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PNG plans military build-up, but why?

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By DONALD GUMBIS Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok has announced that PNG plans to build up its military capacity from around 2000 personnel to 10,000. While it is hardly unusual for fast-growing resource-rich countries to increase military spending as their national ambitions expand, Papua New Guinea has yet to address very significant development challenges in basic health and education. Increased spending on the military in such circumstances must therefore be questioned. Why does Papua New Guinea need a larger military capacity? One factor in the Government's consideration could be the land border with Indonesia. The border skirmishes between the traditional people of PNG's Sandaun Province and Indonesian military spotlight the PNG Government's inattention to border issues. These issues pose a test for the Treaty of Mutual Respect, Friendship and Cooperation PNG has with Indonesia. In a Radio Australia interview, former PNGDF Commander General Jerry

PNG plans military build-up, but why?

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By DONALD GUMBIS Papua New Guinea's Defence Minister Dr Fabian Pok has announced that PNG plans to build up its military capacity from around 2000 personnel to 10,000. While it is hardly unusual for fast-growing resource-rich countries to increase military spending as their national ambitions expand, Papua New Guinea has yet to address very significant development challenges in basic health and education. Increased spending on the military in such circumstances must therefore be questioned. Why does Papua New Guinea need a larger military capacity? One factor in the Government's consideration could be the land border with Indonesia. The border skirmishes between the traditional people of PNG's Sandaun Province and Indonesian military spotlight the PNG Government's inattention to border issues. These issues pose a test for the Treaty of Mutual Respect, Friendship and Cooperation PNG has with Indonesia. In a Radio Australia interview, former PNGDF Commander Gen

"PM sent someone to have me arrested" Threats issued to blogger

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PNGBLOGS PM: Going out against Bloggers  I was alerted to an e-mail from a friend on Thursday 14th February 2013, he made mention that he is being targeted by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill because he has been a staunch critic of his administration. He went on to say that sources within the PMs office have confirm that there were instructions to arrest him for comments he posted about corruption within his government and himself on how he handle issues of interest that he think needs to be put out publicly for our people's consumption. This is a copy of the e-mail received on Friday 15th February 2013” "Prime Minister sent one his man namely Sioni from Sepik and he in now in Kimbe doing this job. “Tonight at about 0630pm a white 5 door drove up our street and stop right in front of my house for about 10 minutes then a short gentleman came of the vehicle and went straight to a canteen directly opposite from the gate of my house. The guy who went to the sh

"PM sent someone to have me arrested" Threats issued to blogger

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PNGBLOGS PM: Going out against Bloggers  I was alerted to an e-mail from a friend on Thursday 14th February 2013, he made mention that he is being targeted by the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, Peter O’Neill because he has been a staunch critic of his administration. He went on to say that sources within the PMs office have confirm that there were instructions to arrest him for comments he posted about corruption within his government and himself on how he handle issues of interest that he think needs to be put out publicly for our people's consumption. This is a copy of the e-mail received on Friday 15th February 2013” "Prime Minister sent one his man namely Sioni from Sepik and he in now in Kimbe doing this job. “Tonight at about 0630pm a white 5 door drove up our street and stop right in front of my house for about 10 minutes then a short gentleman came of the vehicle and went straight to a canteen directly opposite from the gate of my house. The guy who

Sorcery, Murder,Things Falling Apart and Melanesian Attutudes . A Plea to PNG's Educated.

By JOHN FOWKE Press reports around the world indicate that "sanguma meris" are being burnt alive in Mount Hagen City. A spectacular departure from the usual method of murder involving dragging the alleged sanguma behind a vehicle, then arrowing and drowning him/her after rape and/or torture. This latter method of murder weas the fate of the mother of an old friend of mine near Suave about five years ago. The old lady, a widow and alone in the village of her late husband, was accused of using sanguma  powers to kill a young man of the village, the subject of investment by relatives and a rising star in his course at  UPNG. There were no investigations . The matter was ignored by empowered officials despite pleas from my friend, who was in a position to provide petrol and "lunch allowance" in the manner usually demanded. It was suggested that the old lady's murder had been justified in traditional terms. It was said that the officials themselves felt threatened. A

Sorcery, Murder,Things Falling Apart and Melanesian Attutudes . A Plea to PNG's Educated.

By JOHN FOWKE Press reports around the world indicate that "sanguma meris" are being burnt alive in Mount Hagen City. A spectacular departure from the usual method of murder involving dragging the alleged sanguma behind a vehicle, then arrowing and drowning him/her after rape and/or torture. This latter method of murder weas the fate of the mother of an old friend of mine near Suave about five years ago. The old lady, a widow and alone in the village of her late husband, was accused of using sanguma  powers to kill a young man of the village, the subject of investment by relatives and a rising star in his course at  UPNG. There were no investigations . The matter was ignored by empowered officials despite pleas from my friend, who was in a position to provide petrol and "lunch allowance" in the manner usually demanded. It was suggested that the old lady's murder had been justified in traditional terms. It was said that the officials themselves felt threatened

Australia and O’Neill dragging PNG into an international sewer

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By MICHAEL GORDON, Newcastle Herald A SCATHING report on conditions on Manus Island has urged incoming Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor to stop sending asylum seekers to the remote Papua New Guinea site until sweeping recommendations are considered. The report by the United Nations refugee agency accuses the Australian and PNG governments of being in breach of international treaty obligations and expresses particular alarm at the plight of children in the facility. Its release coincides with the 10th transfer of asylum seekers to the offshore processing centre, which now holds 254 asylum seekers, 34 of them children. Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young, who visited the centre last week, supported the recommendations, warning of outbreaks of self-harm and riots if conditions are not improved. “They’re being treated like animals at the moment, including the children,” Senator Hanson-Young told Fairfax Media. But a spokesman for outgoing minister Chris Bowen defended conditions on the