PAPUA NEW GUINEA FAILS AT WORLD FREEDOM RANKINGS
by FREEDOM HOUSE
The Political Rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s increasingly autocratic leadership style, including his disbanding of an anticorruption task force after he became subject of a corruption investigation.
In January 2014, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and other lawmakers faced allegations of wrongdoing involving $28 million in government fees paid to a private law firm. Taskforce Sweep, O’Neill’s special anticorruption investigation body, first concluded the allegations were unfounded, but later said new evidence supported an arrest warrant for O’Neill. Following this development, O’Neill declared Taskforce Sweep to be politically compromised and disbanded the group in June, putting the police in charge of the investigation. Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki was arrested soon afterward by fraud investigators for interfering with the course of justice in relation to the case against O’Neill. O’Neill then dismissed the deputy police commissioner who approved Vaki’s arrest and initiated an investigation against Sam Koim, the anticorruption group’s director, for alleged mismanagement. The affair inflamed political divisions, and political protests were banned on grounds of avoiding violence.
The Political Rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s increasingly autocratic leadership style, including his disbanding of an anticorruption task force after he became subject of a corruption investigation.
Overview:
In January 2014, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and other lawmakers faced allegations of wrongdoing involving $28 million in government fees paid to a private law firm. Taskforce Sweep, O’Neill’s special anticorruption investigation body, first concluded the allegations were unfounded, but later said new evidence supported an arrest warrant for O’Neill. Following this development, O’Neill declared Taskforce Sweep to be politically compromised and disbanded the group in June, putting the police in charge of the investigation. Acting Police Commissioner Geoffrey Vaki was arrested soon afterward by fraud investigators for interfering with the course of justice in relation to the case against O’Neill. O’Neill then dismissed the deputy police commissioner who approved Vaki’s arrest and initiated an investigation against Sam Koim, the anticorruption group’s director, for alleged mismanagement. The affair inflamed political divisions, and political protests were banned on grounds of avoiding violence.
In July, the National Court reinstated Taskforce
Sweep. The government subsequently removed Koim from the payroll and
withheld funds for the taskforce, though the group continued to work.
Natural-resource exploitation provides the bulk of
government revenue in Papua New Guinea, making the country’s economy
vulnerable to fluctuations in mineral and energy prices.
Political Rights and Civil Liberties:
Political Rights: 23 / 40 (−1) [Key]
A. Electoral Process: 9 / 12
Voters elect a unicameral, 111-member National
Parliament to serve five-year terms. A limited preferential voting
system allows voters to choose up to three preferred candidates on their
ballots. The governor-general, who represents the United Kingdom’s
monarch as head of state, formally appoints the prime minister, who
leads the majority party or coalition in the legislature.
The 2012 parliamentary elections were generally
considered free and fair. The People’s National Congress Party (PNC) won
27 seats, independents won 16 seats, the Triumph Heritage Empowerment
Party (THE) won 12 seats, and 19 small parties shared the remainder.
O’Neill, head of the PNC, was elected prime minister. His PNC-led
coalition gives him commanding control of the National Parliament,
including approval of a 30-month moratorium on no-confidence motions
after an election and more power over the judiciary.
A $76 million soft loan from China in 2013 will pay for a new biometric voter identification system.
B. Political Pluralism and Participation: 10 / 16
There are numerous political parties, but
political loyalties are driven more by tribal, linguistic, geographic,
and personal ties than by party affiliation. Many candidates run as
independents and align with parties after they are elected.
A 2005 agreement ended a civil war in Bougainville
and provided for an independence referendum to be held between 2015 and
2020. The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) launched its civil
service in May 2014. Rent for land use and sharing of profits remain
challenging issues among the ABG, local landowners, and the government
of Papua New Guinea.
C. Functioning of Government: 4 / 12 (−1)
Pervasive corruption and official abuse are the
biggest hindrances to development. PNG ranks 145 out of 175 countries
and territories in Transparency International’s 2014 Corruption
Perceptions Index. The prime minister’s disbanding of the anticorruption
taskforce in June and subsequent manipulation of the investigation
against him were major hindrances to recent progress made against
corruption. Taskforce Sweep has aggressively pursued lawmakers, top
officials, and government agencies to root out abuses. A major case
ended in March 2014 with the conviction of a lawmaker for
misappropriating $3.8 million in public funds. Also in March, a national
court was created to fast-track hearings for cases of fraud,
dishonesty, and corruption.
Civil Liberties: 36 / 60
D. Freedom of Expression and Belief: 12 / 16
Freedom of speech is generally respected. The
media provide independent coverage of controversial issues such as
alleged police abuse, official corruption, and opposition views.
However, the government and politicians have occasionally used media
laws and defamation lawsuits to limit critical reporting. The government
also restricts media access to the detention center in Manus Island.
Internet use is growing, but high costs and lack
of infrastructure limit its spread outside urban centers. In February
2014, a new online news company, PNG Edge, began operation. In April,
lawmakers proposed a cybercrime bill that outlaws use of pseudonyms on
social media and requires biometric scanning of SIM cards for mobile
phones.
In 2013, church leaders spoke out against a
lawmaker’s proposal to consider banning non-Christian faiths. The
predominantly Christian country is home to a 5,000-member Muslim
community, which has rapidly grown in recent years.
Academic freedom is generally respected, but the
government does not always tolerate criticism. In April, lawmakers
threatened to deport Paul Barker, director of a local research
institute, for an alleged breach of his work visa. Barker has been a
critic of government spending, which has caused contention with the
ruling coalition. In 2013, the government ordered schools to replace
local vernacular with English in instruction.
E. Associational and Organizational Rights: 9 / 12
The constitution provides for freedoms of assembly
and association, although the government frequently undermines attempts
to hold public demonstrations. Marches and demonstrations require 14
days’ notice and police approval, which is rarely granted. In June 2014,
all public assembly was suspended following O’Neill’s arrest, but
police allowed peaceful sit-ins to take place. Many civil society groups
provide social services and advocate for women’s rights, the
environment, and other causes. The government recognizes workers’ rights
to strike, organize, and engage in collective bargaining. However, the
government has been known to impose arbitration in labor disputes before
workers had the opportunity to strike.
F. Rule of Law: 7 / 16
The judiciary is generally independent; however,
the government has exerted political pressure on the court system in the
past. Authorities passed a series of laws in 2012 designed to undermine
judicial independence, but these were repealed in 2013. The Supreme
Court is the final court of appeal and has jurisdiction on
constitutional matters. Shortage of trained judicial personnel is a key
cause of lengthy detentions and trial delays. Laypeople sit on village
courts to adjudicate minor offenses under customary and statutory law.
Law enforcement officials have been implicated in
corruption, unlawful killings, extortion, rape, theft, and brutality, in
addition to being largely ineffective in curbing mob violence, tribal
warfare, and other crimes. The government plans to double the size of
its 5,000-member police force in 2015.
Prison conditions are poor, and the correctional service is understaffed. Prison breaks are common.
After no executions for 50 years, capital
punishment was reinstated by the National Parliament in late 2013. In
early 2014, a technical team began studying the procedures of other
countries with the death penalty to consider how to implement the new
law. Thirteen prisoners are currently awaiting execution.
The government plans to expand the military from
1,900 to 10,000 troops, drawing criticism from advocates for
prioritizing the military over underfunded health and education
projects. Observers also suspect the build-up is intended to safeguard
foreign corporate assets in the country rather than to bolster defense
or fight piracy, as authorities claim. Papua New Guinea receives aid
from China, and a new military agreement with the United States includes
logistical support, supplies, and services for military training.
Lack of development in the country exacerbates
competition and intensifies tribal rivalries, frequently resulting in
violent clashes, injuries, and deaths. Resentment toward the rapid
spread of Chinese-owned businesses and their import of Chinese workers
has resulted in many violent attacks.
Controversy persists over the country’s agreement
with Australia regarding asylum seekers. Migrants from third-party
countries that reach Australia are sent to a detention center in Papua
New Guinea where they are held pending a review of their asylum
applications. However, even if granted refugee status, migrants will
only be resettled in Papua New Guinea, with no opportunity to return to
Australia. Opposition lawmakers challenge the legality of this
arrangement, and local authorities and communities have demanded a
bigger share of funds from Australia, as well as support for
infrastructure projects. Detainees complain about poor living conditions
and delays in immigration processing. Their protests turned violent in
February, leading to a mass breakout; 35 people escaped, and one person
died from a head injury. Guards allegedly used sticks, iron bars, rubber
hoses, and other objects to subdue the protesters. A National Court
judge ordered an inquiry into the February incident. A leaked report by
the Australian contractor managing the facility states that there are
daily occurrences of self-harm, suicide attempts, and attacks on guards
and personnel. Delayed medical attention left a detainee dead in
September. At year’s end, there were more than 1,000 detainees.
Australia spent approximately $100 million to build a village for the
refugees in the provincial capital of Manus Island.
Same-sex sexual relations are a criminal offense. No laws protect against discrimination or hate crimes.
G. Personal Autonomy and Individual Rights: 8 / 16
Discrimination and violence against women and
children are widespread. In a 2013 UN survey, 61 percent of Papua New
Guinea men reported to have raped someone at least once. Allegations of
sorcery—rooted in superstitions or used as an excuse for personal
vendettas—frequently makes women the target of violence. In April 2014,
189 persons were charged with burning 8 people to death.
Papua New Guinea does not meet any of the UN
Millennium Development Goals. According to the Joint United Nations
Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Papua New Guinea is host to 90 percent
of new HIV/AIDS cases in the Pacific. Tuberculosis is widespread. In
February 2014, government health facilities began providing free basic
health services and treatment for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and mental
health issues.
According to the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons Report for the year 2014,
Papua New Guinea has not made significant efforts to prevent and
prosecute trafficking or assist victims. The report rated PNG as a tier
three country, in which both local and foreign victims are trafficked
for sex work, child labor, and manual labor. Papua New Guinea is not a
party to UN the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in
Persons.
X = Score Received
Y = Best Possible Score
Z = Change from Previous Year