PNGBLOGS

PHILIP LYNCH Last week, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Manfred Nowak, released a preliminary report following a fact-finding mission to Papua New Guinea. In a country just 150 kilometres north of Australia, the independent and highly regarded international law expert expressed serious concern about widespread and grave human rights violations. Among other abuses, he highlighted the "regular practice" of police violence, often amounting to torture. He also expressed alarm at the level of entrenched gender discrimination and violence, stating that "women in Papua New Guinea hold a very low status in society, placing them at a very high risk of abuse both in the domestic and in the public sphere". During his mission, the Special Rapporteur was able to conduct unannounced visits to places of detention and to interview detainees in private. What he found was, in his words, "appalling". His preliminary report details evidence of systematic tortu

PHILIP LYNCH Last week, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, Professor Manfred Nowak, released a preliminary report following a fact-finding mission to Papua New Guinea. In a country just 150 kilometres north of Australia, the independent and highly regarded international law expert expressed serious concern about widespread and grave human rights violations. Among other abuses, he highlighted the "regular practice" of police violence, often amounting to torture. He also expressed alarm at the level of entrenched gender discrimination and violence, stating that "women in Papua New Guinea hold a very low status in society, placing them at a very high risk of abuse both in the domestic and in the public sphere". During his mission, the Special Rapporteur was able to conduct unannounced visits to places of detention and to interview detainees in private. What he found was, in his words, "appalling". His preliminary report details evidence of systematic t

Rowan Callick THE Papua New Guinea parliament has passed legislation that shelters resource projects from all litigation over the destruction of the environment, labour abuse or landowner exploitation. The controversial amendments to the Environment Act, approved by 73-10, were driven by China's state-owned Metallurgical Construction Corp (MCC), the developer of the $1.5 billion Ramu nickel mine, 8.56 per cent-owned by Brisbane-based Highlands Gold. The amendments come amid a major conflict between the legal system and the government, with Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch suspended by the Supreme Court over corruption charges placed by the Ombudsman Commission. Ramu landowners had won injunctions to stop the completion of the pipeline to slurry waste from the mine out to sea off Madang, once the mine is built.The government, led by Michael Somare, awarded Ramu an unprecedented 10-year tax holiday. MCC then became increasingly upset about delays to the project -- over labour cond

Rowan Callick THE Papua New Guinea parliament has passed legislation that shelters resource projects from all litigation over the destruction of the environment, labour abuse or landowner exploitation. The controversial amendments to the Environment Act, approved by 73-10, were driven by China's state-owned Metallurgical Construction Corp (MCC), the developer of the $1.5 billion Ramu nickel mine, 8.56 per cent-owned by Brisbane-based Highlands Gold. The amendments come amid a major conflict between the legal system and the government, with Treasurer Patrick Pruaitch suspended by the Supreme Court over corruption charges placed by the Ombudsman Commission. Ramu landowners had won injunctions to stop the completion of the pipeline to slurry waste from the mine out to sea off Madang, once the mine is built.The government, led by Michael Somare, awarded Ramu an unprecedented 10-year tax holiday. MCC then became increasingly upset about delays to the project -- over labour cond

David Muri VILLAGERS in Western Highlands arrested six members of a gang after a five hour gun battle two days ago and handed the badly wounded men over to police. The gang had invaded the exploration camp operated by Harmony Gold - the developer of the Hidden Valley and Wafi gold mine in Bulolo, Morobe Province — and after failing, they shot at a helicopter hired by the mining company. The pilot escaped unhurt but was reportedly left traumatised by the drama that unfolded at Kuranga in the Dei District of Western Highlands Province last Friday. TEPKA and Wuli villagers caught six members of a fully armed gang and handed over the badly wounded gangsters to police at Kotna on Saturday in an event provincial police commander Kaiglo Ambane described as “a first of its kind” in the province. Those nabbed were part of a criminal syndicate allegedly being sponsored by elites and had been operating in the province for some time. The criminals were rounded up and held by villagers in a “citize

David Muri VILLAGERS in Western Highlands arrested six members of a gang after a five hour gun battle two days ago and handed the badly wounded men over to police. The gang had invaded the exploration camp operated by Harmony Gold - the developer of the Hidden Valley and Wafi gold mine in Bulolo, Morobe Province — and after failing, they shot at a helicopter hired by the mining company. The pilot escaped unhurt but was reportedly left traumatised by the drama that unfolded at Kuranga in the Dei District of Western Highlands Province last Friday. TEPKA and Wuli villagers caught six members of a fully armed gang and handed over the badly wounded gangsters to police at Kotna on Saturday in an event provincial police commander Kaiglo Ambane described as “a first of its kind” in the province. Those nabbed were part of a criminal syndicate allegedly being sponsored by elites and had been operating in the province for some time. The criminals were rounded up and held by villagers in a “citize

PNG Exposed The Department of Lands and Physical Planning is riddled with “gross incompetence”, a state of affairs that is compounded by “extremely irresponsible and dishonest State officers” says the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance. The Commission has recommended a separate inquiry be set up to into the management of the Department of Lands to “identify and rectify the systematic failings and misconduct”. The Commissioners, Justices Sheehan and Davani and businessman Dan Manua, identified the following long list of serious failings in the Department of Lands: 1) Acquisition of customary land by the State- Lack of proper records as to original acquisition; Lack of instructions to the State Solicitor and Solicitor General to protect the interests of the State; Gross disregard of Schedule 2 of the National Land Registration Act on assessment of claims; 2) Mismanagement of State land - Operations of the PNG Land Board; Non-co

PNG Exposed The Department of Lands and Physical Planning is riddled with “gross incompetence”, a state of affairs that is compounded by “extremely irresponsible and dishonest State officers” says the Commission of Inquiry into the Department of Finance. The Commission has recommended a separate inquiry be set up to into the management of the Department of Lands to “identify and rectify the systematic failings and misconduct”. The Commissioners, Justices Sheehan and Davani and businessman Dan Manua, identified the following long list of serious failings in the Department of Lands: 1) Acquisition of customary land by the State- Lack of proper records as to original acquisition; Lack of instructions to the State Solicitor and Solicitor General to protect the interests of the State; Gross disregard of Schedule 2 of the National Land Registration Act on assessment of claims; 2) Mismanagement of State land - Operations of the PNG Land Board; Non-co

Liam Fox - ABC A Papua New Guinea lawyer says the Somare government has sold out to foreign mining companies by passing controversial environmental legislation. Recent amendments to PNG's Environment Act mean approvals granted by the Environment Department cannot be challenged in court. The Environment Minister Benny Allen says the changes are in the national interest and will protect resource projects from legal challenges. The changes followed complaints from the mining industry after landowners won a temporary injunction preventing a Chinese-owned Ramu nickel mine from dumping waste into the sea off Madang. Tiffany Nongorr, the landowners' lawyer says the amendments have effectively removed a person's right to sue for environmental damage. Presenter: PNG correspondent, Liam Fox Speaker: Tiffany Nongorr, PNG landowners lawyer NONGORR: It is the most draconian piece of legislation with regards to human rights, particularly indigenous human rights that I have

Liam Fox - ABC A Papua New Guinea lawyer says the Somare government has sold out to foreign mining companies by passing controversial environmental legislation. Recent amendments to PNG's Environment Act mean approvals granted by the Environment Department cannot be challenged in court. The Environment Minister Benny Allen says the changes are in the national interest and will protect resource projects from legal challenges. The changes followed complaints from the mining industry after landowners won a temporary injunction preventing a Chinese-owned Ramu nickel mine from dumping waste into the sea off Madang. Tiffany Nongorr, the landowners' lawyer says the amendments have effectively removed a person's right to sue for environmental damage. Presenter: PNG correspondent, Liam Fox Speaker: Tiffany Nongorr, PNG landowners lawyer NONGORR: It is the most draconian piece of legislation with regards to human rights, particularly indigenous human rights that

National Reports WAIGANI National Court judge Justice Panuel Mogish has strongly recommended to the police commissioner to “immediately investigate” persons who have been named by convicted escapee and suspected bank robber William Nanua Kapris. Mogish made the comments yesterday at the Waigani National Court when sentencing Kapris to four years for escaping from lawful custody on Feb 9, 2008, and Jan 12 this year. The four years will be added onto the 15 years he is serving for rape and attempted murder. Addressing the prisoner, Mogish said the “others from high places” allegedly involved in the crimes would be investigated, charged and brought to justice. Kapris had earlier asked why he was the only one “suffering” for crimes that were not wholly initiated by him but which involved “people from high places”. “So much as everyone would have wanted to think, there is evidence that the offender (Kapris) was involved,” Mogish said. “Those persons have been named by the offender and, in m

National Reports WAIGANI National Court judge Justice Panuel Mogish has strongly recommended to the police commissioner to “immediately investigate” persons who have been named by convicted escapee and suspected bank robber William Nanua Kapris. Mogish made the comments yesterday at the Waigani National Court when sentencing Kapris to four years for escaping from lawful custody on Feb 9, 2008, and Jan 12 this year. The four years will be added onto the 15 years he is serving for rape and attempted murder. Addressing the prisoner, Mogish said the “others from high places” allegedly involved in the crimes would be investigated, charged and brought to justice. Kapris had earlier asked why he was the only one “suffering” for crimes that were not wholly initiated by him but which involved “people from high places”. “So much as everyone would have wanted to think, there is evidence that the offender (Kapris) was involved,” Mogish said. “Those persons have been named by the offender a

PNG EXPOSED The Commission of Inquiry into the Finance Department investigated payments totaling K14,850,105 made to Tom Rangip and his company, Pacific Paradise Foods,  for food that was supposedly supplied to PNG Defence Force soldiers based at military barracks around the country. The Commission concluded: “PPC’s claim for the supply of food to the PNGDF was fraudulent in nature [and] based on falsified invoices. Goods claimed as supplied were either not supplied at all or was short supplied”. Think about what that K14.85 million could have achieved if it had been spent on our hospitals or refurbishing a police station? Instead it was stolen from the people of PNG by Tony Rangip. The Commission of Inquiry is not the only body to have uncovered this fraud. An earlier, investigation conducted by the Financial Inspection Services division of the Department of Treasury and Planning (as it was then) also found that claims by Rangip for payment were completely flawed. That in

PNG EXPOSED The Commission of Inquiry into the Finance Department investigated payments totaling K14,850,105 made to Tom Rangip and his company, Pacific Paradise Foods,  for food that was supposedly supplied to PNG Defence Force soldiers based at military barracks around the country. The Commission concluded: “PPC’s claim for the supply of food to the PNGDF was fraudulent in nature [and] based on falsified invoices. Goods claimed as supplied were either not supplied at all or was short supplied”. Think about what that K14.85 million could have achieved if it had been spent on our hospitals or refurbishing a police station? Instead it was stolen from the people of PNG by Tony Rangip. The Commission of Inquiry is not the only body to have uncovered this fraud. An earlier, investigation conducted by the Financial Inspection Services division of the Department of Treasury and Planning (as it was then) also found that claims by Rangip for payment were completely flawed. T

PNGEXPOSED Mr. Soiat Williams, former Secretary for Department of Personnel Management, conspired with Zacchary Gelu, former Solicitor General to steal K500,000 from the people of PNG. The details of the scam are revealed in the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Finance Department. Williams claimed the K500,00 as damages for what he said was the unlawful revocation of his appointment as Departmental Head for Personnel Management on 30 November 2000. However, records obtained from the Department of Personnel Management indicate that in 2002 Mr Williams acknowledged and accepted a payment of K407, 003.63 as final clearance of all sums due to him under his contract of employment. The acceptance of this payout nullified any claim as to damages as it meant Mr Williams had not suffered any loss as a result of his termination Because of this payout the Department of Personnel Management wrote a letter to the Solicitor General containing specific advice and instructions

PNGEXPOSED Mr. Soiat Williams, former Secretary for Department of Personnel Management, conspired with Zacchary Gelu, former Solicitor General to steal K500,000 from the people of PNG. The details of the scam are revealed in the Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Finance Department. Williams claimed the K500,00 as damages for what he said was the unlawful revocation of his appointment as Departmental Head for Personnel Management on 30 November 2000. However, records obtained from the Department of Personnel Management indicate that in 2002 Mr Williams acknowledged and accepted a payment of K407, 003.63 as final clearance of all sums due to him under his contract of employment. The acceptance of this payout nullified any claim as to damages as it meant Mr Williams had not suffered any loss as a result of his termination Because of this payout the Department of Personnel Management wrote a letter to the Solicitor General containing specific advice and instructions

Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has told a court he had lunch with three politicians in the months after robbing a metal refinery. William Kapris made the revelation in the National Court after pleading guilty to the armed robbery of a metal refinery in Port Moresby in 2007. He told the court after the robbery he flew to Singapore with a man named Patrick Chan and was shown several properties he was told had been bought with the proceeds from the robbery. When he returned to Port Moresby he said he had lunch with PNG's treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, the correctional services minister Tony Aimo, MP Francis Marus and another man named William Lee. He told the court he complained he had not received his cut from the robbery and was told the properties in Singapore and the restaurant they were eating were "ours and you don't have to worry ".

Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has told a court he had lunch with three politicians in the months after robbing a metal refinery. William Kapris made the revelation in the National Court after pleading guilty to the armed robbery of a metal refinery in Port Moresby in 2007. He told the court after the robbery he flew to Singapore with a man named Patrick Chan and was shown several properties he was told had been bought with the proceeds from the robbery. When he returned to Port Moresby he said he had lunch with PNG's treasurer Patrick Pruaitch, the correctional services minister Tony Aimo, MP Francis Marus and another man named William Lee. He told the court he complained he had not received his cut from the robbery and was told the properties in Singapore and the restaurant they were eating were "ours and you don't have to worry ".

Reports by ABC News Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has pleaded guilty to twice escaping custody. William Kapris was serving a 15-year jail sentence for rape and attempted murder when he escaped from a hospital in Port Moresby in 2008. He was recaptured, but last January he and 11 other prisoners broke out of a maximum-security jail after a woman posing as a lawyer smuggled in a gun. Today in the National Court he pleaded guilty to two counts of escaping lawful custody. Kapris told the court he did not organise the January jailbreak but did take advantage of the opportunity to flee. He will be sentenced tomorrow and later in the week he will face charges related to a robbery of gold bars from a metal refinery. So whose the organiser? people are fedup, we know 3 names so far, will they own up and clear their name or will the PM who is currently diagnosed with Amnesia forget about their crimes.

Reports by ABC News Papua New Guinea's most notorious criminal has pleaded guilty to twice escaping custody. William Kapris was serving a 15-year jail sentence for rape and attempted murder when he escaped from a hospital in Port Moresby in 2008. He was recaptured, but last January he and 11 other prisoners broke out of a maximum-security jail after a woman posing as a lawyer smuggled in a gun. Today in the National Court he pleaded guilty to two counts of escaping lawful custody. Kapris told the court he did not organise the January jailbreak but did take advantage of the opportunity to flee. He will be sentenced tomorrow and later in the week he will face charges related to a robbery of gold bars from a metal refinery. So whose the organiser? people are fedup, we know 3 names so far, will they own up and clear their name or will the PM who is currently diagnosed with Amnesia forget about their crimes.

National Editorial PARLIAMENT passed an important law pertaining to the environment last week. The amendment to the Environment Act effectively bars all third party lawsuits of the kind presently being pursued against the Ramu nickel cobalt mine. It will affect all future projects, the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project among them. The national government action is understandable enough. It alone approves resource projects. Such approvals are given after due process, or should be. Due process involves requirements where the developer satisfies various state instrumentalities relating to labour and immigration laws and regulations, taxation and finance laws and regulations, company registry requirements, attorney-general, the Organic Law on provincial and local level governments and, of course, environment and conservation among others. Each one of these government instrumentalities have strong laws which operate quite independently; the flouting of which could land a developer in

National Editorial PARLIAMENT passed an important law pertaining to the environment last week. The amendment to the Environment Act effectively bars all third party lawsuits of the kind presently being pursued against the Ramu nickel cobalt mine. It will affect all future projects, the PNG liquefied natural gas (LNG) project among them. The national government action is understandable enough. It alone approves resource projects. Such approvals are given after due process, or should be. Due process involves requirements where the developer satisfies various state instrumentalities relating to labour and immigration laws and regulations, taxation and finance laws and regulations, company registry requirements, attorney-general, the Organic Law on provincial and local level governments and, of course, environment and conservation among others. Each one of these government instrumentalities have strong laws which operate quite independently; the flouting of which could land a developer in

Reports by The National THE Supreme Court has ordered the suspension of Finance and Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch from office. The high court made the decision yesterday, saying Pruaitch is suspended on full pay pending his substantive appeal against his referral by the Ombudsman Commission to the leadership tribunal. The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court consisted of justices Nicholas Kirriwom, Les Gavera-Nanu and Catherine Davani. They ruled that with Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia’s convening of the tribunal on Feb 3, this had immediately effected section 28 of the Organic Law on the duties and responsibilities of leadership (OLDLR). Section 28 gives effect to the suspension of a leader who has been referred for prosecution before a leadership tribunal over allegations of misconduct in office. The tribunal sat in February but did not commence hearing because of the restraining order obtained by Pruaitch. The tribunal comprises Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika, principal m

Reports by The National THE Supreme Court has ordered the suspension of Finance and Treasury Minister Patrick Pruaitch from office. The high court made the decision yesterday, saying Pruaitch is suspended on full pay pending his substantive appeal against his referral by the Ombudsman Commission to the leadership tribunal. The three-judge bench of the Supreme Court consisted of justices Nicholas Kirriwom, Les Gavera-Nanu and Catherine Davani. They ruled that with Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia’s convening of the tribunal on Feb 3, this had immediately effected section 28 of the Organic Law on the duties and responsibilities of leadership (OLDLR). Section 28 gives effect to the suspension of a leader who has been referred for prosecution before a leadership tribunal over allegations of misconduct in office. The tribunal sat in February but did not commence hearing because of the restraining order obtained by Pruaitch. The tribunal comprises Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika, pr

Focus Papua New Guinea has long experienced a dual economy, initially between the estate sector and the rest of the population. From the 1970s mining and 1990s oil enclaves developed, supporting a growing urban population. Government initially discouraged permanent urban settlement, but the hard kina policy and subsequent fiscal indiscipline and under funding for infrastructure and services in the provinces and rural areas, encouraged urban drift, with educational, health and income earning opportunities in rural areas squeezed. Now we have a few bubbling urban centres and service industries, buoyed up by current and prospective enclave mining/hydro-carbon industries. Despite optimism in parts of the business community, there is great frustration in much of the population, feeling forgotten in the apparent narrow –based economic boom and concerned over government’s readiness to side-step procedures (land, labour and environmental) for selected developers. Some concerns are widely share

Focus Papua New Guinea has long experienced a dual economy, initially between the estate sector and the rest of the population. From the 1970s mining and 1990s oil enclaves developed, supporting a growing urban population. Government initially discouraged permanent urban settlement, but the hard kina policy and subsequent fiscal indiscipline and under funding for infrastructure and services in the provinces and rural areas, encouraged urban drift, with educational, health and income earning opportunities in rural areas squeezed. Now we have a few bubbling urban centres and service industries, buoyed up by current and prospective enclave mining/hydro-carbon industries. Despite optimism in parts of the business community, there is great frustration in much of the population, feeling forgotten in the apparent narrow –based economic boom and concerned over government’s readiness to side-step procedures (land, labour and environmental) for selected developers. Some concerns are widely share