Call for Objection to the DCA on June Parliament Sitting

by MICHAEL TAM

The US-PNG Defence Cooperation Agreement was signed on May 22nd by PNG Defence Minister Win Bakri Daki and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken at APEC Haus. This occurred despite nationwide protests urging Prime Minister Marape to dismiss JT and refrain from signing the security pact.

The Marape Government has consistently shown a lack of respect for the people of PNG. Marape, JT, and their officials continue to refer to the protesting PNG students as "Primitive Animals" within their internal Whatsapp Group. It is disheartening to see these politicians enjoy privileges and funds bestowed upon them by voters and taxpayers, while simultaneously discriminating against us as if they are not part of the PNG community. We must persist in our fight to expose and remove these corrupt politicians from the PNG Government and prevent them from selling PNG's sovereignty to the US through the DCA. Despite Marape's assurances to the media that PNG will not be used as a launching pad for war, can he and his weak government truly prevent the US from using PNG as a military base and battleground when the need arises? We have serious doubts.

Similar to the Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the US and Japan, the anti-treaty movement in Okinawa failed to prevent the signing of the treaty despite its significant size. Consequently, US military bases now cover approximately one-fifth of Okinawa, housing about 75% of the US forces stationed in Japan. The noise and environmental pollution caused by the US forces in Japan remain contentious issues for many Okinawans, leading to heart problems, disrupted sleep patterns, and impaired cognitive skills in children. Toxic chemical runoff from US bases, the use of depleted uranium rounds in live-fire drills, and the construction and expansion activities of the bases have polluted Okinawa's water supply and damaged its once-pristine coral reefs, diminishing their economic value for fishing and tourism. The strongest opposition in Okinawa stems from criminal acts committed by US service members and their dependents. There have even been cases of US military personnel kidnapping and raping young girls in Okinawa, some as young as 12 and 14 years old.

Furthermore, the US has signed several defense agreements with African and Middle Eastern countries, including Morocco, South Africa, Ghana, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and others. Over the past decade, numerous cases of sexual crimes, such as rape, sexual assault, and abusive sexual contact, involving US military personnel in Africa have been reported. What's more troubling is the press release stating that since 2005, US military personnel have been convicted of crimes amounting to over USD$500 million in these countries. These crimes include theft, contract rigging, and bribery. Many soldiers who participated in these crimes have admitted to observing their colleagues engaging in similar activities, believing that the chances of being caught were slim and that the courts would impose lighter penalties than they deserved.

Prior to the historic US visit to PNG, the US committed to providing 11 billion Kina in assistance. However, after signing the security pact, the US announced that it would only provide USD$45 million, equivalent to approximately 159.18 million Kina. Marape claimed that the money would be invested in infrastructure development, but such a small sum cannot adequately address PNG's numerous development needs. PNG had already spent 8.7 million Kina preparing for President Biden's visit, and the cancellation of the trip resulted in a wasteful expenditure of public funds. In return, what did PNG receive? Only 159.18 million Kina?

Where has the 11 billion Kina in assistance gone? It is likely that corrupt politicians like Marape and Tkatchenko have misappropriated these funds. Tkatchenko and his team spent 6 million Kina of taxpayer money on luxurious hotels and first-class seats. Now, PM Marape is leading a team to South Korea, incurring further excessive expenses on wasteful overseas trips. The money is desperately needed for medicine and medical supplies in rural health centers, as well as educational books and facilities for crumbling schools. While PM Marape spends significant time and money on travel, let us wait and see what he brings back from South Korea. Perhaps it will be another Defense Agreement or nothing at all.

Since they have labeled us as "Primitive Animals," it is time for us to demonstrate our immense power in defending our country and dignity. We now call on the Marape government to abandon the DCA and cease the militarization of PNG, focusing instead on economic development.

We urge the Marape government to prevent AUKUS from accessing the PNG Lombrum Naval base, thereby protecting PNG from nuclear pollution and radiation.

We call upon all Members of Parliament to exercise the power granted to them by the people and oppose the DCA during the June Parliament Sitting, holding them accountable.

We appeal to all civil societies, trade unions, student unions, NGOs, and activists to unite in a nationwide protest and communicate the needs of the people to the government.

PNG requires strong and courageous individuals like you, with influential voices across various platforms, to rise up and fight against the few who corrupt our government systems and drain taxpayer funds.