PNGBLOGS

By JOE KRUPKA We may be outraged by the conditions on Manus Island - but are we prepared to face the truths about why our government continues to treat asylum seekers so abysmally, asks Zoe Krupka As legal proceedings against the processing centre on Manus Island begin, and Sarah Hanson-Young prepares to visit to the detention centre, we’re asking a lot of questions about the terrible conditions people seeking asylum in Australia are now forced to face. As the evidence of repeated suicide attempts mounts, we keep hoping for lessons to be learnt. Is it possible that we have learned the lessons from past human rights abuses? Can we face the possibility that what we are seeing in action is not ignorance but well-rehearsed cruelty? There is a recipe for suicide. The most recent research on the conditions that encourage people to kill themselves names a number of key factors that together create such despair and hopelessness that death becomes preferable to living.  These conditions are cre

By JOE KRUPKA We may be outraged by the conditions on Manus Island - but are we prepared to face the truths about why our government continues to treat asylum seekers so abysmally, asks Zoe Krupka As legal proceedings against the processing centre on Manus Island begin, and Sarah Hanson-Young prepares to visit to the detention centre, we’re asking a lot of questions about the terrible conditions people seeking asylum in Australia are now forced to face. As the evidence of repeated suicide attempts mounts, we keep hoping for lessons to be learnt. Is it possible that we have learned the lessons from past human rights abuses? Can we face the possibility that what we are seeing in action is not ignorance but well-rehearsed cruelty? There is a recipe for suicide. The most recent research on the conditions that encourage people to kill themselves names a number of key factors that together create such despair and hopelessness that death becomes preferable to living.  These condition

AFTER a few years when Australia's closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, seemed to have drifted far from our thoughts, in recent weeks the relationship has intensified immensely. Prime Minister Peter O'Neill last month spent a week "down south", during which he delivered three especially stimulating and constructive speeches about the economic relationship with Australia. Before coming, he had barred economist Ross Garnaut, one of Australia's leading public intellectuals, from entering PNG. Garnaut consequently quit the chairmanship of PNG's biggest- earning company, Ok Tedi Mining. Partly as a result, O'Neill became embroiled in a fierce debate with BHP-Billiton. And the Australian government's new Pacific Solution for asylum seekers has been thrown into jeopardy by a legal challenge from PNG's controversial opposition leader Belden Namah. What's triggering such willing events? They emerged as separate skirmishes. But the context has magnified

AFTER a few years when Australia's closest neighbour, Papua New Guinea, seemed to have drifted far from our thoughts, in recent weeks the relationship has intensified immensely. Prime Minister Peter O'Neill last month spent a week "down south", during which he delivered three especially stimulating and constructive speeches about the economic relationship with Australia. Before coming, he had barred economist Ross Garnaut, one of Australia's leading public intellectuals, from entering PNG. Garnaut consequently quit the chairmanship of PNG's biggest- earning company, Ok Tedi Mining. Partly as a result, O'Neill became embroiled in a fierce debate with BHP-Billiton. And the Australian government's new Pacific Solution for asylum seekers has been thrown into jeopardy by a legal challenge from PNG's controversial opposition leader Belden Namah. What's triggering such willing events? They emerged as separate skirmishes. But the context has magnifie

By GOVERNOR GARY JUFFA, MP Women and children are always the most vulnerable in any society where crime is an issue…either directly or indirectly…Tonight, in Popondetta, Oro Province, I was once more witness to this awful predicament, a predicament that is fast becoming the norm throughout our Papua New Guinea. In this instance, I was very much glad to have been able to prevent a terrible situation, perhaps save lives, avert injury. At about 12.30am, a stone crashed on the roof of the guesthouse I reside in, waking me up. Outside desperate voices called out “Hold up! Hold up! Help!” I ran out outside to see what the commotion was about, my officers were already moving, armed and responding to the call, apparently a family living in a house across the street were being attacked by a gang of near 15 criminals, armed with knives, homemade guns and other rudimentary weapons. In a block of land where three homes were located, three families lived, public servants, ordinary folk. Women screa

We, The Opposition are deeply concerned that our beloved country, Papua New Guinea is fast becoming a ‘Banana Republic’ courtesy of the O’Neill-Dion led Government. We say, with both anger and sadness, that the O’Neill-Dion Government is in itself, a serious national threat to the independence, sovereignty and security of our country. A true peoples’ government jealously guards; it’s laws, it’s administrative systems and processes, it’s land, it’s sea, its air space, it’s natural resources, its borders and indeed it’s national sovereignty and security. It is absolutely clear that this government does not care at all. This government has proven time and time again to be grossly reckless and negligent in safeguarding the welfare and interests of Papua New Guinea. This government is compromising our National Sovereignty and Security, and our credibility as a mature, safe and credible national state. This government has skilfully diverted public attention by trumpeting across the country h

We, The Opposition are deeply concerned that our beloved country, Papua New Guinea is fast becoming a ‘Banana Republic’ courtesy of the O’Neill-Dion led Government. We say, with both anger and sadness, that the O’Neill-Dion Government is in itself, a serious national threat to the independence, sovereignty and security of our country. A true peoples’ government jealously guards; it’s laws, it’s administrative systems and processes, it’s land, it’s sea, its air space, it’s natural resources, its borders and indeed it’s national sovereignty and security. It is absolutely clear that this government does not care at all. This government has proven time and time again to be grossly reckless and negligent in safeguarding the welfare and interests of Papua New Guinea. This government is compromising our National Sovereignty and Security, and our credibility as a mature, safe and credible national state. This government has skilfully diverted public attention by trumpeting across the co