PNGBLOGS

RADIO AUSTRALIA PACIFIC BEAT Landowners in the highlands of Papua New Guinea are threatening to shutdown the ExxonMobil-led PNG Liquid Natural Gas project if the PNG government does not take action on a long list of grievances. Tensions have been rising for some time over government delays. Now they have been pushed to a head with the death of Tuguba Chief Himuni Homoko, whose clan members say died too young, fighting for justice for his people. The landowners have put a petition to government and they say they want action immediately. Presenter: Jemima Garrett, Pacific Business and Economic reporter Speaker: Sir Alfred Kaiabe, spokesperson for the Tuguba clans from the Hela region of the PNG highlands; Chief Kingsford Uruliwa from Juha; Chief Tara Liyabe from Angore; Sir Arnold Ahmet, PNG's Attorney-General Listen: Windows Media GARRETT: The PNG LNG project is of critical importance to Papua New Guinea - at 15 billion dollars it is by far the biggest investment ever

RADIO AUSTRALIA PACIFIC BEAT Landowners in the highlands of Papua New Guinea are threatening to shutdown the ExxonMobil-led PNG Liquid Natural Gas project if the PNG government does not take action on a long list of grievances. Tensions have been rising for some time over government delays. Now they have been pushed to a head with the death of Tuguba Chief Himuni Homoko, whose clan members say died too young, fighting for justice for his people. The landowners have put a petition to government and they say they want action immediately. Presenter: Jemima Garrett, Pacific Business and Economic reporter Speaker: Sir Alfred Kaiabe, spokesperson for the Tuguba clans from the Hela region of the PNG highlands; Chief Kingsford Uruliwa from Juha; Chief Tara Liyabe from Angore; Sir Arnold Ahmet, PNG's Attorney-General Listen: Windows Media GARRETT: The PNG LNG project is of critical importance to Papua New Guinea - at 15 billion dollars it is by far the biggest inve

PETER DONIGI I finally made it into the editorial, “Not so fast, Donigi” (The National, May 24). The fourth estate has always considered bad news to be good news. And so, it is that to suggest something innocuous or in passing should warrant the highest esteem of an editor of this estate. This is so when he has to use his editorial privilege to edit out my commentary on the Christian principles that we have also adopted in our constitution. I would have preferred his diatribe on the religious philosophy that poverty is a created outcome of the religious curse which states “cursed is the person who moves his neighbour’s boundary stone”. He chose to edit this statement, “Lawyer supports Boka Kondra bill” (May 24) and proceeded to castigate me in his editorial based on the philosophy that a “beggar wrapped in purple whom ignorant people take for a king” is more worthy of his paramount interest. He states conditions on burial of bodies “is utter disrespect in the ancient traditio

PETER DONIGI I finally made it into the editorial, “Not so fast, Donigi” (The National, May 24). The fourth estate has always considered bad news to be good news. And so, it is that to suggest something innocuous or in passing should warrant the highest esteem of an editor of this estate. This is so when he has to use his editorial privilege to edit out my commentary on the Christian principles that we have also adopted in our constitution. I would have preferred his diatribe on the religious philosophy that poverty is a created outcome of the religious curse which states “cursed is the person who moves his neighbour’s boundary stone”. He chose to edit this statement, “Lawyer supports Boka Kondra bill” (May 24) and proceeded to castigate me in his editorial based on the philosophy that a “beggar wrapped in purple whom ignorant people take for a king” is more worthy of his paramount interest. He states conditions on burial of bodies “is utter disrespect in the ancient t

THE WATCHER I REFER to the letter “Chief failed to groom young leaders” (The National, May 23). I would like to thank the writer, L. Lai, for the response to my observations. The Grand Chief could have allowed Don Polye to assume the position in his absence but he did not for reasons only known to him and possibly his inner circle. He would have carefully consi­dered the consequences before ma­king that decision. Polye’s ambition has been an open secret and many would agree that while he possesses admirable leadership qualities, it is too early for him to assume control. Ambition, ego, maturity and neutrality are factors which would have been considered by the prime minister. The writer’s reasoning that the decision stemmed from greed and desire to cling to power is weak in that the Chief has, in fact, handed it to Sam Abal. Is the Chief still in power or in a Singapore hospital? Furthermore, it implies that had Polye been appointed, the Chief would have been ousted due to some hidden

THE WATCHER I REFER to the letter “Chief failed to groom young leaders” (The National, May 23). I would like to thank the writer, L. Lai, for the response to my observations. The Grand Chief could have allowed Don Polye to assume the position in his absence but he did not for reasons only known to him and possibly his inner circle. He would have carefully consi­dered the consequences before ma­king that decision. Polye’s ambition has been an open secret and many would agree that while he possesses admirable leadership qualities, it is too early for him to assume control. Ambition, ego, maturity and neutrality are factors which would have been considered by the prime minister. The writer’s reasoning that the decision stemmed from greed and desire to cling to power is weak in that the Chief has, in fact, handed it to Sam Abal. Is the Chief still in power or in a Singapore hospital? Furthermore, it implies that had Polye been appointed, the Chief would have been ousted due to some

OP.ED It is rather unfortunate that pre-eminent lawyer and former diplomat Peter Donigi, too, will support leaving the decomposing body of a landowner leader without proper burial rites until certain matters of interest to him and others have been attended to. Has PNG arrived at a stage where the dead would be used as a tool to beat and banter a reluctant government into submission for something the living wanted? The decision to leave the body of Himuni Homogo of the Tuguba tribe in Port Moresby until the government gives in to certain demands of the landowners is nothing short of blackmail. Such attitudes should have no room in PNG society. It is utter disrespect in the ancient traditions of our society as it is in our modern state. When the body first arrived in Port Moresby, it was taken in a convoy past government offices in a great show of force by landowners. Himuni’s fellow Tuguba clan elders and relatives wanted certain outstanding commitments by the state to be paid before hi