PNGDF can't handle an internal security threat!

THE CRITIC

Two years ago, the former commander of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force, retired Major General Jerry Singirok, raised concerns about the state of the PNGDF. He said in very plain terms that the "army" was in no position to protect the country from an internal security threat similar to that on Bougainville. 

Singirok rose through the ranks as a veteran of the Bougainville war then became known as the commander who called on Prime Minister Julius Chan to resign when the government chose to hire Tim Spicer's Sandline mercenaries to end the Bougainville crisis.

Singirok believes the country is nearing a tipping point in terms of its internal security. As a member of the Guns Committee he has, on many occasions, said that the police are outgunned, the Defense force limited and inadequate with a little over 2000 men and women while landowners and criminal gangs stockpile weapons for various reasons. 

That internal security threat has become more complicated with the buyout of local security firm G4S by a London based company owned by none other than Tim Spicer himself. 

The government itself can't deal with the situation even if it wanted to. Spicer has too much money to play around with. Retired Colonel Reginald Renagi says the Sandline Crisis had a tremendous psychological impact on political minds. Many within political circles are of the opinion that increasing the PNGDF's capacity to counter such an internal threat is a double edged sword and that a dissatisfied commander could create a situation similar to or worse than the Sandline crisis in 1997. 

But then again, maybe we do need a situation like that again. Sandline caused political leaders to open their eyes and ears to the ordinary people. The Chan government needed some form of shock treatment which was delivered by Singirok and the military. Singirok could have seized power if he wanted. But he didn't.