PNGBLOGS

By John F.M. Kocsis, Harvard Political Review In one of the coming decades’ most important developments, tensions between the United States and China have begun to escalate on a whole host of new fronts. Prospects for the presidency have soared to new heights of monetary nationalism, the Obama administration has announced plans to station 2,500 marines in the Pacific, and Chinese diplomats have turned up the heat on American allies in the South China Sea. As in all great rivalries, China and America both have proxies whom they support, provided the junior partners act in their interest.  One such proxy nation is Papua New Guinea, the resource-rich Pacific nation whose domestic political instability has made it a surprising focus of American and Chinese geopolitical maneuvering. Of potential flashpoints for conflict in the Pacific arena, Papua New Guinea is generally less studied than its regional counterparts, such as the Philippines and Vietnam.  New Guinean history is

By John F.M. Kocsis, Harvard Political Review In one of the coming decades’ most important developments, tensions between the United States and China have begun to escalate on a whole host of new fronts. Prospects for the presidency have soared to new heights of monetary nationalism, the Obama administration has announced plans to station 2,500 marines in the Pacific, and Chinese diplomats have turned up the heat on American allies in the South China Sea. As in all great rivalries, China and America both have proxies whom they support, provided the junior partners act in their interest.  One such proxy nation is Papua New Guinea, the resource-rich Pacific nation whose domestic political instability has made it a surprising focus of American and Chinese geopolitical maneuvering. Of potential flashpoints for conflict in the Pacific arena, Papua New Guinea is generally less studied than its regional counterparts, such as the Philippines and Vietnam.  New Guinean histor

Papua New Guinea's Defence Force has been placed on alert to help arrest people who tried to prevent investigations into alleged misuse of public funds in PNG's East Sepik province. A plane carrying investigators with a government appointed Investigation Task Force Sweep Team was prevented from disembarking and told to return to Port Moresby on Wednesday. They were sent to investigate allegations of misuse of public funds under the court-reinstated Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and the East Sepik provincial governments, and East Sepik Governor, Peter Wararu.  Some residents and political supporters converged at the Wewak airport and told the Air Niugini management to return the investigators and police back to Port Moresby. PNG's Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah has condemned the actions and called them as acts of terrorism. "This is an act of criminals," he said. He says soldiers with the Moem Baracks in Wewak will be called in to arrest those people who

Papua New Guinea's Defence Force has been placed on alert to help arrest people who tried to prevent investigations into alleged misuse of public funds in PNG's East Sepik province. A plane carrying investigators with a government appointed Investigation Task Force Sweep Team was prevented from disembarking and told to return to Port Moresby on Wednesday. They were sent to investigate allegations of misuse of public funds under the court-reinstated Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and the East Sepik provincial governments, and East Sepik Governor, Peter Wararu.  Some residents and political supporters converged at the Wewak airport and told the Air Niugini management to return the investigators and police back to Port Moresby. PNG's Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah has condemned the actions and called them as acts of terrorism. "This is an act of criminals," he said. He says soldiers with the Moem Baracks in Wewak will be called in to arrest those p

A fast growing mining town, a steady influx of people and an increasing crime rate is putting a significant strain on police resources in the seaside town of Madang, Papua New New Guinea. Madang used to have a police strength of over 200 men and women. Since the Kusbau barracks was condemned in 1998, staff strength has been drastically cut to 96. But that's not all. The Provincial Police Commander, Tony Wagambie, points out that not only are his men and women struggling with limited resources, the workload and poor housing is putting an enormous strain on their families.

A fast growing mining town, a steady influx of people and an increasing crime rate is putting a significant strain on police resources in the seaside town of Madang, Papua New New Guinea. Madang used to have a police strength of over 200 men and women. Since the Kusbau barracks was condemned in 1998, staff strength has been drastically cut to 96. But that's not all. The Provincial Police Commander, Tony Wagambie, points out that not only are his men and women struggling with limited resources, the workload and poor housing is putting an enormous strain on their families.

Readers may remember that BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining corporation,  departed the nation some 12 years ago, tail between legs, slamming the door on fingers of PNG citizens by, in effect, extorting from the cash strapped government of Papua New Guinea a total indemnity for their hideous social tort and profound and overt breach of social license. BHP achieved this by announcing the closure of the mine. The effect of the closure of the OK Tedi Mine would have completely destroyed Papua New Guinea’s economy, and, of course, BHP was at all material times well aware of the consequences of such a declared intent. At the same time BHP offered an arrangement whereby the Papua New Guinea government would give a complete indemnity and total immunity from prosecution over the OK Tedi disaster in exchange for BHP handing the disaster (and the OK Tedi Mine) to the PNG government. The reasons for this disaster are complex. The original plans included an Environmental Impact

Readers may remember that BHP Billiton, the world’s largest mining corporation,  departed the nation some 12 years ago, tail between legs, slamming the door on fingers of PNG citizens by, in effect, extorting from the cash strapped government of Papua New Guinea a total indemnity for their hideous social tort and profound and overt breach of social license. BHP achieved this by announcing the closure of the mine. The effect of the closure of the OK Tedi Mine would have completely destroyed Papua New Guinea’s economy, and, of course, BHP was at all material times well aware of the consequences of such a declared intent. At the same time BHP offered an arrangement whereby the Papua New Guinea government would give a complete indemnity and total immunity from prosecution over the OK Tedi disaster in exchange for BHP handing the disaster (and the OK Tedi Mine) to the PNG government. The reasons for this disaster are complex. The original plans included an Environment

Sepiks want a fair deal. That is the underlying factor and they have not been accorded that. The past events have seen them banished from the floor of the parliament, labelled as foreigners, and laws have been amended to destroy them. The courts are the place where freedom is debated. So far not good. If parliament is the place where the people have spoken, what about us. We have been banished by the so called people voice.  Somare is still our voice regardless of how this nation sees him and all past events and current events have one common undertone. DESTROY SOMARE FOR GOOD! DO NOT GIVE HIM BREATHING SPACE! FINISH HIM OFF! He was our leader for 36 plus years but occasionally for Papua New Guinea.Give us a fair deal and respect established systems set in place to deal with those called allegations.  Only then can we respect the rule of law because we have been accorded a fair hearing. But so far parliament is supreme and with the courts struggling to maintain its integrity, where mus