

Ralph was given the Justice and Social Affairs portfolio in the reshuffle but he didn’t give up on his campaign and immediately announced that he would reform the Customary Lands Tribunal system along with a number of other legal matters that concerned him.

Less than two weeks after taking over the portfolio he called for the descendants of “black birding” victims living in Australia to be given Vanuatu citizenship.

He is battling on as you read this article.  One day he will be prime minister of Vanuatu.

One wonders and hopes that there is a similar young firebrand waiting for his chance in PNG.  If there is, now might be a good time to stand up and be recognised.

Emptying their frustrations on the shores

BY JEFFREY MANE FEBI

HEADLINES BOMBARD our eyes one after the other and there seems no end to it.

Senior public servants and politicians, their cohorts a step behind in dark shadows, continue to milk the country using any means possible.

They plan in comfort and style and execute while dying mothers and their helpless children are crying out to be saved from treatable ailments. Even fathers who work hard to protect and feed their wife and children are found wanting.

Old and young alike have one thing in common: a cry that resonates from their wretched hearts and it continues day and night. In times of happiness and sadness their cry crashes on idle ears-ears that listen but can’t hear.

Elders did it before and the wrinkles of their struggles scar their faces. But when their children begin, elders join and together fight to make this cry be heard.

In this ocean of corruption, men, women and children struggle to stay afloat. Like the waves that try to escape the deep and vast ocean only to crash at the shores and return to the ocean, no matter how long we cry, there is no escaping from it.

Following is a poetic version of what you’ve just read.

I watched on the shore.

I watched as they rushed, one after
the other to the shore as if to
escape from a prison deep and vast.
Breaking their anger and emptying
their frustrations in loud confusions.

Their frustrations of continuous
imprisonment in this vicious
cycle day and night.

Those who journeyed before, encouraged
by new wind journey again and again
on tired crests and troughs.

To together break their anger and
empty their frustrations.

What manner of respite would redeem
them from this stranglehold of the
ocean so deep and vast.

Not even the calmest of breeze
caressing the ocean's surface nor a
beautiful clear blue sky is appeasing.

To escape from deep and vast ocean
will take forever which none have.

And they continue day and night to
break their anger and empty their
frustrations on the shores where
idle and hardened rocks watch.

When will this wickedness end? This question can be best answered by each and every one. When each one takes a committed step, we will witness a decline in corruption. So are you ready to take a committed step?

You can read more of Jeffrey’s poetry at http://jefebi-whispers.blogspot.com and http://febijefwhispers.wordpress.com.

Beware of the climate cowboys

BY ILYA GRIDNEFF

THE FOLKS at the website Cheat Neutral have come up with an ingenious plan to reduce the pain and heartbreak caused by cheating partners. It’s called "cheat offsetting".

Those who seek carnal pleasures outside their established relationship pay a tax for their infidelity to Cheat Neutral, who in turn pay subscribing couples to remain monogamous.

The payment — which encourages others to be faithful even if you can’t — apparently absolves the cheating and everyone can be happy and get on with their lives.

Sounds ludicrous, doesn’t it? Well it has a lot in common with our efforts to tackle climate change.

Julia Gillard’s recently announced carbon tax is a shimmy in the right direction of addressing the problem of our polluting industries, but how much behavioural change are we really going to see?

Of course the carbon tax is being derided variously for being too soft, too hard, too green and too coal friendly. But amid the media feedback loop there is very little concern that relying heavily on other countries to atone for Australian polluters, as this scheme does, is problematic in the extreme — especially when those countries are developing ones.

Our close neighbour Papua New Guinea — like Indonesia, Guyana and Democratic Republic of Congo — has massive tracts of virgin forest.

These countries are the ones that are targeted by the UN’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD) policy — which seeks to offset developed world pollution by preserving forests elsewhere.

But the REDD scheme is the 21st Century equivalent of the noble savage.

It neglects the reality on the ground in these countries, which is often corruption, poor governance, and a lack of infrastructure and political will. It assumes villagers would prefer to save their pristine habitats than receive a Toyota Landcruiser from a Malaysian logging company. This is not always the case.

It also fails to address realities such as: how do you get payments to remote villagers who live in the most hostile of environments?

One of the unresolved issues, unique to PNG, is that the country has 97 per cent customary land ownership. This raises all sorts of dilemmas regarding who actually owns the carbon rights.

It’s a relevant legal tangle for Australia as Native Title laws will mean Indigenous groups will also have to investigate where their sovereignty is in relation to carbon trade and emissions.

I was in PNG in 2009 when the "carbon cowboys" began to arrive. Like venture capitalists, they traipsed around the country offering ill-informed villagers "sky money" for rights to use their land for carbon trade deals.

Despite there being no relevant national legislation in PNG, these fearless environmental warriors snapped up large areas of forest for their wonderful carbon trade projects that would not only save the planet but make billions in revenue.

One boozy lunch I attended in Port Moresby ended with a carbon trader pulling out a Glock pistol and shouting we would all be rich beyond our wildest dreams. Another of the vanguard was related to Prime Minister Michael Somare. He promoted an intricate web of shelf companies that used cut-and-pasted Wikipedia entries as its promotional information about carbon trading.

Serious questions about drug authenticity

BY PHIL TAYLOR

A SMALL SAMPLING study of anti-infective medicines in Papua New Guinea has found that 100% of the drugs tested failed to meet quality control or authenticity testing.

The findings provide further evidence of the scale of the counterfeit and substandard drug problem in "lower income countries where product information and drug regulation enforcement are scant or absent," according to the researchers from Goethe University in Germany.

The study examined 14 samples of an antibiotic (amoxicillin) and anti-malarial (amiodaquone) purchased from five registered pharmacies in Port Moresby.

None of the 14 samples met the testing criteria, which focused on visual inspection, quality control tests and verification of product authenticity.

"Two products, one of which was purportedly distributed by a company which proved to be non-existent, contained no detectable amodiaquine," note the authors of the study, which ran on the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences website on 30 June.

"This quality problem with anti-infective products is of great concern, as it not only exposes patients to poor quality products but also fosters the development of resistant bacterial strains," the authors said.

Source: SecuringPharma.com

Basil slams mine, govt over environment

BULOLO MP Sam Basil has unleashed a scathing attack on Newcrest Mining and Harmony Gold, owners of the Hidden Valley mine, and the Papua New Guinea government’s Department of Environment.

Mr Basil strongly criticised the environmental approval process and suspicions of waste disposal into the Watut River system.

He also condemned the approval of a seemingly flawed environmental management plan as well as questionable practices in monitoring and assessing key environmental indicators.

“These are very serious – and dangerous flaws,” Mr Basil said.  “Their impact and implications are long-lasting on the water source health and even lives of the people.

“They signal a lack of confidence in [the joint venture] as a trustworthy development partner and investor.

“But worse, the attitude of the Department of Environment and Conservation together with the Minister involved, completely goes against the democratic idea of governance.

“Instead of democratic governance being for the people – this is completely against the people.

“This is the reason why there is growing pressure for the government to relinquish its option on equity in mining projects to landowners, LLGs and the districts and assume the role of being regulator and tax collector more.

“When the alternative government is in office, we will pursue this as a policy so there is clear demarcation between the government’s role as compliance regulator and tax collector, the private sector and investors’ role as developers, and the landowner’s role and interests”.

Source: Papua New Guinea Mine Watch

No new provinces: major chaos looms

BY MARTYN NAMORONG

AT THE MAY sitting of Parliament, important legislation was to be passed: amendments to the Constitution that would have created the new provinces of Hela and Jiwaka as well as reserved seats for women. Unfortunately this did not happen.

With national elections just a year away, the Electoral Commission had requested that these legal issues be ironed out by next month, giving the Commission ample time to plan for the proposed new provinces and seats.

There is a real danger of violence and chaos in the Highlands where the people of Hela and Jiwaka wait anxiously for legal recognition of the two provinces. The Hela region is home to the multi-billion dollar LNG Project.

A member of the PNG Defence Force describes the Southern Highlands-Hela region as a major national security risk. He suggests there is a buildup of arms in the Highlands in lead up to the Elections next year.

He comments that the government would be sending the armed forces to lose their lives as it did in Bougainville, because of poor decision making.

With the failure to pursue its legislative agenda, the government is responsible for a potentially volatile situation. Let’s not kid ourselves, the Southern Highlands is known to have had a failed election in 2002 that forced the declaration of a state of emergency.

Is PNG in for another failed election that may have been conveniently created to perpetuate a totalitarian regime?

It seems more unlikely now that the people of Jiwaka and Hela will have new provinces and electorates.  There isn’t much time for Parliament, the Electoral Boundaries Commission and the Electoral Commission to rectify the situation. Amendments to constitutional law need time.  Here's the political arithmetic.

Section 14 of the Constitution sets out the guidelines on how amendments are made to Organic Laws as well as to the Constitution. It sets out in Section 14(1) that an absolute majority of two-thirds of Parliamentary votes is required to make an amendment.

It then states in section 14(2) that the proposed law must be circulated to all MPs not less than one month before it is formally introduced.  Parliament then has two opportunities to debate and voted on the amendments. Each of these voting opportunities must occur two months apart.

So basically, you need a two-thirds majority vote and more than three months in order to get an amendment to an Organic Law or the Constitution.

Yes, it seems that time has run out and, if that be so, chaos looms.

Somare: He doth bestride … like a Colossus

BY JONATHAN RITCHIE

PAPUA NEW GUINEA’s own Colossus, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, has retired from politics, due to ill health.

No other person, on either side of the Coral Sea, has so dominated the shared history of PNG and Australia as Sir Michael has since he began in public life in the middle of the 1960s.

He was PNG’s first, and until recently, last Prime Minister; a player in the rough and tumble – on occasions, literally – of the country’s political life; and the most known and recognisable face of PNG.  As said of Caesar in the lines from Shakespeare quoted here, Somare did indeed ‘bestride the narrow world’ of his country and the region, and all others, in some way, have walked ‘under his huge legs’.

Like Caesar, Somare has been down before, and unlike Caesar, he has not been assassinated.  He has come up again, ready to fight, on numerous occasions: perhaps most notably when he became Prime Minister for the fourth time following the 2002 election.  However, while (to quote another moderately well-known writer, Mark Twain) the ‘reports of his death have been greatly exaggerated’, there is little chance that the 75 year old Somare will again rise to the contest….

From the 1980s (when a long-running Inquiry into the Forest Industry implicated him in corrupt dealings), Somare’s reputation has been tarnished, to the extent that in late 2010 he stepped down temporarily while an investigation was under way into his financial affairs.  He never returned to the Prime Ministership (although he retained the office, his deputy, Sam Abal, has acted in the role since Somare stepped aside).  An old man of 74 by this time, Somare took the chance to undergo surgery on his heart and with subsequent complications, his health has not improved sufficiently for him to return to the Prime Ministership and so he has, at last, retired….

It is still too early for a full assessment of Somare’s place in the history of PNG, the region, and the decolonised world.  There are, however, three more-or-less uncontroversial conclusions that can be made about his importance for many, if not all, Papua New Guineans.

The first is that there should be a great debt that is owed to him and others like him who worked to help create a modern, vibrant, and – in the main – unified nation from what had been only a few years before independence a divided and dependent collection of tiny communities.

It is sometimes hard to recall the enormous achievements that were made by the women and men of Somare’s generation, and if there remain many more mountains yet to be climbed for PNG, it is worth taking some time to remember the ranges which have been conquered already.

The second is that, like Caesar, Somare was and is a flawed human being.  The truth or otherwise concerning the rectitude of his behaviour may show, as many suspect, an egregious capacity for corruption or impropriety.  If this is the case, let his life be seen as an example, in all its irregularities, of the difficulties and temptations implicit in the type of power politics, PNG-style, and let future generations of political leaders learn from it how not to behave.

The final assessment is that over the five decades of his political presence in PNG, he has acquired a deeply-situated, almost visceral place in the national psyche….  Love him or detest him, Somare has become such an embedded part of Papua New Guineans’ lives that it is difficult for many to imagine what it will be like when he is gone.

Read the full article, End of a Colossus, here

Source: Deakin University

Kuni landowners succeed after long struggle

 

AFTER A 10 YEAR court battle against one of the worst logging companies in Papua New Guinea, landowners in Western Province are celebrating an overdue victory - they have finally been compensated.

The PNG National Court has awarded over $90 million for environmental damage and social disharmony caused by the Malaysian company, Concord Pacific.

The Court’s judgment was based on statements from 1,800 members of four tribes and expert evidence by three environmental scientists who conducted audits and presented evidence to the court.

"After a long battle of 10 years, I am very satisfied with the outcome of the case,” said the head of Lake Murray's Kuni tribe, Sep Galeva.  “It is a warning to the logging and mining companies that if they are doing illegal operations, they won’t get away with it.

“Papua New Guinean’s cannot continue to suffer from the selfish acts of foreign companies. We can no longer sit back and watch our natural resources be taken away and our environment destroyed without any meaningful benefits.

“The PNG Government needs to put in place a moratorium on destructive logging like this. We also need tough policies to make sure logging companies pay a bond before they operate, to make sure that in the event of unlawful damage or breach of agreements, the money can be given to affected landowners.

“Also, any foreign company should declare their mother companies and assets overseas to make it easier to track them if that they run away from their responsibilities.

“Let’s continue to work together to take on these monsters. We must do it for our future generations.”

Source: Greenpeace

Anzac cruise to honour Rabaul heroes

AURORA EXPEDITIONS will stage a special commemorative voyage to Papua New Guinea next April, to mark the upcoming 70th anniversary of Australia’s involvement in PNG during World War II.

The voyage will encompass visits to historical sites from Alotau to Rabaul, ending with a special dawn Anzac Day service in Rabaul.

Lost in Paradise – Our Fallen Heroes will depart Alotau on 14 April landing at key historic sites such as Samarai, Linden Harbour, Jacquinot Bay, Tol and Rabaul.

An onboard historian will interpret the significance of these areas and shine a light on the courage and tragedy of Lark Force in the Battle of Rabaul, and the ensuing loss of troop and civilian life on the Montevideo Maru.

The cruise will include opportunities to snorkel pristine reefs, witness traditional singsings and simply take in the natural beauty of PNG.

Prices for the 13-day expedition start from $5,690 per person quad-share, including all meals on board, shore excursions and lectures. Aurora Expeditions can also organise all flight, accommodation, transfer and pre and post touring in PNG.

A proportion of the profits from the voyage will be given to the Rabaul and Montevideo Maru Memorial Society for a memorial which it is hoped will be constructed at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra next year.

Source: Aurora Expeditions

Arresting the decline of the pig-nosed turtle

BY SARAH ZIELINSKI

 
THE PIG-NOSED TURTLE – a freshwater species found in Papua New Guinea and northern Australia – is a cute little critter.

Its evolutionarily important because, not only is it the last member of its once widespread breed, it shares features with marine turtles and might represent a transition as turtles moved from freshwater to the oceans.

In addition, the turtle is a key source of protein for people in PNG, particularly in areas where protein is scarce.

In Australia, the turtle suffers from habitat loss, but the problem in PNG is different because people eat the turtles, and their eggs, in large quantities.

Scientists have found that female turtles have become smaller over the last 30 years as larger turtles were taken for food. In addition, local villagers intensively harvested turtle nests for eggs.

“The level of harvest involved is unlikely to be sustainable,” the scientists write.

But any management plan cannot be a simple one focused on eliminating hunting. The species will have to be managed more like a fishery. “We need to provide win-win outcomes to both local and conservation communities,” Carla Eisemberg of the University of Canberra says.

There are several roadblocks to conservation: The local human population is growing and people have settled along the riverbanks where they can more easily find turtles. New technologies, such as modern fishing equipment, have also aided the turtle harvest.

Don’t expect the scientists to give up, however. Turtles are important both to them and to the PNG people who depend on them for food.  The two groups must work together to let the pig-nosed turtle survive.

Does PNG really have an attitude problem?

BY MARTYN NAMORONG

I ASKED SOME of my friends on a chat site to highlight some issues that were of concern to them about Papua New Guinea.

Those who responded mentioned issues such as lack of good governance, access to education, poor health indicators and an attitude problem. Many viewed a change in people’s attitudes as a precondition for real change elsewhere.

What do people mean when they refer to the attitude problem? For Governor Powes Parkop of the nation’s capital, it centres on littering and respect for public property. The Police think it’s to do with crime and public nuisance. Teachers say juvenile delinquency and students think it’s to do with schools being mismanaged or teachers not attending class.

Most people think it’s the urban drifters who need to be prevented from leaving their villages by the Vagrancy Act. The urban drifters and anyone who isn’t a politician thinks it’s the corrupt, pot bellied big shots who wear cowboy hats and drive in Toyota Landcruisers, as Jeffrey Febi once stated.

It seems everyone has an attitude problem, including me - and that’s according to the woman who gave birth to me.

In describing the concept of the State, someone wrote that because the State belongs to everyone, it belongs to no-one. In applying this to the so called attitude problem, one can say that because everyone has an attitude problem, no-one has and attitude problem.  Sounds counter-intuitive, doesn’t it?  Yet it makes sense.  Because if everyone wears pink, no-one is out of order.

What if Governor Parkop didn’t blame the general public for the mess and reflected on how inefficient the garbage collection mechanism was thus creating the eyesore.  What if the teachers saw that they had enrolled more students than they could manage?  What if the students reflected on the high demand on school resources that led to a lack of capacity?

What if the urban dwellers reflected on the push factors that forced people to move to the city, because decisions made by powerful city elite did not serve the interests of the rural majority?

I always thought street vendors were a public nuisance until I became one.  Interestingly, my customers would think every other street vendor except me should be sent packing.  I never knew how kind Goilala people could be until I met my buai mums – the women from whom I buy betelnut to resell.

The attitude problem is a façade. It is used a lot by influential people to distort the truth. Unfortunately, many of us have joined the bandwagon and are pointing the fingers at each other.  It has become a term that is now synonymous with the fringe dwellers of the city – the poorly educated urban poor.

Because these people are of lower socio economic and educational background, they are unable to articulate their arguments the way their critics do.  They do not put out media statements or appear on television to defend their dignity.  Thus the one-sided prejudiced attacks are now seen by many uncritical minds as the gospel truth.

Every time there is a failure on the part of Police they are able to find a convenient excuse and blame the ‘publics’ attitude problem.  Politicians who are poorly managing the affairs of the State cry foul over the public’s pasin (attitude). senisim pasin (change of attitude) seems to be a favorite mantra, even amongst so called advocates of change.

So does PNG have an attitude problem?  Yes it does, but it isn’t what is being communicated in the mainstream media.  The attitude problem is one of a failure to build a modern multicultural society and a sense of communal existence.

There are no modern communities in all towns and cities. What we have are enclaves of tribal or neo-tribal groupings. There is little person-to-person interaction outside of one’s personally defined social zone. There is a failure to coexist in a modern society and so by default, people live as if they are still in their traditional tribal territories.

The task that no one is up to is social engineering- building communities and fusion points.  Sport has an important role in building new fusion communities.  Sadly, popular sports such as rugby league are perpetuating the status quo by having tribalistic province based clubs.

Schools also are places to develop new mindsets; however educators perpetuate the cultural baggage. Instead of deliberately encouraging cross-cultural interaction, students are tagged and boxed into traditional cultural groupings during so called cultural shows.

Imagine an Asaro mud men dance being performed by Sepik students. The Sepik students learn to appreciate the art, culture and mythology of the Asaro people and begin to empathise and identify common ground with their peers.

No one is building communities and defining a new modern society. We all are stuck in our social enclaves and hurling abuse at those outside. So the people you think have an attitude problem, also believe that you have an attitude problem.

Artefact treasures were hidden in plain view

BY SUSAN HAGEN

FOLLOWING UP on a footnote in a book a few years ago, Robert Foster, the professor of anthropology and of visual and cultural studies at the University of Rochester, drove an hour west of Rochester and found one of the largest and oldest collections of Pacific Islands artifacts anywhere in the world.

That 2006 discovery took place in the Buffalo Museum of Science. Although the museum had a couple of dozen objects on display, when staff took Foster to the museum’s storeroom he discovered thousands of pieces.

“I was stunned,” Foster says. “It was off the map. Buffalo’s not a place you’d expect Pacific Islands objects to be.”

The P G T Black Collection—safely preserved at the museum for the last 70 years—contains some 6,200 objects from remote villages and colonial outposts across Melanesia, everything from stone axes and toys to fishing tools and spears.

Although individual items had been displayed, a catalogue of the collection had never been published and the trove of cultural treasures remained virtually unknown among scholars.

“The collection provides a window into the early encounters between Pacific Islanders and traders, missionaries, and collectors,” says Foster, an expert on the effects of globalisation.

“These objects reveal islanders’ innovative response to the influx of Europeans and new technologies around the turn of the 20th century.”

“It’s an unusual collection in that it emphasises everyday objects more than exotic ritual objects,” he says. “I’ve speculated that in some ways it’s a ‘shadow’ collection, representing objects that were being replaced at the time by what Europeans were bringing in.”

P G T Black [right], the collector, was a branch inspector for Burns Philp & Co, the trading and shipping firm based in Sydney.  He acquired the objects—pieces used by Pacific Islanders at the time—between 1886 and 1916, and in 1938 the Buffalo Museum of Science bought, sight unseen, the 40 crates they filled.

Lacking proper documentation, the Black collection remained relatively unknown even among Pacific studies specialists. The problem, Foster explains, was that without accurate records of where and under what circumstances objects were acquired, scholars lacked crucial context for them.

But a lucky break and some timely advocacy by museum staff and Foster solved the mystery. After tracking down Black’s grandson in California during the mid-1990s, a former museum curator discovered that the family owned three trunks of papers, including material from the period when Black was collecting.

Last year, following inquiries from Foster, Black’s great-grandson donated the original diaries to the museum. From these documents—itineraries, really, says Foster—and other material in the Australian archives, Foster has been able to piece together some of the missing background on the collection.

His scholarly sleuthing will now culminate in a book, an online catalogue, and a museum exhibit, Journeys into Papua, that opens in September in celebration of the museum’s 150th anniversary.

The collaboration is a “match made in heaven,” says Kathryn Leacock, curator of collections at the museum. “He provides the research, we have the collection.”

Foster anticipates that the insights culled from the collection will eventually come full circle. He’s working with senior researchers at the Australian Museum, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Australian National University on ways to incorporate the objects from the Black collection into regional projects.

Such initiatives, he says, will help make the artifacts accessible to the communities from which they originated and provide a rich set of resources for constructing local histories.

“It’s amazing when you think of these objects that were created in New Guinea in the 1890s and then went to Australia, and then to Buffalo and then—for those that were part of other exhibitions—New York or San Francisco or Washington DC,” says Foster.

“They’re not inert. They have what I call ‘social lives’—and new meanings continually get attached to them.”

 

Photos: [1] One of Black’s meticulously kept diaries  [2] P G T Black, the Australian inspector for Burns Philp who collected the items between 1886 and 1916.  [3] A museum drawer holds examples of earrings and other ornaments from Central Province

Source: Rochester Review, University of Rochester.  Additional reporting by Kathleen McGarvey.  Photographs by Adam Fenster

New Ireland Bible translation presses ahead

IT IS ESTIMATED that 25% of Papua New Guinea is comprised of evangelical Christians.  But many people have yet to have the Bible translated into their own native languages.

Some 830 languages are spoken in PNG, representing 12% of the world's languages.  To help push the translation projects toward completion, the Bible translation ministry, Wycliffe Associates, is raising funds for the New Ireland Translation Institute.

Wycliffe Associates is helping national teams at the Institute to get the New Testament translated into the last 15 languages in the province that are without scripture.

National translators living in New Ireland regularly travel from their villages to the Institute to undertake translation. They rely heavily on the support of Wycliffe Associates for everything from their food during the training to the computers they use for translation.

"These people are committed to bringing God's Word to their people," says Bruce Smith, president and CEO of Wycliffe Associates.

"Despite impossible travel conditions, health problems and personal tragedy, they persevere. Nothing can stop them, except for a lack of funds."

This year, it will cost $270,000 to fund the 15 translation projects underway at the Institute.

Source: Mission Network News

The public service needs a shake up

A LEADING EDUCATIONIST in Papua New Guinea is challenging the country's public service to change the culture of its work practices so people can get better value for service.

Father Jan Czuba is president of Divine Word University in Madang and he made the comments at a gathering of senior public servants recently.

He told participants that people have lost confidence in many sections of the public service.

Fr Czuba says public servants' work should be led by moral principals.

Source: Radio Australia

Getting politics out of public sector spending

BY REGINALD RENAGI

THE PNG GOVERNMENT needs to develop an action plan to reduce public sector spending on political projects through a community–based campaign.

The campaign should start now by conducting planning sessions with participating organisations.

The aim is to develop integrated long-term strategies and plans to achieve major reductions in political spending.

Without intensification of this effort, PNG will see a much higher level of public expenditure than before. As history has shown, political skullduggery is the major cause of continual national budget blow-outs and growing debt.

By 2016, in five years time, reformed political structures should be in place. If these prove successful in preventing malfeasance, the resulting political stability will make for a more progressive nation.

I am confident that the next decade will include realistic strategies for achieving change and avoiding past political blunders.

We will need bipartisan agreement on a national reform strategy including:

A plan for impacting the elite debate.  We must target national and community influencers including former political and bureaucratic leaders;

A mechanism to empower national interest groups;

A benchmark education of MPs and the civil administration at all levels; and

A continuous nationwide communications plan.

The public must be able to exert substantial influence on shaping government policy.

Another important matter is the continued threats to our national security interests.  For example, tribal conflicts highlight the inadequacy of current government policy and response capacities.

The State’s own political restraint of the PNGDF is lessening its operational effectiveness.  Such measures against our security force have all but rendered it impotent.

Action to reduce our national debt must not restrict the need to invest in national security.

Going by past trends, the main constraint to realising public savings in successive government’s expenditure is the excessive secrecy involved.  As long as this level of government secrecy remains, cutting out the non-essential and wasteful government programs will be difficult.

Secret group will back election candidates

BY KEITH JACKSON

A GROUP OF expatriate Papua New Guineans is seeking to source funds to support the campaigns of what it terms “a select group of PNG wantoks” in next year’s national election.

And it has warned that weapons are being amassed and that “chaos could reign supreme” when “warlords” face off during the election campaign.

The email marked ‘strictly confidential’ obtained by PNG Attitude says that a bus kivung is planned to be held in Cairns at the end of next month, at which a delegation from PNG will meet with unnamed expatriate Papua New Guineans interested in funding an elite team of candidates.

“I know for certain that all our PNG wantoks in Mount Isa will be organising several fund raising events to help generate funds to support these highly intellectual achievers to gain or form a block (sic) for a good, open and transparent governance in our beloved country Papua na New Guinea,” the writer says.

He continues: “I am only a mere pawn in this struggle to improve the quality of life for ALL of her citizens. I would like your financial support to bring about a change of government for the betterment of olgeta pipol insait long kantri bilong yumi olgeta - PNG.”

The email continues in Tok Pisin: “We must unite to support young men and women who understand how to get rid of the present politicians to clear the way for closer relations with Australia and the Pacific to strengthen the region.”

“The 2012 elections will be contested vigorously,” the writer says.  “I have heard very strong rumours that there will be problems, and chaos will reign supreme as firearms are now being amassed in certain provinces.  We must avoid a warlord situation to manifest itself in PNG.

“Please, we expatriate PNGS must prevent this happening.  PNG is our home too.  Those that have called PNG their home for so many years, do not turn your back on her now.

“We need your support to help finance a group of elite PNG members, the creme de la crème who can govern the country without fear or favour and create stability for all of her people to enjoy.”

The group is seeking funding and networking from Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in the Pacific.

We can vote for a new political order in 2012

BY REGINALD RENAGI

I THINK IT’S GOOD to put ideas on the table and generate debate aimed at reforming our political system.  So let me put this idea.  It’s time we had a new political order in PNG.

After some 36 years of political independence, it is important for citizens to now define a political model that best suits our social, cultural and developmental context.

Next year, PNG will be having its eighth national elections since independence.  In all this time, no government has ever made a concerted effort to initiate major political reform.

The current government has little time left in office to do anything.  Its inert leadership will not commit time or resources to political reform.

By now, politicians should have critically looked at our current system and come up with practical ways of making things better.  We need a reformed political system and a better governance structure.

An ideal model would be to establish state governments under a federal system in the next five years.  And at the same time, relocate our capital city to the heartland of the nation in the Arona Valley, Eastern Highlands (first mooted in the 1980s but never followed up).

Four autonomous state governments and a small central government in the capital to direct play is the way forward.

For a multi-cultural country with many complex development challenges, this is what we need.  The model we have today has many flaws and must be totally overhauled - a more streamlined government structure with a reduced bureaucracy.

‘Big Man’ politics in PNG is predominantly more prevalent in the Highlands than the coastal provinces.  Let's hope the 2012 national election will see some improvements over the last two.  But the reality is that next year’s election will still see big money being spent; especially in the Highlands.

We will also see younger political candidates and women trying to run for public office.  This is good for our country.  This will happen as older generation politicians are seen to not make any real difference in the way their electorates have developed.

Successive governments never learnt the lessons from the past.  The current regime is a classic case in point.  The Somare government in its two consecutive five-year terms never made any fundamental difference to improve the quality of life for ordinary citizens.

Increased GDP has had very little or no ‘trickle-down effect to rural PNG.  The many displaced people in urban areas do not relish the thought of returning to their home provinces.

The same can be said of the rural masses flocking to towns and cities every year in search of a better quality of life.  When they don't find what they are looking, they squat on other people’s traditional land.

Unfortunately, urban areas have also now become harsh socio-economic environments for many of our people.  So they tend to engage in crime and other anti-social related activities to survive.

Here is a challenge for all citizens to try and make some difference for the future.  Make sure your vote counts by selecting good honest leaders into public office in 2012.

It’s time we all take back our country and freedom from the politicians.  Let’s make them fully accountable when they get into public office.

Need for more investigative journalism

BY NELSON P THOM

PAPUA NEW GUINEA has one of the most vibrant media industries in the Pacific - excluding Australia and New Zealand - if not the most vibrant.

We have more radio stations, newspapers and television stations compared to any of the island countries in the Pacific.  A good thing to be right up there, but a bad thing if we cannot lead the way, to break stride and explore new boundaries.

In developing countries like PNG and the rest of the Pacific, simple journalism in any medium works out fine.  Nothing complicated, just simple writing and the lot can lure your audience to your medium.  However, some of these are either not working or not present at all.

I want to discuss investigative journalism in PNG and whether or not we as journalists and mediums have encouraged or allowed this important method of reporting to occur freely.

Every now and then, there will be a story in the papers, radio or TV that is an investigate journalistic piece. But you look at PNG, with the rate of corruption, and the bad things individuals are pursuing for their own benefit. 

And  we simply ask "How did they do that? Is that legal or right? Are the people aware of such a thing? Should I report about it? Should I dig deep and ask the tough questions?

PNG's media industry is one of the most freest in the region, without much scrutiny, the stories get a run. Despite certain barrings of the media, we still get a run, so why is that we still lack that important piece of writing. Before I go on lets just define Investigative Journalism. 

According to Wikipedia  Investigative Journalism means: A form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Most investigative journalism is done by newspapers, wire services and freelance journalists. Practitioners sometimes use the terms "watchdog journalism" or "accountability reporting."

Note the text, crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. Are these all present in PNG and have we spent time to deeply investigate such reports or stories that are published every now and then in the mediums?

From my point of view, we have not down enough, we still leave many questions unanswered, and we leave our audience making assumptions of what really is the answer to their questions.

Why have we not done enough investigative journalism? There may be many questions and different answers. But we have a freedom, none like any other in the region. Our people are suffering, we are suffering!

The truth is out there but we don't want to know, or we do want too but not doing enough to get it. Our institutions, must encourage investigative journalism in the young up and coming journalists.

I can sit here and write about this but nothing is going to happen, we need to get out there and do something to promote more investigative journalism. I can admit that I can't ask the tough questions but there are some journalists and reporters out there that can and they must be given every opportunity to do so.

I can answer some of the questions on why Investigative Journalism is lacking in PNG but like I have mentioned it would be different to others. So I leave it open for discussion.

Nelson B Thom is a University of Papua New Guinea journalism and public relations graduate. He publishes the PNG Media Critic blog

Source: Pacific Media Centre

Golfing in Papua New Guinea

BY PETER KRANZ

I WAS ENJOYING a game at the Kokopo Golf Club a few years ago.  It must be one of the most beautiful courses in the world.

The smoking and shuddering volcanoes in the distance, a marvellous view overlooking the beach and Simpson Harbour, the course surrounded by coconut palms, and the first tee is just next to the remaining steps of Queen Emma's house (lost in World War II.

I was about to take a shot when I heard a cry from the top of a coconut tree, "Would you like some coconut kula mister white man?"

A young man had climbed to the top of a tree with no ropes or any other safety device (it must have been 30 metres high) and was throwing down the coconuts to his friends on the ground.

He then asked me to take a picture of him, and jumped down in about three seconds to shake my hand. He whacked the top off a coconut with his bushknife and I enjoyed the drink very much.

Bloody amazing!

From Golfing in Papua New Guinea, a small booklet by Charles Micheals written to help preserve some of the history and photos of the various PNG golf courses.

Download Golfing In Papua New Guinea - July 2011