PNGBLOGS

A confidential report on Papuan separatists prepared by Indonesia's elite Kopassus military unit claimed armed groups stood ready for guerrilla war but had proof of just one weapon for every 10 men. The report "Anatomy of Papuan Separatists" was published by Australia's Fairfax newspapers Saturday, and claimed the people of the resource-rich eastern province were "easily influenced by separatist ideas". "Irrational demands for customary rights to land and limited transportation infrastructure (have) hampered economic growth," the report said. "Obedience and loyalty of Papuans towards their customary/religious leaders is very high, to the point that it has primacy over law and creates opportunities for horizontal conflict." Based on extensive surveillance operations in the special autonomous region, home to some 2.7 million people, the report contains dossiers on key figures in the Papuan independence movement, and lists its international

A confidential report on Papuan separatists prepared by Indonesia's elite Kopassus military unit claimed armed groups stood ready for guerrilla war but had proof of just one weapon for every 10 men. The report "Anatomy of Papuan Separatists" was published by Australia's Fairfax newspapers Saturday, and claimed the people of the resource-rich eastern province were "easily influenced by separatist ideas". "Irrational demands for customary rights to land and limited transportation infrastructure (have) hampered economic growth," the report said. "Obedience and loyalty of Papuans towards their customary/religious leaders is very high, to the point that it has primacy over law and creates opportunities for horizontal conflict." Based on extensive surveillance operations in the special autonomous region, home to some 2.7 million people, the report contains dossiers on key figures in the Papuan independence movement, and lists its internatio

I commend Peter O'Neill for setting up a commision of inquiry into the mismanagement at the Dept of National Planning. As a illiterate landowner from the SHP, may I ask him to do the same at MRDC.  MRDC is an entity that manages the PNG Oil and Gas Landowners equity and royalty benefits and Future Generations Funds. Under Mr. Mano's management, the landowners from Gobe, Kutubu, Moran and Ok Tedi have lost hundreds of millions of kina.  The board of directors of MRDC's subsidiaries such as Petroleum Resources Kutubu, Petroleum Resources Gobe, Petroleum Resources Moran, MRSM, MROT etc are semi educated people, especially the landowner Chairmen and directors.  In the name of investing for the landowners, Mr. Mano and his team have stolen tens of millions of kina investing in questionable business deals that brings no revenue for the landowners: May I call upon the current goverment to investigate the follwoing investments by MRDC for the landowners: 1. Purchase of Heavy Lift

I commend Peter O'Neill for setting up a commision of inquiry into the mismanagement at the Dept of National Planning. As a illiterate landowner from the SHP, may I ask him to do the same at MRDC.  MRDC is an entity that manages the PNG Oil and Gas Landowners equity and royalty benefits and Future Generations Funds. Under Mr. Mano's management, the landowners from Gobe, Kutubu, Moran and Ok Tedi have lost hundreds of millions of kina.  The board of directors of MRDC's subsidiaries such as Petroleum Resources Kutubu, Petroleum Resources Gobe, Petroleum Resources Moran, MRSM, MROT etc are semi educated people, especially the landowner Chairmen and directors.  In the name of investing for the landowners, Mr. Mano and his team have stolen tens of millions of kina investing in questionable business deals that brings no revenue for the landowners: May I call upon the current goverment to investigate the follwoing investments by MRDC for the landowners: 1. Purchase of Heavy L

The son of former Papua New Guinea prime minister Sir Michael Somare has warned the government of Peter O'Neill against making any major decisions ahead of an expected Supreme Court challenge over its legitimacy. Former state enterprises minister Arthur Somare said ministers and public servants should refrain from major decisions until the constitutionality of Mr O'Neill's government had been decided by the nation's Supreme Court. "The interim regime in Waigani (the capital district) and public servants need to act with due care and in recognition of the serious constitutional challenge now before the Supreme Court regarding the way forward for this nation," Mr Somare said in a statement on Friday. Officials from East Sepik, Sir Michael's home turf, recently filed the Supreme Court reference alleging no grounds had existed for parliament to declare the prime ministership of Sir Michael vacant when MPs voted to oust acting prime minister Sam Abal on August

The son of former Papua New Guinea prime minister Sir Michael Somare has warned the government of Peter O'Neill against making any major decisions ahead of an expected Supreme Court challenge over its legitimacy. Former state enterprises minister Arthur Somare said ministers and public servants should refrain from major decisions until the constitutionality of Mr O'Neill's government had been decided by the nation's Supreme Court. "The interim regime in Waigani (the capital district) and public servants need to act with due care and in recognition of the serious constitutional challenge now before the Supreme Court regarding the way forward for this nation," Mr Somare said in a statement on Friday. Officials from East Sepik, Sir Michael's home turf, recently filed the Supreme Court reference alleging no grounds had existed for parliament to declare the prime ministership of Sir Michael vacant when MPs voted to oust acting prime minister Sam Abal on Augu

There once was a man named Peter O’Neill, With very dark skin yet an irish man’s name, Yes Peter once tried all that bisnis stuff too, But he never could pay his way, Chorus: Heads up, heads up for Peter O’Neill, he’s now the PM, ok? HOORAY for Peter O’Neill, O’Neill, he’s managed to have his way. --- Maladina and Peter, a dream team for sure! They took on the fund with the NPF name They cleaned it all up then they cleaned all out, Herman Leahy was helping, they say, (Repeat Chorus) A bladi success was that NPF theft, ‘cause they managed to hide it away, While Jimmy got fat, our poor Peter went broke, It was high time he learnt a new way. (Repeat Chorus) Nape plus Peter, a second team WOW! Somare would hate them but where is he now? The door is wide open and Peter’s walked through, Scheming and planning to get rich anew. (Repeat Chorus) Now Abal was honest, that’s not a good trait, In our PNG parliamentary circus of late, Peter promised them something, we still don’t know what, NA trai

There once was a man named Peter O’Neill, With very dark skin yet an irish man’s name, Yes Peter once tried all that bisnis stuff too, But he never could pay his way, Chorus: Heads up, heads up for Peter O’Neill, he’s now the PM, ok? HOORAY for Peter O’Neill, O’Neill, he’s managed to have his way. --- Maladina and Peter, a dream team for sure! They took on the fund with the NPF name They cleaned it all up then they cleaned all out, Herman Leahy was helping, they say, (Repeat Chorus) A bladi success was that NPF theft, ‘cause they managed to hide it away, While Jimmy got fat, our poor Peter went broke, It was high time he learnt a new way. (Repeat Chorus) Nape plus Peter, a second team WOW! Somare would hate them but where is he now? The door is wide open and Peter’s walked through, Scheming and planning to get rich anew. (Repeat Chorus) Now Abal was honest, that’s not a good trait, In our PNG parliamentary circus

As the sun sets on the career of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, what should be his swansong? Sir Michael, known as the father of the nation of Papua New Guinea, actively led the push for independence in the 1970s and for 43 years served the people of PNG in its parliament—18 of those as Prime Minister. He is the only PNG Prime Minister to have seen out a full parliamentary term—aided by the Organic Law on Political Parties and Candidates (OLIPPAC) that made it illegal for party members to defect to the opposition. (This law did not survive a recent court challenge as to its constitutional legality but in the interim, since 2002, Sir Michael’s government has benefitted from the law, originally proposed by Sir Mekere Morauta, now in opposition.) Arguably, it was thanks to this law and Sir Michael’s ability to successfully meld together and lead a loose coalition of political parties that PNG gained a reputation as a politically stable nation. This attribute enhanced PNG’s attractiveness