The Secret Government Plan To Defeat PNG University Students
The PM and his advisors aren’t dumb. As it became more apparent what an economic mess the government had gotten PNG into, they were clear that more people would start speaking out. When anticorruption activist Noah Anjo organized his protests last year and MP Don Polye followed, the PM knew that he had to act fast. The word was sent out not to allow any protests that were against the PM (this did not extend to TI protests. PM believes that TI protests aren’t any threat to his power and by allowing them to continue, he can say that he supports efforts to fight corruption).
The PM effectively keeps his MPs bought off but he fears public outrage. Last October was the first serious threat to the PM’s authority, when Noah Anjo organized a protest march from Jack Pidik park to Parliament to support a vote of no confidence on the PM. Anjo’s request for a protest permit was also turned down. When Anjo got a court order allowing the protest, the PM knew that he needed to create an example that would frighten people away from any future protests.
Even though Anjo’s court order allowed him to march to Parliament, he wisely decided in the end not to not march but do educational talks at the park. However, the PM’s police puppet knew that they needed to exploit this gathering to teach the people of PNG a lesson. That’s why a few selected police were told to find an excuse to beat up a few peaceful protestors. By making sure the protestors tasted blood that day, the PM’s advisors hoped to scare away people from any further protests. The ban against protests continues to this day.
Within the PM’s closest circle of advisors, the general belief is that if the PM can make it to the 2017 elections, he will remain in power. Already there are plans being carried out to ensure that the election can be fixed if necessary through massive voting fraud. The PM will then declare that he was elected overwhelmingly by the people whether that is true or not. This is no different from the PM’s strategy with regard to the Paul Paraka payoff when that blew up. At first the PM said he never signed any authorization to pay Paul Paraka over K70 million. After a copy of the authorization paper was leaked, the PM then said the signature wasn’t his. Then after Australian expert authorities studied the signature and declared that the signature was his, the PM stopped giving out any more information about the incident and turned to a strategy of stuffing up the court with appeals and findings so that there would never be a prosecution.
There are several specific plans in regard to stopping possible student protests.
1- O’Neill and his advisors knew more than a year ago that students could be his biggest trouble and much more powerful than the anticorruption groups. Last year the advisors secretly gave assistance to help southern highlands students take control of the student government in as many campuses as possible. James Marape was a lead agent in this effort. They felt that if they had SHP students in control of the student governments it would be easier to keep control of the students.
2- If the student government at one or more universities submit petitions, the plan is to invite student government leaders to private talks well away from the rest of the students. In that privacy the student leaders may be offered bribes in return for the student leaders to secretly aid the government, keeping the government informed of student plans. The student leaders will be asked to do everything possible behind the scenes to delay or stop any boycotts and otherwise destroy the student protest movement.
3- One of the PM’s biggest concern students educating and organizing the people outside campus to join any protests because this would be double trouble for the PM. Advisors are currently developing strategies to stop any such activities, forcibly if necessary. They believe that as long as they can keep the student protest activities inside the campus it will be easier to deal with.
4-PM’s advisors are preparing to put heavy pressure on student government leaders and university heads as necessary to prevent students from using that ultimate student weapon called boycott. The main goal is to keep things dragging out as long as possible before an actual boycott is discussed or decided on because they know the students will lose interest and motivation the longer this goes on.
5- If they fail to stop the students from boycotting, next strategy is to do whatever necessary to end the boycott. Two possible actions- First is to get different ethnic groups of students to break away from each other, then forcing a referendum hoping that highlands ethnic groups will give majority vote to end the boycott. Another strategy is to pay off people to get some violence started inside campus so that it gives an excuse for the PM to send in the police to take over the campus and shut it down. The PM will then declare that he did it for the safety of the students and others inside campus and will take credit for ending hostilities.
6- If none of those things work, the government is thinking about taking drastic measures to silence the students by sending them home and ending the school year and blaming the students for hurting their own education. Actually there may not be enough money after June to keep the universities open but this lets the PM put the blame on the students for the closures so that his government won’t be blamed. Also by sending the students home they will find it difficult to organize and thus of no threat to the PM.
