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Naming names: Accomplices and facilitators.

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By Susan Merrell All roads lead to Rome. This is a letter to the editor in Thursday's Post Courier  ('Yutok' 21 February, 2013): Namah must own up I would like to ask Belden Namah, Opposition Leader and Member for Vanimo Green to clear himself on a corruption issue that is hanging on his back so that people can see him walking the talk in parliament and in the media. Can Mr Namah explain how his nominee was appointed as Chairman of the Central Supply & Tenders Board when he was Deputy Prime Minister? Can he explain to the people of Papua New Guinea why his nominee was appointed without following the appointment criterias [sic] for that position as per the law? Can he admit or deny the fact that the nominee was an accountant of a foreign road construction company before Mr Namah backed him to be Chairman of CSTB? Could the Opposition Leader admit or deny the fact that the alleged firm had swindled millions and millions of our people’s money in the K300 million Highlands

Exactly who is behind the O'Neill /Dion Government?

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By JOE BEIG The following accounts of events transpired since formation of O’Neill-Dion government in August 2012 reflect the type of leadership and the government PNG has. These events impose various levels of serious national security threats and pose grave concern for PNG despite its status as a vibrant developing economy. These events are allowed to occur sporadically as a result of lack of transparency and governance by the O'Neill-Dion government. This government, though has numerical strength has been allowed to continuously abuse its powers through deliberate mismanagement of our blessed and beautiful country of Papua New Guinea. The following events will justify this notion; mysterious jet landing and departure, Djoko Tjandra saga, K6 billion loan from China, approval of sea bed mining, Lombrum asylum center, 89 Australian kiaps, Murray Barracks relocation and land grabbing plan, failed public service housing program, serious PNG/Indonesia border intrusion, Investment Corp

Exactly who is behind the O'Neill /Dion Government?

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By JOE BEIG The following accounts of events transpired since formation of O’Neill-Dion government in August 2012 reflect the type of leadership and the government PNG has. These events impose various levels of serious national security threats and pose grave concern for PNG despite its status as a vibrant developing economy. These events are allowed to occur sporadically as a result of lack of transparency and governance by the O'Neill-Dion government. This government, though has numerical strength has been allowed to continuously abuse its powers through deliberate mismanagement of our blessed and beautiful country of Papua New Guinea. The following events will justify this notion; mysterious jet landing and departure, Djoko Tjandra saga, K6 billion loan from China, approval of sea bed mining, Lombrum asylum center, 89 Australian kiaps, Murray Barracks relocation and land grabbing plan, failed public service housing program, serious PNG/Indonesia border intrusion, Investme

Rape suspect surrenders and tells all

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Police  and members of the Lae’s East Taraka community  yesterday began  a hunt for three suspects wanted for  the rape of a Lae nurse  on Saturday.  This came  after one suspect turned himself   in  on Monday hours after Angau hospital staff  staged a sit in strike and demanded the arrest of the rapists within 48 hours.  The other was arrested by police yesterday. The first suspect  known only as “Nimo”   has given the  names and details of  three others.  "We know who they are... We need your help." As in many urban communities,  when crimes are committed,  there’s always somebody who knows the troublemakers.   The reaction from the community  has been one of outrage. Heads were shaken and the disgust and the anger on the faces of both young and old was clear as the police officer in charge called out the names of  three young men who broke into the nurse’s home. Those present at the meeting know them. They know their parents and they know where they live. “We have to bring

Papua New Guinea 'witch' murder is a reminder of our gruesome past

The Guardian Earlier this week, police charged two people from Mount Hagen, in the western highlands of Papua New Guinea,  with the murder of Kepari Leniata , a 20-year-old woman and mother. Accused of bewitching a six-year old boy who had recently died in hospital, Leniata was stripped, tortured with a hot iron rod, doused in petrol, and burned on a pile of rubbish and car tyres. Anyone with a reasonable knowledge of history will quickly think of the legalised  witch killings of Europe and North America  as comparisons. These offer a sobering broader perspective. In Germany, Switzerland, Britain and New England, perhaps 50,000 alleged witches were tortured and killed by the most educated and powerful men in society. By definition, most of their supposed crimes were sheer impossibilities. But the forgotten history of witch attacks is perhaps more surprising still. In England, the  Witchcraft Act of 1736  outlawed any further prosecutions for witchcraft. Yet in the sleepy  Hertfordshire

Papua New Guinea 'witch' murder is a reminder of our gruesome past

The Guardian Earlier this week, police charged two people from Mount Hagen, in the western highlands of Papua New Guinea,  with the murder of Kepari Leniata , a 20-year-old woman and mother. Accused of bewitching a six-year old boy who had recently died in hospital, Leniata was stripped, tortured with a hot iron rod, doused in petrol, and burned on a pile of rubbish and car tyres. Anyone with a reasonable knowledge of history will quickly think of the legalised  witch killings of Europe and North America  as comparisons. These offer a sobering broader perspective. In Germany, Switzerland, Britain and New England, perhaps 50,000 alleged witches were tortured and killed by the most educated and powerful men in society. By definition, most of their supposed crimes were sheer impossibilities. But the forgotten history of witch attacks is perhaps more surprising still. In England, the  Witchcraft Act of 1736  outlawed any further prosecutions for witchcraft. Yet in the sleepy  Her

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