PNG civil society rises to confront its politicians

BY KEITH JACKSON

A NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST is planned in Papua New Guinea on Tuesday as trade unions, businesses, civil society organisations, universities, churches and rank and file citizens convene a national day of action and a march on parliament.

The day of action is to challenge the O’Neill government’s move, approved by parliament on Thursday, to defer the 2012 national elections by six months.

A media release issued on behalf of a group called ‘Civil Society and all Coalition Partners’, says the move to defer the election is “unconstitutional and denies the right of every PNG citizen to vote every five years.”

The statement goes on to say:

This move is unacceptable to the people of PNG. This prime minister has lied to the people saying that the elections will proceed as normal and then goes back on his word.

We the people of PNG do not want to hear lies! We the people of PNG want to have our say through our votes and we will not be denied our rights to vote in the elections!

We the people of PNG are now demanding the government to rescind this motion to ‘defer the elections’ immediately!

We demand that the elections go ahead at the appointed time. By 27 April, the writs must be issued and due election process allowed to occur.

We the people of PNG declare that we will not relent in our protest until our demands are complied with!

Demonstrators will converge at Sir John Guise Stadium by 8am Tuesday and march on Parliament House.

Bus pick-ups will be done in Gerehu, Morata, Bomana, 14-mile, Brown River, Porebada, Hanuabada, Sabama, Taurama and other areas.

The organisers make a clarion call for “all Papua New Guineans to come … wear your independence day PNG tee-shirts.

The statements says that people will “march, protest and camp outside Parliament House until parliament rescinds the motion to defer the election.”

Comments

[G A Selit]

It took years to write the constitution - why should we allow self centred leaders to scrape it in a space of seconds?

Allow people power to remove these greedy leaders.

[Bernard Yegiora]

Civil society organisations, UPNG students, NGOs and the unions need to understand the issue in detail before proceeding with their planned protest tomorrow (Tuesday).

In detail meaning when they give in their petition one of the main points should call for the CJ to step down.

They need to present a balanced petition which is not biassed to the CJ. The CJ's behaviour was the main reason why this law was framed.

Whether or not the attack on him was a form of character assassination, we are now in a crisis and he is an integral part of the crisis.

A balanced petition will help neutralise the tension between the executive and the judiciary.

I assume the O'Namah government will be happy if there is pressure on the CJ to step down. This will cause them to rethink their decisions.

Otherwise, we have a war between both arms of government, the executive needs more time (six more months) to stamp its authority by getting rid of the CJ for good.

[Bernard Yegiora]

PNG is a nation of 800 different people groups. It will be history in the making if a gathering of this nature happens.

Also what effect will it have on the government?

Bear in mind that those in power have control over key resources and state agencies as shown in Syria and Egypt.

They can use these elements to their advantage by squashing the protest if things get out of hand.

I am not saying it will happen but who knows anything is possible in the "land of the unexpected".

[Bruce K Daosak]

The politicians think they can completely make a mockery of the people's trust and get away with it.

The electoral commissioner, the police and defence chiefs, and the PM himself have all said in the media time and time again that elections will proceed as scheduled. And yet we have a complete backflip.

The people are completely pissed off. They need satisfactory answers by Tuesday as anger is rising in the community.

[Oyomba Dudua]

Our politicians have been abusing us for too long. If it was in some other countries than there would be a lot of chaos and revolt.

Why are PNGns having a lot of patience and just watching while the country is going down and down. After all, it is us the people that suffer from the politicians' self interested decision making.

Let us for once gather together and show them the people power. We've beaten them (politicians) before in the Sandline crisis. We can beat them again.

Please, spread the word around. Everyone to meet at the stadium at 8am Tuesday.

[Joe Wasia]

Papua New Guineans cannot be fooled by so called leaders. They cannot dictate the democracy of this sovereign nation and its people.

We want to see the deferral of the elections withdrawn and the controversial judiciary conduct bill repealed.

NGOs, unions, students and people of PNG must oppose these two decisions. We must not stop until our cries are heard.

[Barney Smythe]

Appropriate to meet at the Stadium. A chance for transparency, rather than being indisGuise.
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Barney, most of the people who write here can make weak puns. But do you have anything substantial to contribute? - KJ