PNGBLOGS

Papua New Guinea is considering introducing the death penalty for sorcery killings and rape after a spate of horrific crimes against women drew international condemnation. Attorney-General Kerenga Kua said public opinion had swung in favour of capital punishment after a series of brutal sorcery-related murders including beheadings and torchings, and the gang rape of a US academic. Kua said he had received more than 100 petitions from human rights and other groups across the globe calling for urgent action on the violence against women. "Those horrific, brutal, gruesome killings of the type that a woman was burnt alive to her death should attract death penalty," The National newspaper reported Kua as saying. "Most of the people are ready for it and they want it now as they are fed up of the law and order problems in this country and they want to see a more liberal use of the death penalty." In February a 20-year-old mother accused of witchcraft was stri

Papua New Guinea is considering introducing the death penalty for sorcery killings and rape after a spate of horrific crimes against women drew international condemnation. Attorney-General Kerenga Kua said public opinion had swung in favour of capital punishment after a series of brutal sorcery-related murders including beheadings and torchings, and the gang rape of a US academic. Kua said he had received more than 100 petitions from human rights and other groups across the globe calling for urgent action on the violence against women. "Those horrific, brutal, gruesome killings of the type that a woman was burnt alive to her death should attract death penalty," The National newspaper reported Kua as saying. "Most of the people are ready for it and they want it now as they are fed up of the law and order problems in this country and they want to see a more liberal use of the death penalty." In February a 20-year-old mother accused of witchc

The National Capital District and East New Britain are two of the most developed and affluent areas of PNG. Citizens and residents of NCD and ENB enjoy a higher standard of living than people in other provinces. In particular, the NCD enjoys the special status as the nation’s capital, hosting the seats of government and commerce as well as Port Moresby city whose privileged population enjoys a lifestyle that most citizens can only dream of. Despite their high political and socio-economic status, the NCD and ENB are two of the worst crime areas in the country. Like social diseases, crimes such as rape have become prevalent in both pla­ces, according to police. Yesterday, acting NCD metropolitan commander Pe­rou N’dranou lamented the increase in rape cases in the nation’s capital and warned women and young girls to be extra careful about their safety. And in today’s paper, ENB police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr confirmed that there was an increase in gang rape, especially in the Rabaul

The National Capital District and East New Britain are two of the most developed and affluent areas of PNG. Citizens and residents of NCD and ENB enjoy a higher standard of living than people in other provinces. In particular, the NCD enjoys the special status as the nation’s capital, hosting the seats of government and commerce as well as Port Moresby city whose privileged population enjoys a lifestyle that most citizens can only dream of. Despite their high political and socio-economic status, the NCD and ENB are two of the worst crime areas in the country. Like social diseases, crimes such as rape have become prevalent in both pla­ces, according to police. Yesterday, acting NCD metropolitan commander Pe­rou N’dranou lamented the increase in rape cases in the nation’s capital and warned women and young girls to be extra careful about their safety. And in today’s paper, ENB police commander Anthony Wagambie Jr confirmed that there was an increase in gang rape, especially in

By TIM COSTELLO As we approach Anzac Day, Australians are prompted to reflect on our national character. Drawing on events far from our shores close to a century ago, we lay claim to a particular combination of traits: mateship, pulling together, and brave sacrifice. Anzac Day should also prompt us to look at those actions closer to home that help define us as good mates, ready to pull together for a common cause. I'm talking about the importance of our relationship with Papua New Guinea – Australia's closest neighbour. Our countries have enduring ties due to proximity, people, and history – and that includes shared experiences in theatres of war, like Kokoda. The genuine warmth of the relationship is evidenced by the assistance our diggers received from ordinary Papua New Guineans during World War II (some of whom we continue to dub 'angels'), and our enduring gratitude for that. So it is a natural expression of Australia's deep-rooted cultural values to continue t

By TIM COSTELLO As we approach Anzac Day, Australians are prompted to reflect on our national character. Drawing on events far from our shores close to a century ago, we lay claim to a particular combination of traits: mateship, pulling together, and brave sacrifice. Anzac Day should also prompt us to look at those actions closer to home that help define us as good mates, ready to pull together for a common cause. I'm talking about the importance of our relationship with Papua New Guinea – Australia's closest neighbour. Our countries have enduring ties due to proximity, people, and history – and that includes shared experiences in theatres of war, like Kokoda. The genuine warmth of the relationship is evidenced by the assistance our diggers received from ordinary Papua New Guineans during World War II (some of whom we continue to dub 'angels'), and our enduring gratitude for that. So it is a natural expression of Australia's deep-rooted cultural values to contin

An American academic has described being gang-raped by an armed mob in Papua New Guinea after they had hacked her hair off.  The 32-year-old's husband and a guide were stripped naked and tied up by nine men armed with rifles and knives, who ambushed the group as they walked along a forest track. They then stripped her, bound her hands, cut off her long plaited hair to the scalp at the back of the head, and gang-raped her for around 20 minutes before fleeing after something in the forest startled them. The guide managed to break free and the three of them fled naked back to the nearest village, several hours away, she said. She has decided to publicise the attack to raise awareness about violent attacks against women in the Pacific country. The attack, which was confirmed by police, comes a week after an Australian was killed and his female friend sexually assaulted by a group of men and follows a spate of "sorcery" incidents including the torture of six women in an Easter

An American academic has described being gang-raped by an armed mob in Papua New Guinea after they had hacked her hair off.  The 32-year-old's husband and a guide were stripped naked and tied up by nine men armed with rifles and knives, who ambushed the group as they walked along a forest track. They then stripped her, bound her hands, cut off her long plaited hair to the scalp at the back of the head, and gang-raped her for around 20 minutes before fleeing after something in the forest startled them. The guide managed to break free and the three of them fled naked back to the nearest village, several hours away, she said. She has decided to publicise the attack to raise awareness about violent attacks against women in the Pacific country. The attack, which was confirmed by police, comes a week after an Australian was killed and his female friend sexually assaulted by a group of men and follows a spate of "sorcery" incidents including the torture of six women in

By CONCERNED STUDENT The article on PNGBlogs “ Peter O’Neill’s Commencement Speaker Designate, Hon. HERST Minister Don Polye, Arrives Four Hours Late To Unitech Graduation ” is very wrong in some respects. It gives praise to some people who betrayed our Unitech VC. Read Monday’s National (page 5) to confirm what many people saw with their own eyes.  Last week our VC flew back to Unitech from Australia. YES, ALBERT SCHRAM RETURNED TO UNITECH!  Foreign Affairs let him in this time.  He was preparing to attend the graduation and show support for us students.  Nearly every student would have been overjoyed to see his return.  His presence answered the prayers of so many and finally made our boycott worthwhile. However our VC was betrayed by Unitech Judas.   The VC wasn’t even allowed to leave his house once he got to Unitech!  Unitech administraters and SRC president Mr Livingston Hosea made some agreement to keep us students in the dark and deny the VC to participate in the graduation.  S

By CONCERNED STUDENT The article on PNGBlogs “ Peter O’Neill’s Commencement Speaker Designate, Hon. HERST Minister Don Polye, Arrives Four Hours Late To Unitech Graduation ” is very wrong in some respects. It gives praise to some people who betrayed our Unitech VC. Read Monday’s National (page 5) to confirm what many people saw with their own eyes.  Last week our VC flew back to Unitech from Australia. YES, ALBERT SCHRAM RETURNED TO UNITECH!  Foreign Affairs let him in this time.  He was preparing to attend the graduation and show support for us students.  Nearly every student would have been overjoyed to see his return.  His presence answered the prayers of so many and finally made our boycott worthwhile. However our VC was betrayed by Unitech Judas.   The VC wasn’t even allowed to leave his house once he got to Unitech!  Unitech administraters and SRC president Mr Livingston Hosea made some agreement to keep us students in the dark and deny the VC to participate in the gradu

By KARABUSPALAU KAIKU  Officials from the Papua New Guinea Department of Foreign Affairs have been tasked to come up with a revised PNG foreign policy. Whilst this is welcomed development, there are issues that need to be thrashed out. For instance, how different is this new policy from previous foreign policy statements? What is the timeframe considered in the proposed foreign policy? What variables are considered in the framing of this foreign policy? And what specifically is PNG seeking to elicit from its foreign relations with the international community? We know that PNG is situated in the Asia-Pacific region. This region of the world is considered to be the most dynamic region in global economic and political transformations. The Asia-Pacific is also where geo-political maneuverings has gained significant attention in recent decades. As the realization of the “Asian Century” provides the guide for other countries in the region to outline their foreign policy orientations, PNG sho

By KARABUSPALAU KAIKU  Officials from the Papua New Guinea Department of Foreign Affairs have been tasked to come up with a revised PNG foreign policy. Whilst this is welcomed development, there are issues that need to be thrashed out. For instance, how different is this new policy from previous foreign policy statements? What is the timeframe considered in the proposed foreign policy? What variables are considered in the framing of this foreign policy? And what specifically is PNG seeking to elicit from its foreign relations with the international community? We know that PNG is situated in the Asia-Pacific region. This region of the world is considered to be the most dynamic region in global economic and political transformations. The Asia-Pacific is also where geo-political maneuverings has gained significant attention in recent decades. As the realization of the “Asian Century” provides the guide for other countries in the region to outline their foreign policy orientations, PN

TIME and again this newspaper has called for investigations into the abuse of monies held in trust accounts by government entities. We are merely broadcasting concerns repeatedly raised by the Auditor General and by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts. Now a senior minister is calling for an investigation to find out where an amazing K9 billion has disappeared to from trust funds between 2006 and 2011. Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa said last night that everybody is talking about corruption but no serious effort seems to be directed at recovering these billions of kina which could have gone into important infrastructure projects in the country. We agree entirely with Awesa. Task Force Sweep is doing a commendable job but it needs to do more. It needs to be supported with more resources. Indeed, it has also been our call for a merging of government entities which are doing virtually the same job but operating under different entities and different laws even.

TIME and again this newspaper has called for investigations into the abuse of monies held in trust accounts by government entities. We are merely broadcasting concerns repeatedly raised by the Auditor General and by the Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts. Now a senior minister is calling for an investigation to find out where an amazing K9 billion has disappeared to from trust funds between 2006 and 2011. Works and Implementation Minister Francis Awesa said last night that everybody is talking about corruption but no serious effort seems to be directed at recovering these billions of kina which could have gone into important infrastructure projects in the country. We agree entirely with Awesa. Task Force Sweep is doing a commendable job but it needs to do more. It needs to be supported with more resources. Indeed, it has also been our call for a merging of government entities which are doing virtually the same job but operating under different entities and different l

By LUCAS KIAP For the last 37 years of nationhood, we have been letting corruption to grow systematic and systemic - making our lives difficult, limiting our opportunities, making our systems malfunction, setting back our progresses, creating loopholes for our systems to be manipulated, distorting of our democratic values, depriving and denying us of our basic human rights and trapping millions of our citizens in poverty. We have forsaken our country and its future by confessing and accepting corruption as a norm, part of our history, cultures, and traditions. We have regarded it is as part of our way of life, for instance “Big Man” are not punishable even when they commit serious crimes. We regarded “wantok system” or nepotism as helping one another or returning a favor. Bribery has been regarded as normal and is considered as a gift to facilitate requests in a speedy or timely manner. Unfortunately, our traditional norms have presided over western norms. We are a nation at confusion

By LUCAS KIAP For the last 37 years of nationhood, we have been letting corruption to grow systematic and systemic - making our lives difficult, limiting our opportunities, making our systems malfunction, setting back our progresses, creating loopholes for our systems to be manipulated, distorting of our democratic values, depriving and denying us of our basic human rights and trapping millions of our citizens in poverty. We have forsaken our country and its future by confessing and accepting corruption as a norm, part of our history, cultures, and traditions. We have regarded it is as part of our way of life, for instance “Big Man” are not punishable even when they commit serious crimes. We regarded “wantok system” or nepotism as helping one another or returning a favor. Bribery has been regarded as normal and is considered as a gift to facilitate requests in a speedy or timely manner. Unfortunately, our traditional norms have presided over western norms. We are a nation at confu