Governor Powes Parkop of Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby has appealed to West Papuans living in his country to carry on the self-determination struggle for future generations and to not lose hope.

Parkop, a staunch supporter of the West Papua cause, reminded Papuans at their Independence Day last Sunday of the struggles of their ancestors, reports Inside PNG.

“PNG will celebrate 50 years of Independence next year but this is only so for half of the island — the other half is still missing, we are losing our land, we are losing our resources.

• READ MORE: West Papuans in Port Moresby host family day
• Other West Papua reports

“If we are not careful, we are going to lose our future too.”

The National Capital District governor was guest speaker for the celebration among Port Moresby residents of West Papuan descent with the theme “Celebrating and preserving our culture through food and the arts”.

About 12,000 West Papuan refugees and exiles live in PNG and Parkop has West Papuan ancestry through his grandparents.

The Independence Day celebration began with everyone participating in the national anthem — “Hai Tanaku Papua” (“My Land, Papua”).

Song and dance
Other activities included song and dance, and a dialogue with the young and older generations to share ideas on a way forward.

Some stalls were also set up selling West Papuan cuisine, arts and crafts.

Governor Parkop said: “We must be proud of our identity, our culture, our land, our heritage and most importantly we have to challenge ourselves, redefine our journey and our future.

“That’s the most important responsibility we have.”’

West Papua was a Dutch colony in the 9th century and by the 1950s the Netherlands began to prepare for withdrawal.

On 1 December 1961, West Papuans held a congress to discuss independence.

The national flag, the Morning Star, was raised for the first time on that day.

Encouraged to keep culture
Governor Parkop described the West Papua cause as “a tragedy”.

This is due to the fact that following the declaration of Independence in 1961, Indonesia laid claim over the island a year later in 1962.

This led to the United Nations-sponsored treaty known as the New York Agreement.

Indonesia was appointed temporary administrator without consultation or the consent of West Papuans.

In 1969 the so-called Act of Free Choice enabled West Papuans to decide their destiny but again only 1026 West Papuans had to make that choice under the barrel of the gun.

To this day, Melanesian West Papua remains under Indonesian rule.

Governor Parkop encouraged the West Papuan people to preserve their culture and heritage and to breakaway from the colonial mindset, colonial laws and ideas that hindered progress to freedom for West Papua.

Republished with permission from Inside PNG.

The Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea, Sir Gibbs Salika, has called on the National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop to enforce the Summary Offences Act.

Sir Gibbs made this strong plea at the opening of 2024 legal year yesterday.

“Lawlessness in the city is escalating immensely because the laws of the country are not being enforced. This should be a wake-up call for the NCD Governor Mr Parkop to fix this issue at hand,” said Sir Gibbs.

• READ MORE: Black Wednesday lawlessness in Port Moresby reports

“The rioting on January,10, 2024, was repeated by the same group of people a few days ago and many other issues arise in the city and throughout the country, which is becoming a threat to the rule of law.

“This shows our adherence to the rule of law, which is by far weak and not working well.

“Relevant authorities should enforce the National Capital District Commissions Act to control the chewing of betelnut and its spittle all over the city, which shows lawlessness; it is disgusting.

‘Law must be enforced’
“The NCDC Act must be enforced along with the Summary Offences Act to penalise the citizens who are violating the rule of law.”

The constabulary was also urged to uphold and adhere to the rule of law in making sure citizens were helped without fear or favour from the police force.

Sir Gibbs expounded on the duty of the judicial arm of the government and explained that the judiciary was there to interpret the laws in a timely and partial manner.

He encouraged the police force to also perform their duty to execute the laws that were passed down by the government in order for the society to function.

Republished with permission from the PNG Post-Courier.

A political crisis is starting to brew in Papua New Guinea as calls are made for Prime Minster James Marape to step down in the wake of deadly riots in parts of the country.

Violence broke out with shops and businesses being set alight late yesterday, after public servants, including police and army personnel, went on strike over a pay roll issue.

At least 10 people have been confirmed dead — eight in Port Moresby and two others in the northern city of Lae. [Al Jazeera reports 15 dead while ABC Pacific says 16 have been killed].

• READ MORE: At least 15 dead in Papua New Guinea rioting and looting – China lodges protest
• At least 10 dead after looting, fires on Port Moresby’s ‘darkest day’
• Violent riots in PNG leave 16 people dead, as PM declares state of emergency for 14 days
• Café Pacific’s report on the rioting as death toll rises
• Looting breaks out in PNG capital during police and military strike
• Contingent of Highlands Mobile Squad expected in Port Moresby
• Kavieng town under siege

On Thursday morning, Marape appealed to citizens not to take to the streets and “do anything and everything they feel”.

“Ill-discipline in the police force will not be tolerated, ill-discipline in the defence will not be tolerated, you can have one moment in the sunlight but this moment won’t last forever,” he said at a news conference on Thursday.

There has been widespread anger over Marape’s handling of the dispute as the violence and looting continues.

Police and defence personnel are trying to restore order, with 180 additional police flying into Port Moresby today.

‘Complete breakdown’
Six MPs have resigned from Papua New Guinea’s government. They are Sir Puka Temu, David Arore, James Donald, Maso Hewabi, Keith Iduhu and James Nomane.

Chauve MP James Nomane and Hiri-Koiari MP Kieth Iduhu made their resignations public via social media.

Both blamed Marape for the riots in Port Moresby, and which are now spreading to other parts of the country.

Nomane and Iduhu are members of Marape’s ruling Pangu Pati, and have called on him to resign.

“Today, I have tendered my resignation from the Marape-Rosso government due to my lack in confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership,” said Iduhu in a Facebook post.

“I join the call of my colleague MPs in asking for the Prime Minister’s resignation based on the complete breakdown of our societal values and welfare,” he added.

Iduhu went on to accuse Marape of failing to address the grievances raised by Papua New Guinea’s police and military.

Core issue
“The core issue surrounding the grievances raised by the disciplinary forces was completely avoidable had it not been for bureaucratic negligence, and ensuing events even after the government was made aware of the situation displayed a lack of care for the potential for the situation to spiral of control,” he said.

Nomane’s statement of resignation was much harsher. He steps down from a senior role as PNG’s Vice Minister of National Planning.

He accused Marape of failing to run the country.

Violent riots in PNG leave 16 people dead, as PM declares state of emergency for 14 days https://t.co/AzxcX2MUXP

— The Pacific Newsroom (@newsroom_the) January 11, 2024

“I, now on this 11th day of January 2024, resign from the Marape-led government. I have no confidence in the prime minister,” Nomane said.

James Nomane, MP for Chuave District. Photo: Papua New Guinea Parliament

“Do the honourable thing and resign as the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea. Resign for being indecisive and weak … resign for the country slipping into a Banana Republic, and for this crisis happening under your watch.

“What happened in Port Moresby yesterday was absolutely unacceptable . . . and warrants the immediate resignation of James Marape as the prime minister.

“The time has come for James Marape to stop pretending and step aside as the prime minister to put the nation’s interest ahead of his own . . .  This facade must stop.”

RNZ has approached the prime minister for comment.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Soldiers and police were jointly patrolling the streets of the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby today as the country takes stock of yesterday’s unprecedented looting and rampage by hooligans and rioters.

Prime Minister James Marape confirmed that the National Executive Council had met and approved the army to be called out to assist police restore law and order after a day of total chaos in the capital city.

Five people were killed in Waigani while several more were injured and admitted to the Port Moresby and Gerehu hospitals.

• READ MORE: At least 10 dead after looting, fires on Port Moresby’s ‘darkest day’
• Violent riots in PNG leave 16 people dead, as PM declares state of emergency for 14 days
• Café Pacific’s report on the rioting as death toll rises
• Looting breaks out in PNG capital during police and military strike
• Contingent of Highlands Mobile Squad expected in Port Moresby
• Kavieng town under siege

Business leaders called the day the “darkest day” in the history of PNG where millions of kina in property and goods were lost.

As buildings lay smouldering in ruins last night, Police Commissioner David Manning confirmed that an additional 50 police officers from Lae had been flown to Port Moresby.

These police will provide backup for security personnel that have been on duty for extended periods, and will increase force strength if tensions increase, Manning said.

“Cabinet has approved a call-out of PNGDF personnel, and they are working with police to restore calm.”

Parkop calls for ‘normalcy’
NCD Governor Powes Parkop appealed for normalcy to be restored and for looting to stop.

He said: “What has happened is unacceptable, unforgivable, and unjustified under any circumstances.

Violent riots in PNG leave 16 people dead, as PM declares state of emergency for 14 days https://t.co/AzxcX2MUXP

— The Pacific Newsroom (@newsroom_the) January 11, 2024

“We cannot afford to allow this turmoil to persist another night or day. We must uphold our pledge to safeguard the people and the state. Let us restore order and stability in our city with the support of the PNGDF.”

What started as a simple standing down from duties because of pay cuts by disgruntled security personnel in the city turned into mayhem and chaotic scenes as opportunists ransacked shops and assaulted innocent bystanders.

A group of security personnel was seen descending into Parliament House demanding to see Prime Minister Marape. Several more personnel were also seen throwing
stones at the Central Government Office, breaking the gate and eventually burning the guard house at Manasupe Haus where PM Marape was holding a press conference.

In Konedobu, multiple gunshots could be heard outside the Post-Courier newspaper office after looters broke into Desh Besh supermarket.

The Port Moresby General Hospital CEO Dr Paki Molumi yesterday confirmed receiving the first wave of cases that included casualties of two chest, one thorax, one multiple wounds in shock and nine limb and abdomen wounds.

Razed by looters
In Gerehu, at Rainbow, the Stop and Shop was looted, while the main shopping centre near the market was razed. Waigani’s Stop and Shop also razed by looters.

Patients at Gerehu Hospital were also evacuated and taken to Port Moresby General Hospital amid the chaotic scenes.

Across the city reports of widespread looting of shops were coming in from Gerehu, Waigani, Tokarara, Konedobu, Manu Auto-Port, Badili, Hohola, Gordons and other areas.

St John Ambulances were called to many of the locations with multiple emergency calls relating to shootings and monitoring a number of fire incidents in the city.

Police vehicles drove by looters and rioters, some even giving a thumbs up and telling them to continue what they were doing.

The chaos yesterday was sparked by a simple technical glitch on the government’s Alesco Payroll System which paid public servants on a previously rescinded tax regime which resulted in workers including police and defence forces receiving heavily reduced pay packets.

This angered police to stand down from their duties and soldiers and police to march on the Parliament demanding answers to their pay cuts.

Strikers demand answers
At 10am, security personnel descended onto Unagi Oval in Gordons demanding answers as to why some of them were receiving 100 to 350 PNG kina (US$26-$80).

Minister for Internal Security Peter Tsiamalili Jr was shouted down with a thrown plastic container missing the minister as he left the oval.

The personnel drove into Parliament, and also shouted at acting Governor-General Job Pomat that they wanted to speak to PM Marape.

By 3pm, frustrated with the lack of response, the attention was now on Manasupe House. A vehicle and the guard house was destroyed and burned.

At 5pm, Assistant Commissioner of Police-NCD and Central Anthony Wagambie Jr confirmed that the PNGDF had been called on to support the police as they worked to bring peace and order in the city.

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

The United Liberation Movement for West Papua has responded cautiously over the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s surprise denial of full membership at its leaders summit last week, welcoming the communique while calling for urgent action over Indonesia’s grave human rights violations.

In a statement released today by President Benny Wenda after the second ULMWP leaders’ summit in Port Vila, the movement said the MSG had “misinterpreted” its founding principles based on the “inalienable right” of colonised countries for independence.

Strong speeches in support of the West Papuan struggle were made at the ULMWP summit by Vanuatu’s Ralph Regenvanu, the current Climate Minister and a former foreign minister, and Barak Sope, a former prime minister.

• READ MORE:  OPM accuses Melanesian group of taking Jakarta’s ‘blood money’ at expense of West Papuan justice
• MSG throws away golden chance to reset peace and justice for West Papua
• MSG leaders defer Papua membership decision to Pacific Islands Forum
• Flashback: Fiji, PNG lead betrayal, but still West Papuans triumph (in 2015)
• Other MSG reports

Wenda said the ULMWP agreed to the MSG chair asking the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) to ensure that the requested visit of the UN Human Rights Commissioner to Indonesia takes place, and to asking Jakarta to allow the commissioner to visit West Papua and have the report considered at the next MSG summit in 2024.

But he added the hope that the MSG chair would “honour” these commitments urgently, “given the grave human rights violations on the ground in West Papua, including the recent warnings on human rights issues from the UN Special Advisor on Genocide”.

The ULMWP also expressed:

• Scepticism about the impact of the renewed call for a UN visit, given that the visit had been continually denied in spite of the 2019 calls by the Pacific islands Forum (PIF) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS);
• Reservation on the possibility of future dialogue with the Indonesia government. Full MSG membership was a precondition;
• Reservation on the discussion of “closer collaboration” with the Indonesian government when the people of West Papua had asked for full MSG membership; and
• Reservation on the statement: “Membership must be limited only to sovereign and independent states, with special arrangements for FLNKS”.

On the FLNKS statement, Wenda said: “This appears to be a misinterpretation of the founding principles of the Melanesian Spearhead Group which state that, ‘having come together, the Melanesian Spearhead Group commit themselves to the principles of, respect for, and promotion of, independence as the inalienable right of colonial countries and people.’”

Meanwhile, as condemnation of the MSG’s position on West Papua has grown since the “disappointing” summit last week, Governor Powes Parkop of Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby, has made renewed criticism.

“I am totally disappointed but I will never give up until my last breath,” he told Asia Pacific Report.

“Our heritage is that we defend our land and our people. For thousands of years we defeated the Melayu people of Indonesia or the various Muslim and Hindu empires which tried to enter our ancestral land.

“They never succeeded. We only were overwhelmed by European superior weapons and abilities in 1800s and subsequently Indonesians took over after arming themselves with these superior weapons left by colonial powers and the Japanese invading army,” said Parkop, who has long been a critic of Papua New Guinea’s failure to take a stronger stance over Indonesia.

“I will honour our heritage and our ancestors by continuing to challenge Indonesian rule over West Papua our ancestral land. We have lost many battles, heroes and heroines, but Indonesia has and will never win the war.

“We are fighting for our rights, our dignity and our heritage and nothing Indonesia does will dent that drive and energy.”

Papua New Guinea and Indonesia say the economic and social ties between them are closer than ever.

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo visited Port Moresby last week with trade, border arrangements and education foremost on the agenda.

Widodo agreed to sponsor 2000 Papua New Guinean students to attend university in Indonesia, and pledged about US$15 million to upgrade Port Moresby’s hospital.

• LISTEN TO RNZ PACIFIC WAVES: Indonesian President’s visit to PNG
• READ MORE: Author condemns Canberra ‘collusion’ with Jakarta on West Papua atrocities
• Other West Papua reports

“This is a very, very warm, in fact, one of the warmest meetings I’ve ever had as head of state,” Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said at a joint media conference.

“We [Papua New Guinea] have not been utilising the powerhouse economy that is on the other side — the world’s 16th biggest economy right now . . . they’re our link to commerce and trade in Asia.”

On the day following the visit, Indonesia state news agency Antara reported Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan stating that Indonesia would offer training to 1000 businesses in Papua New Guinea.

Marape welcomed Widodo at Jackson’s International Airport in Port Moresby last Wednesday with a gun salute from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and a cultural blessing from traditional dancers

Elephant in the room
But one topic that wasn’t discussed was West Papua which weighs heavily among many Papua New Guineans, unsettled by the widespread reports of mistreatment of their Melanesian brethren across the border.

One media report said the authorities in Papua New Guinea had clamped down on displays of the West Papuan independence flag ahead of Widodo’s visit.

Last week, at the 53rd session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Human Rights Council special adviser on the prevention of genocide, Alice Wairimu Nderitu, called for a humanitarian assessment in West Papua.

“The human rights situation in West Papua remains deeply concerning,” she said.

“This includes alleged harassment, arbitrary arrests, and detention of Papuans . . . that has resulted in the alleged appropriation of non-indigenous lands.”

However, many pro-independent West Papua advocates in Papua Guinea also supported the visit.

Port Moresby Governor Powes Parkop, a vocal critic of Indonesia and long-time advocate for indigenous West Papuans, said in a video statement last week that the visit was an opportunity for dialogue.

“I would like to advise the President that we, on the side on the advocacy for West Papua, are ready for talks — we want to move forward in terms of addressing this decades-long issue.

“We are open to talks and I want to invite him [President Widodo] in regard to this, to think about the future and not be defined by the past,” Parkop said.

“The past we can’t change, there is a lot of pain and there are a lot of issues and history that we are not proud of, but in the future we can redefine and make it better.”

It is a sentiment shared by fellow Papua New Guinean activist Jacob Marcos, who has participated in demonstrations against Indonesia’s role in West Papua in the past.

“Diplomatically, the PNG government has to maintain its line and discuss only the issues the Indonesian President arrives for . . . about the needs of the country,” Marcos said.

But for Papua New Guinea’s West Papuan community, the visit and generous economic agreements were a blunt reminder of Indonesia’s foreign relations prowess.

An estimated 10,000 West Papuan refugees live in Papua New Guinea, escaping a bloody conflict between armed pro-independence fighters and the Indonesian army.

The conflict has escalated over the last few months following the kidnapping of New Zealand pilot Philip Mehrtens by a rebel group last February 7.

Mangi Lufa-Apo is one of those refugees. He arrived in Papua New Guinea as a child after his parents fled the territory.

Lufa-Apo said he was frustrated by the sight of Pacific nations fostering ties with Indonesia, saying believed the Pacific nations should be emulating the regional solidarity that European countries were displaying with Ukraine.

“We’ve seen how European countries have rallied for Ukraine,” he said.

“The Pacific Island countries are not doing that, why are they so silent?

“There’s a genocide on their doorstep . . . I don’t know why Papua New Guinea and Pacific Islands can’t just take this to the UN and tell them that there’s a genocide going on and something needs to be done about it.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Papua New Guineans have been challenged to “actively contribute” towards development projects like the Boroko Transformation Project if citizens want to see change in the Pacific’s largest country.

Prime Minister James Marape issued this challenge this week when launching the National Capital District Commission’s Boroko Transformation Project in Port Moresby.

“This must happen. We all have a job to do, a role to play. Not just here in Port Moresby, but also around the country,” Marape said.

• READ MORE: Other Port Moresby reports

“If you want Papua New Guinea to develop, you have a job to do as well. Take care of Boroko.

“Don’t spit betel nut spittle here. We do not have other cities, we only have this city.”

Betel nut is the seed of the fruit of the areca palm with distinctive blood-red juice. It is chewed with betel leaf and lime for their effects as a mild stimulant, causing a warming sensation in the body and slightly heightened alertness.

It is popular across Papua New Guinea and in neighbouring countries.

24-hour business hub
The Boroko Commercial Business District will undergo major developments to enable it to achieve the status of a 24-hour business hub that is clean and safe for residents, businesses and visitors.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop said this project was part of NCDC’s Vision 2030 to transform Port Moresby.

“This city carries our name. It is our image, our pride. It is the first place of arrival and the last place of departure for all our friends, investors and tourists from all over world,” he said.

“They define our people and our country by this capital city of ours. That is why it is very important that we lift this capital city leaving no stones behind.”

According to City Manager Ravu Frank, the plans for the Boroko Transformation Project were drawn up in November last year and since then, more than K400,000 (NZ$186,000) has been spent in major clean-ups and road work programmes, setting the foundations for developments expected in the future.

“The Boroko Transformation project is all geared to achieve our desire, wish and objective of a clean, safe, healthy and a planned Boroko for a liveable environment,” Frank said.

On Monday this week, Boroko was declared a “betel nut-free zone” and other similar regulations will kick in as the transformation project unfolds.

Republished with permission.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo is set to make a state visit to Papua New Guinea next month.

The one-day visit is scheduled for July 6 and comes after PNG Prime Minister James Marape’s own state visit to Indonesia in March 2022.

“Papua New Guinea will be honoured to host Indonesian President Widodo next month,” Marape said.

• READ MORE: Yamin Kogoya: 60 years ago, Indonesia invaded West Papua with guns. 60 years later, they’re still ruling with guns
• Other PNG-Indonesia reports

The two leaders are expected to discuss economic relations, as Papua New Guinea focuses on maintaining its relations with countries in the region.

Prime Minister Marape was in South Korea where he discussed new trade opportunities, and on Thursday he officiated at the inauguration of Bank of China representative office in Port Moresby.

The visit from President Widodo follows recent visits to Port Moresby from US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and other Pacific leaders.

Marape added that he wants the focus of formal talks to shift from border issues to trade, business-to-business relations and people-to-people relations.

PNG and Indonesia established formal diplomatic ties in 1976 and Indonesia played a key role in PNG’s admission into the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) group.

Parkop condemns ‘ignoring crisis’
The issue of West Papua human rights violations and calls for self-determination remains an issue for PNG’s civil society.

In December 2021, Powes Parkop, governor of PNG’s national capital, said the government should not keep “ignoring the crisis” in the neighbourng Indonesian-controlled half of New Guinea.

In a series of questions in Parliament to then Foreign Minister Soroi Eoe, Parkop described the government as having done little to hold Indonesia to account for decades of human rights abuses in West Papua.

“Hiding under a policy of ‘Friends to All, Enemy to None’ might be okay for the rest of the world, but it is total capitulation to Indonesian aggression and illegal occupation,” Parkop said.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop is stable and recovering at the Gold Coast University Hospital in Australia, according to his wife Jean Parkop and close family members.

The relieving news comes following Governor Parkop’s medivac from Papua New Guinea to Australia after he suffered complications arising from a cardiac procedure that led to internal bleeding and caused a very tense few days for his family, supporters and residents of Port Moresby city.

Sensationalised news of Governor Parkop’s illness and hospitalisation went viral on social media but the Post-Courier was reliably informed of it last Wednesday evening.

• READ MORE: Governor Parkop recovering

By Thursday morning, he was moved from Port Moresby General Hospital to the Pacific International Hospital (PIH) where he was receiving treatment.

Initially, it was claimed that Governor Parkop had suffered a stroke. By Friday morning, word reached the Post-Courier that he would be medivaced to Australia for further treatment.

However, the Post-Courier was made aware that the medivac would be done in the afternoon.

On Friday, December 23, surrounded by wife Jean, nieces, nephews, grandchildren and extended relatives, Governor Parkop was escorted out of PIH and driven to Jackson’s International Airport where he was medevaced to the Gold Coast, Australia, arriving just after 9pm.

Soon after touchdown in Australia, doctors relayed to his family in PNG that he had been stabilised that evening.

An EMTV news item on Governor Parkop’s recovery.

A press statement from the family on Sunday confirmed that the medevac to Australia was on a recommendation from the PIH.

“We thank the hard working staff, doctors and nurses of Port Moresby General Hospital’s (POMGEN) Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for receiving him and providing immediate attention and care for our father,” the statement said.

“The specialist surgeons, nurses and staff of Pacific International Hospital (PIH), we thank you for providing great treatment and concern.”

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

Port Moresby’s “amazing city” tag in Papua New Guinea is fast losing its varnish and appeal — its veneer of a modern metropolis tarnished by an ethnic underbelly that relishes criminal activity, racial violence and a tendency to unleash aggressive violent behavior at any opportune time.

Last weekend’s violence which left three people dead is the fifth such “amazing act” this year, says an exasperated Police Commissioner David Manning.

The question, raised on social media, in homes, schools, offices, among local landowners, the Motu Koitabu, and discussed in pubs and boardrooms across the city, is: “When will enough be enough?’

• READ MORE: Other reports on PNG ethnic clashes

When will Port Moresby truly rise above its ethnic cleansing bloodbath rituals to become the modern Amazing City of cross cultures that it professes to be, and that every peace loving Papua New Guinean wants to enjoy?

A drug deal gone wrong has sparked a deadly ethnic war between Eastern Highlands and Hela province people living in Port Moresby.

Yesterday, the fight was violent around the Erima, Wildlife, 8 and 9 Mile settlement areas as pitched battles raged.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop called for calm and for peace to return, adding it is against the law to carry offensive weapons in public.

‘Leave it to police’ call
Commissioner Manning also called for calm and for the warring parties to lay down their arms and let police investigate the killings.

As of last night, three men were dead and six wounded who were being treated at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

Last night, Gordon, Erima, Wildlife, 8 and 9 Mile were tense with police patrols keeping a close watch on those areas.

The ethnic clash, the fifth so far this year, is putting a huge dent on the National Capital Diustrict Commission’s (NCDC) effort to promote the capital city’s image as “Amazing Moresby”.

On social media, angry residents have taken not so kindly to the fighting with many urging the government to clamp down on ethnic groups from the Highlands by returning all settlers back to their province of origin.

The Vagrancy Act, which enables police to evict illegal settlers in the city, was thrown out at Independence, which has led to a growing settlement population in the city.

But fed up Motu Koitabu landowners and angry residents want the city cleaned up.

A call for martial law
One commentator even called for martial law to be enacted and the city cleaned of all illegal settlers.

The flare-up between men from the Eastern Highlands and Hela provinces has sent innocent women and children scattering for cover and refuge.

It is alleged the death of a man from Eastern Highlands during a drug deal is said to have started the fight. The police, however, cannot say much, but could only confirm that an investigation has commenced on the issue.

The roads around Erima and 9 Mile saw men and women running with offensive weapons.

While police tried their best to make their presence felt during the chaos, they were outnumbered as scores of men continued to fight.

Commissioner Manning said that any ethnic clashes at other major centres in the country were “unnecessary” and “unfortunate”.

“It is concerning how people can employ their tribal tactics and think that they can clash with other groups in the cities and towns,” he said.

These ethnic clashes are a result of a lack of appropriate policing interventions.

Why have settlements grown?
Furthermore, there are a lot of discussions on why we have allowed settlements to grow in the last two to three decades and whether those settlements contribute to these ethnic clashes, he added.

Meanwhile, NCD Governor Parkop warned city residents carrying weapons who have gone unnoticed.

Bows and arrows, machetes, iron bars, stones and other dangerous weapons were seen publicly yesterday at the Gordon bus stop and Erima with the ethnic clash still tense with police continuously patrolling the area.

City Manager Ravu Frank said this kind of behaviour was illegal. Unfortunately, lives have been lost. City residents have to move around freely and not be in fear of their safety.

The parties concerned must air their grievances to police.

Commissioner Manning said ethnic clashes were no longer restricted to rural centres and it had greater impact on everyone’s lives and gave concern to a lot of people, especially government and police when it happened in the urban environment.

In 2022 alone, five ethnic clashes have erupted between different groups — mostly from the Highlands region.

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop wants the city’s police to fully investigate the gruesome murder of two women in Port Moresby late last week.

Parkop told the Post-Courier that such “despicable” brutality against womenfolk in the city and throughout the country was not welcome — and the recent crimes were not either.

The two women were allegedly raped, murdered and dumped at different locations last week.

• READ MORE: Other PNG crime reports

One body was discovered at the 9-Mile public cemetery just outside the city and the other body at a spot along the Gordon storm-water drain in the early hours of Sunday morning.

“I am and will continue to be appalled that such despicable crimes continue to be committed against women and girls in our city and elsewhere in our country,” Parkop said.

“While there may be other factions contributing to these crimes, the lack of or poor respect for women and girls as equal citizens of our country remains a main cause of violence against women and girls in our country.”

Parkop is a strong advocate of women’s rights and has initiated several programmes to promote gender equality within Port Moresby and also in the National Capital District Commission (NCDC).

Women’s, girl’s lives ‘risky’
“These latest killings in our city are not an exception. Lives of women and girls continue to be risky in our country as a result of continuing gender inequality. I appeal to the police to investigate and have these perpetrators arrested and charged.”

The NCDC will continue to promote the gender equality and eliminate gender-based violence (GBV) across the city.

“On our part in the city we continue to implement our GBV strategy which we will in fact escalate [on Wednesday] with signing of more of NCDC contractors pledging to abide by and implement the strategy with us,” Parkop added.

Port Moresby police chief Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu warned over the security of females in the city after the discovery of the two dead women.

Superintendent Ikumu urged city residents — especially young girls and women — to be more considerate about their security and safety when “hanging out with friends” during social outings.

He said such killings were a concern for police and investigations were continuing.

Claudia Tally is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

After 36 hours of unrest, fear and anxiety, Port Moresby city woke up yesterday morning to a quiet start under the watchful eyes of the police and military personnel as tensions slowly faded.

Kicking off to a slow start, shops and business houses opened their doors to the public while a few buses and taxis took to the roads as workers, students and city dwellers gradually resumed their daily routines.

National Capital District (NCD) police issued a safety notice on social media urging city residents to report any suspicious activities to the Police Operations Centre hotline number.

• READ MORE: PNG extends election returns date by two weeks to avoid ‘failed vote’
• Moresby police chief rejects call for capital curfew after election violence
• Commonwealth observers call for ‘urgent review’ of PNG electoral process
• PNG police arrest 18 suspects following election attacks in Port Moresby
• Armed PNG election supporters cause chaos in capital, attack bystanders
• Post-Courier editorial: Our capital Port Moresby our last stand for peace
• Other PNG election reports

City Manager Ravu Frank gave reassurances that efforts to restore normalcy in the city would continue as City Hall remained open for public business.

“The incident on Sunday was an isolated one and it is not affecting the city in any way,” he said.

“Police acted swiftly and the disciplined forces patrolled the city to give confidence to the people.

“From here on, we will look at ways of preventing them from reoccurring.

“NCDC also deployed our Reserve Police to monitor and provide additional security. I am hoping that the city’s business houses will be fully functional from tomorrow onwards.”

Parkop calls for peace
NCD Governor Powes Parkop also appealed for peace while noting that the people of the city could count on City Hall for leadership during tough times.

Yesterday, there were reports of commotions in very few places across the city, including at Gordon where many shops as well as the market remained closed.

While life returned to normal, public transport was also a main concern and according to NCD Public Motor Vehicles Association president Jack Waso, security must be provided for buses as well.

“Buses are out on the roads but the main concern for us is security if police can assist. Our safety too is also very important,” he said.

By yesterday afternoon fuel stations, which were closed earlier in the day, re-opened for business. Major malls and centres also opened their doors and more people were on the streets.

Claudia Tally is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

The Commonwealth group that has been observing the Papua New Guinea national elections has called for an urgent review of the electoral process.

The leader, former Nauru president, Baron Waqa, said he was gravely concerned at the daily incidents of violence and tragic loss of life that were being reported.

The Commonwealth Observers said the highly centralised structure of the Electoral Commission had undermined the effective delivery of the election.

• READ MORE: PNG police arrest 18 suspects following election attacks in Port Moresby
• Other PNG election reports

They said the 2022 rolls were missing a large number of names, which in some cases meant up to 50 percent of eligible voters were not on the rolls.

They were critical of the late and insufficient disbursement of funds, and that unpaid bills and allowances from previous elections, created a lack of trust in the commission.

The observers reported numerous allegations of bribery and treating involving candidates’ agents.

They said they had witnessed the distribution of money and food to voters during the polling period.

They said there were inadequate efforts to facilitate the inclusion and participation of women, youth, persons with disability, and other disadvantaged groups in the political and electoral process.

The Commonwealth wants to see:

• immediate reforms to strengthen voter registration;
• the creation of a collaborative and decentralised Electoral Commission that is properly funded by government; and
• a national network to support voter education and participation.

The Commonwealth group that has been observing the Papua New Guinea elections has called for an urgent review of the election process.https://t.co/HbB4xK1cig

— RNZ Pacific (@RNZPacific) July 25, 2022

Moresby governor shocked at election violence
Meanwhile, the Governor of Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District has condemned the violence in the middle of Port Moresby on Sunday afternoon, reports RNZ Pacific.

People presumed to be supporters of rival election candidates clashed at the Sir John Guise Stadium where votes from the national election were being counted.

The attackers were armed with machetes and other weapons.

There are unconfirmed reports that at least two people were wounded.

Governor Powes Parkop said he was shocked to see such “grotesque violence” in the country’s capital, and in broad daylight.

He said it was totally unacceptable and no justification could be made for such unacceptable behaviour.

Parkop said last week that he had asked for police to provide increased security in the election counting centres as he was concerned about the tension and the security risks, but he added that he was not aware that any such efforts had been made.

He said those who committed these “grotesque acts of violence must be arrested and charged and if their candidates are also involved in the planning of these act of violence they too must be arrested and charged.”

Parkop called on all candidates to restrain their supporters and show leadership.

Bishops demand government return to capital
The Catholic Bishops of Papua New Guinea called on caretaker Prime Minister James Marape and his cabinet to return to the city and sort out the problems from the unruly election.

In a statement, the bishops said the leaders needed to return to supervise the proper completion of the electoral process; to direct the work and the intervention of the security forces; and to guarantee the safety of individuals, public institutions, and businesses.

They said a severe deterioration of events in the National Capital District in the next few hours or days would deprive those currently holding positions of responsibility of any future credibility and trust for the welfare of the country and its citizens.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

The headline of this editorial, we believe, expresses what every eligible voter, business house and candidate in the nation’s capital feels towards the Electoral Commission of PNG.

To make a decision like this, the deferral of polling, at the very last minute on the day when this important event is to take place is absurd. it’s costly and creates an impression that our electoral process is dysfunctional in the eyes our citizens and the international community.

The explanation by the Election Manager for NCD (National Capital District), Kila Ralai, citing interference from candidates and their scrutineers on the deferral is very weak and doesn’t hold water.

• READ MORE: PNG’s capital residents shocked with second deferral of polling day
• Six charged with money laundering over K1.3 million in suitcase as PNG votes
• PNG leader Marape confirms son arrested over money in suitcase
• PNG security detain man with K1.56m in suitcase as elections begin
• ‘Nothing to do with me’: PNG leader distances himself from suitcase of cash
• Other PNG elections reports

He was quoted as saying: “Unfortunately in that process there was interference, by the candidates and the scrutineers who came to over-rule the administration of the electoral process, that has prolonged the election operations.”

However, he goes on further and says: “We need to maintain our integrity, we need to maintain that integrity and the efficient process of the elections, so that we can deliver the elections to our voters.

“It is not good that we will push when the systems are not in place when the process is not prepared, we need to have all these before we conduct elections for NCD.”

Our question is: So what systems are not in place and whose job is it to prepare so that the integrity of the election is maintained?

The excuse made for the initial deferral from July 4-6 and now from 6th to maybe 8th of July is completely unacceptable.

And we endorse the sentiments of NCD Governor Powes Parkop and many other candidates who said: “Securing counting venues and preparing polling officials, ballot boxes and ballot papers are basic outcomes that the Chief Electoral Commissioner and his staff should have sorted out well before the 4th or 6th of July.

“These are basic issues they ought to have templates and be experts in these areas by now.

This basic failure shows the highest level of incompetency and someone should be brought to account for this level of incompetency which is bordering on stupidity.”

This basic failure shows poor level of leadership, poor planning and total incompetency on the part of Chief Electoral Commissioner and his officers.

They ought to hang their heads in shame!

For our capital city to be continuously subjected to such basic problems is totally unacceptable! It reflects badly on the Electoral Commission, our capital city and our country.

The Electoral Commission had four years and then a number of weeks due to deferral of the Issue of Writs and then two more days and they are still unprepared.

PNG Post-Courier. Republished with permission.

Today is officially the last day of campaigning in Papua New Guinea’s 2022 National General Election.

Count tomorrow until Monday as rest days, but in politically charged PNG, anything is possible, including illegal last-minute clandestine campaigning.

Polling is set to begin Tuesday, July 4, when millions will exercise their democratic right at the polls to elect their 118 MPs.

• READ MORE: Other PNG election reports

The exercise has been tainted by violence, mainly in the Highlands, and allegations of ballot tampering, but this has not discouraged the will of the people to get over this election.

“Wok Mas Go Het Yet” (Work must go on) has been the nationalistic slogan from patriotic Papua New Guineans who see it as their duty to fulfil their electoral obligations by overturning the results of 2017.

The 2022 national ballot will be a game changer for a country that has seen and experienced more upheavals in the past 5 years then any other time in its 47 years of independence.

Since the issue of writs on May 29, poll watchers have predicted a titanic struggle between the two main political parties PANGU (Green), led by incumbent Prime Minister James Marape and People’s National Congress (Red), led by former PM Peter O’Neill.

Red versus Green ‘armies’
Both the PNC Red Army of O’Neill and the PANGU Green Army of Marape have been at loggerheads in various campaign locations but the real test will come down to the wire on polling day.

Who will muster the numbers to gain power when the writs are returned on July 29?

Here is our analysis, based on our political coverage since last year, and based on analysis of the 2017 election results.

There have been many insights released and floated by scientists, political analysts, geologists and even by table mamas, wannabe “glassman” (sorcerers) and journalists on their bets.

The political landscape has been divided between Marape and O’Neill, though there may be other leaders like opposition leader Belden Namah, Patrick Pruaitch, William Duma, Sir John Pundari and the ‘Last Knight Standing’, Sir Julius Chan, who are contenders for this coming election.

However, all eyes are on the resource-rich provinces of Southern Highlands (O’Neill) and Hela (Marape).

This tectonic fracture was clearly evident in November 2020 when O’Neill tried sponsoring a vote of no confidence and he funded the Vanimo Camp, but Marape’s Loloata camp won that contest.

‘Take Back PNG’ mantra
The divide is obvious. Marape has mostly those who are first and second term MPs who are inclined to the “Take Back PNG” mantra and the philosophies behind it, while O’Neill had his old school politicians who all dreamed to be PM some day with the likes of Namah, Pundari, Charles Abel, Davis Steven, Powes Parkop, Sir Julius, Duma and Nick Kuman to name a few.

And as the nation goes into polls in three days time, this divide of the two classes of politicians still remains with the emerging heavyweights yet to show their power.

However, a “dark horse” in the shadows might emerge where we could see the rise of Enga if the battle of the Southern Highlanders does not work according to plan.

While it will be anybody’s game and being in the land of the unexpected, if the trend of the last elections where the ruling party returns to form government (National Alliance in 2007, People’s National Congress in 2012 and 2017) then it should be PANGU in 2022, but will they have the numbers to form government?

While some are sure of victory and already counting their eggs with the grand announcement of coalitions, others are holding their cards close to their chest like a true poker grandmaster.

This is the newspaper’s political projection from the election team at the PNG Post-Courier which will focus on the political party seats likely to win when polling starts on Tuesday.

Election projections
We project that of the 111 MPs in the last five years, 55 percent of sitting MPs will most likely lose their seats in this year’s 2022 National General Election.

Based on the 2017 NGE results, the sitting MPs who we project will not return are those that have scored less than 10 percent of total votes in their first count, and MPs that scored between 10– 20 percent in their first count are at extreme risks of losing their seats.

So these two categories make up about 55 percent of the sitting MPs, which translates to 57-60 MPs who most likely will not return.

To predict the number of seats to be won by each political party, we will use the simple winning percentage technique of each political party in 2017 to predict the potential wins for 2022 seats.

We will adjust for new political parties and also adjust for the PANGU Pati as it is going into this election as the ruling party.

We will also look at the main political parties and the independents and review each political party in 2017 versus the number of candidates each party endorsed in 2017 and the current 2022.

The independents make up 40 percent of the candidate list for 2022 among 53 political party endorsed candidates.

‘Dark horse’ parties
Then we have the “dark horse” parties that we will also talk about including their party leaders.

At the start of this election, PANGU went in with 40 but were down to 38 sitting MPs (2 had died) and the PNC was next with 15, NA 8, URP and ULP (less than 8 MPs).

The 2017 election results detailed that PNC had the highest winning numbers with 29 seats, National Alliance with 15 seats and PANGU and URP both returned 10 seats.

The rest had 5 seats or below with the exception of Independents that won 13 seats.

The tentative projections for the top five political parties and the independents for 2022:

• PNC endorsed 95 candidates in 2017, won 29 seats, a 31 percent win rate and in 2022 our projection is that of their 97 endorsed, 32 are likely to win.
• PANGU endorsed 69 in 2017, won only 10 seats, a 14 percent win rate and in 2022 they have endorsed 81 candidates 2022. Projection: 20 seats likely to win.
• United Resource Party (URP) endorsed 34 in 2017 and won 10 seats, a 29 percent win rate. In 2022, of 49 endorsed candidates, projected to win 14 seats.
• National Alliance Party (NA) endorsed 73 candidates in 2017, won 15 seats, a 21 per cent win rate. In 2022, they have 63 candidates; they will likely win 12 seats.
• PNG Party (PNGP) endorsed 87 candidates in 2017, won 4 seats for a 5 percent win rate. In 2022, they have endorsed 84; our projection is that they will win 5 seats again.
• The Independents had 1921 candidates in 2017 and won 13 seats, a 1 percent win rate. In 2022, they increased to 1500 and our projection is that they will win 10 seats.
• Of the women candidates, we expect a strong woman rally and predict a 5 seat mandate.

Republished with permission.

“Powes! Powes! Powes!” The city of Port Moresby was ringing with chants of support for its governor for the past 15 years — Powes Parkop.

Hundreds of men, women and children from the settlements to the suburbs flocked at the weekend in support of the three-term politician who stands confident of defending his seat one more time.

The Independence Boulevard came alive with shades of orange — the colour of Parkop’s Social Democratic Party — more than a hundred buses, taxis and private vehicles crammed the Kone Tigers Oval while banners pledging the support of youth, women, settlements and suburbs danced.

• READ MORE: Other PNG election reports

Making his stance clear, Parkop said he was ready for another term in Parliament.

“From the bottom of my heart, I am proud of how far we have come and I promise you, the journey of transformation will continue to be outstanding for our people in the city and all our people in the entire length and breadth of our country,” he said.

“Today I am ready. I am energised. I am all set for the next five years to continue to do more and deliver more for our people, our city and our country. “

The rally last Saturday follows Parkop’s quiet nomination on Thursday, May 19, at the Sir John Guise stadium as the first candidate to nominate for the National Capital District (NCD) regional seat.

Gratitude to supporters
He also extended gratitude to the people of the city for their support of his leadership.

“I thank our people from the eastside, the westside and southside of our city, for your faith and belief in our leadership and journey together,” he declared.

The Social Democratic Party led by NCD Governor Powes Parkop announced 41 candidates for the 2022 National General Elections.#SocialDemocraticParty #NCDGovenor #PowesParkop #2022NGE #candidates #elections #PapuaNewGuinea #PNG #PNGNews #LoopPNGhttps://t.co/Co2yzIpnZd

— Loop PNG (@looppng) May 9, 2022

“I thank you for your steadfastness, your unwavering support and loyalty.

“It has been a great journey for us and for me as your Governor in the last 14 years,” said Parkop.

“We have delivered equally in the entire NCD, the East, West and South and we are poised to deliver more in the next 5 years to transform our capital city, the pride of our country.”

Deputy Governor and Motu-Koita chairman Dadi Toka Jr, sitting member for Moresby South Justin Tkatchenko, Moresby North-east hopefuls Pastor Moses Minape and Joe Tintin Saraga were also present at the rally.

John Rosso named Deputy PM
Meanwhile, Gorethy Kenneth reports that Prime Minister James Marape has announced Member for Lae and Minister for Lands John Rosso as the country’s Deputy Prime Minister going into the election and beyond.

He will be sworn in on Wednesday to succeed Sam Basil who died tragically in a car accident earlier this month.

Marape has also announced Hagen MP and SOE Minister William Duma will be acting Prime Minister while he is away attending the 37th Australia Papua New Guinea Business Forum and Trade Expo.

The PNG Electoral Commission estimates that up to 1000 candidates have already nominated to contest the 2022 National General Election.

It was unable to provide a definitive figure on the nominations due to lack of information and communications from the provinces.

Electoral Commissioner Simon Sinai said that a few hiccups were experienced in many provinces where information was not readily available and also due to communication difficulties.

Republished with permission.

The public’s cry for a safe, affordable and efficient public transport system in Papua New Guinea’s capital Port Moresby has been finally heard.

Following almost 10 years of planning and preparations, the National Capital District Commission’s Eda City Bus Service started operations today.

The service will pursue a modern city bus transport model operating in eight routes across the National Capital District, all of which are not currently serviced by the Public Motor Vehicle (PMV) minibus operators in the city.

• READ MORE: Other PNG public transport reports

Speaking at the inauguration event yesterday NCD Governor Powes Parkop said it had been a long time in planning and it was good to finally make it a reality.

“It is high time that we create a sustainable, reliable, safe and efficient public transportation system in our city and today we are creating a baseline that will set the pace for our city’s public transportation to be taken to new levels of efficiency, one that we can build on from and make it even better,” he said.

The bus service will be charging everybody K1 (NZ42c) from point A to point B and will be servicing routes following a set schedule.

Each schedule for each route is available at bus terminals where the public can easily access.

With the aim of achieving safe and efficient transportation, there will be safety, security and revenue officers on board each bus to ensure passengers are safe and adhere to set regulations.

The routes include:

• Route 1: Gerehu – Red Hills – Morata Swamp- 8 Mile junction – 9 Mile junction – Bomana Junction;
• Route 2: Gerehu – Ela Beach – Baruni – Badihagwa;
• Route 3: Ela Beach – Sir Hubert Murray Stadium – Poreporena Freeway – Gordons Courts Roundabout;
• Route 4: Gerehu- Sir William Skate Highway – Magani Crescent Road, Morata Junction – Wagani Tokarara Bustop- Tokarara Market – Koura way- Sir Hubert Murray Stadium; and
• Route 5: 9 Mile – Manu bus stop – 8 Mile – Erima – 7 Mile – Saraga Market – Dogura Junction – Tuna Bay Junction – Taurama Barracks – Vadavada

According to Acting City Manager Ravu Frank there are two phases to this transport system.

The first phase which begins today will be a cash system where people pay money and get tickets for the first six months and the second phase will begin after where the system will transit into a cashless operation using cards.

The Eda City Bus Service is not the first public transport system to be introduced in Port Moresby.

In the 1960s a similar initiative called Port Moresby Bus Company was operating under the then city authority and providing a service until it was liquidated in 1981.

City partnership offered PMV operators
Meanwhile, the NCDC has invited PMV operators in Port Moresby to partner in upgrading the standard of public transport in the city.

Governor Parkop called for expressions of interest stating that there was room for everyone to work together and benefit while providing this essential service to city residents.

“I want to announce that we have a specific offer for the PMV operators to be part of this service going forward,” he said.

“The details of this will be announced later but the essence of this offer in partnership is this: NCDC will set up a business limited called Eda City Bus Limited.

“Eda City Bus Limited will be initially owned by NCDC but we will diverse the shares, including making offers to the operators and the owners who are current or even inviting investors from overseas, especially those who have experience who knows how to deliver this type of service providing both service and sustainability and if we can make profit too that is a bonus.”

However, the bus operators must meet the following requirements in order to qualify for this partnership.

• Maintain and operate quality and neat buses;
• Complete routes and adhere to timetables;
• Make it safe for passengers on board;
• Support Eda City Bus Service branding; and
• Follow the terms of the ticketing system.

Claudia Tally is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

Papua’s Guinea’s National Court has issued an interim restraining order stopping the planned eviction of thousands of Morata settlers on portion 2733 in the capital of Port Moresby.

MSaka Lawyers, engaged by National Capital District (NCD) Governor Powes Parkop, went to court last Friday in light of the looming eviction by First Estate Limited, a company owned by a local individual and his Chinese business partner.

Governor Parkop, a former human rights lawyer before entering politics, said the interim orders should give the settlers “some comfort”.

• READ MORE: Other reports on Morata settlers

Clarifying his government’s stance, he reiterated that people claiming title to land and their investment partners should provide alternative solutions to the thousands of affected families who are made homeless due to eviction.

He called on title holders and their investor partners to have talks with him on how this humanitarian crisis could be addressed.

“Our people cannot be left homeless for corporate greed or just for the benefit of one title holder,” he said.

More proactive action
“Lands Department and National Land Board should ensure too that they don’t award title to individuals over land which already has thousands of people in occupation,” said Governor Parkop.

Governor Parkop has also directed the Physical Planning Division and Regulatory Department of NCDC to be more proactive in stopping illegal occupation and settlement of both state and customary land in the city.

He made the call yesterday during the first Physical Planning Board Meeting for NCD for 2022.

“Many of these issues could have been avoided had NCDC and Department of Lands cooperated to prevent or stop all illegal occupation and settlements of state and customary land in the city,” he said.

First Estate Limited will be moving a motion on NCDC standing and abuse of court process while NCDC will be moving a motion on the legality of the UDL.

Justice Kariko ordered that:

1. The matter is adjourned to 2 Feb 2022 for hearing of the Plaintiff’s Notice of Motion (NOM) filed on 10/04/21 and the First Defendant’s NOM filed on 02/07/21;
2. Parties shall file and serve any further affidavits for the hearing by Monday 31/01/22;
3. Parties should settle and hand up to the court on the return date a chronology of all related litigation in all courts in relation to the dispute in this proceeding;
4. The hearing of the motions shall not be further adjourned except for good reasons; and
5. Until the return date, the First Defendant, its servants and agents including members of the police force are restrained from entering into the subject land and carry out steps to evict the residents on the land formerly known as Portion 2733, Morata, NCD.

Republished with permission.

Hundreds of settlers from the controversial Garden Hills settlement along Waigani Drive in Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District (NCD) have been thrown out of their homes after a court order enforced by police.

Their homes on church-owned land were razed by bulldozers yesterday.

Policemen deployed at the eviction site told news media that they were acting on a 30-day eviction notice that had been given to the settlers to move out, but they had stayed on.

• READ MORE: Parkop assures settlers of land

“We were given an order from the NCD-Central Command to provide security while the authorities carried out the eviction exercise,” a senior officer at the eviction site said.

Mothers and children sat on the road with their belongings, watching helplessly as their homes for more than 30 years was torn down by machines while armed policemen stood guard.

A few people were sorry to see the settlers kicked out and their homes torn down, but most city residents have been complaining over many years about “general lawlessness” caused by the settlers.

‘Crime hotspot’
Police have identified the settlement as a “crime hotspot”, with NCD Governor Powes Parkop vowing to remove the settlers.

In the most recent law and order situation in the settlement, two people were killed in a drunken brawl that got out of hand, with the settlers running amok in the Garden Hills estate, threatening and attacking residents.

Residents in the estate have lived in fear of being attacked or mugged by youths.

According to deputy commander of NCD-Central Command, Laimo Asi, the land belongs to the Assembly of God (AoG) church.

Laimo said an eviction order was given 30 days ago to the settlers living there.

“But they did not move so the church got an eviction order and police just enforced the order,” he said.

“Units were sent in to enforce the eviction order; there was a bit of resistance in the morning, but the situation is now under control.

“Police will continue to patrol the area.”

The settlement is one of the biggest and most notorious in NCD.

Governor promised squatters
Attempts to get comments from Governor Parkop yesterday were not successful.

Governor Parkop had promised squatters at Garden Hills a year ago that they would be relocated to Fareya behind the air transport squadron (ATS) at Eight Mile.

On December 15, 2020, the Post-Courier published an article quoting Parkop regarding the future of the squatters following mounting pressure by residents who fall victim daily to petty crimes by youths from the settlement.

After 12 months, the squatters were finally evicted in a massive eviction carried out yesterday.

Marjorie Finkeo is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

SPECIAL REPORT: By Yamin Kogoya

This past week marked 60 years since West Papua declared independence on 1 December 1961.

Around the world, Papuans and solidarity groups commemorated this national day in melancholic spirits — the weight of that fateful day carries courage and pride, but also great suffering and betrayal.

Outraged by 60 years of silence and ignorance, Powes Parkop, the Governor of Papua New Guinea’s capital, strongly condemned the PNG government in Port Moresby last week. He said the government should not ignore the crisis in the Indonesian-controlled region of New Guinea.

• READ MORE: Other West Papua reports

Parkop accused the government of doing little to hold Indonesia accountable for decades of human rights violations in West Papua in a series of questions in Parliament directed at Foreign Minister Soroi Eoe.

“Hiding under a policy of ‘Friends to All, Enemy to None’ might be okay for the rest of the world, but it is total capitulation to Indonesian aggression and illegal occupation,” Parkop said.

“It is more a policy of seeing no evil, speaking no evil and to say no evil against the evils of Indonesia.”

A similar voice also echoed from staff members of the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre during their West Papua flagraising event at their office in Suva on Wednesday.

Ignorance ‘needs to stop’
Shamima Ali, coordinator and human rights activist from the crisis centre, said Pacific leaders — including Fiji — have been too silent on the issue of West Papua and the ignorance needed to stop.

Ali said that since Indonesia’s occupation of West Papua, gross human rights violations — including enforced disappearances, bombings, rocket attacks, torture, arbitrary detention, beatings, killings, sexual torture, rape, forced birth control, forced abortions, displacement, starvation, and burnings– had sadly become an enforced “way of life” for West Papuans.

SBS also narrated last week’s commemoration of December 1 in Canberra, in which Papuans raised the banned Morning Star flag and expressed the significance of the flag-raising to Papuans.

As a mark of remembrance, flags were raised all across the globe from Oxford — the refugee home of Benny Wenda, the West Papua independence icon — to Holland, homeland of many descendants of exiled Papuan independence leaders who left the island in protest against Indonesia’s illegal annexation in 1960.

Celebrating Papuans’ national day in West Papua or anywhere in Indonesia is not safe.

Amnesty International Indonesia reported last Friday that police arrested and charged eight Papuan students for peacefully expressing their political opinions on December 1 — Papuans’ Independence Day.

The report also stated that Papuans frequently face detention and charges for peacefully expressing their political views. But counter-protesters often assault Papuans under police watch with no repercussions.

Eight arrested in Jayapura
At least eight people were arrested in Jayapura, Papua, and 19 were arrested in Merauke, Papua, for displaying the Morning Star flag.

In Ambon and Bali, 19 people were injured by police beatings, and 13 people were injured when protesters were physically attacked by counter-protesters who used racist language, reports Amnesty International Indonesia.

In West Papua, the Indonesian police are also reported to have investigated eight young Papuans involved in raising the Morning Star flag in front of the Cenderawasih Sport Stadium, known as GOR in Jayapura Papua, according to the public relations Chief of Papua Police, Ahmad Musthofa Kamal.

Across West Papua, the Morning Star flag has been raised in six districts: Star Mountains, Intan Jaya, Puncak, Central Mamberamo, Paniai, and Jayapura City.

Unfortunately, Papuans are hunted like wild animals on this day as Jakarta continues to force them to become a part of Indonesia’s national narrative. The stories of which, for the past 60 years, have been nothing but nightmares filled with mass torture, death, and total erasure.

Amid all the celebrations, protests, and arrests happening across the globe on this national day, shocking footage emerged of yet another aerial attack in the Star Mountain region.

In the last few days, shocking footage has been circulating on social media showing National Armed Forces (TNI) Indonesian military helicopters firing indiscriminately at civilian villages in Suru-Suru District, Yahukimo Regency, Papua.

According to reports, this is the result of a shooting incident between the West Papua National Liberation Army (TPNPB) and the TNI in which a TNI member was killed, and another was wounded.

Soldier flown to Aceh
Serda Putra Rahaldi was one of those killed in the incident. He was flown to Aceh via Jakarta.

Praka Suheri, another TNI soldier wounded in the incident, has also been evacuated to Timika Regional General Hospital for treatment.

Indonesian military transporting wounded soldiers for treatment at hospital. Video: via Café Pacific

It is difficult to know the exact circumstances leading to the death of a soldier, but Brigadier General TNI Izak Pangemanan, Commander of Military Resort 172/PWY, says two soldiers were drinking water in a shelter located only 15 metres from the post when the shooting took place, Antara reported on Saturday, December 4, 2021.

Since November 20, five TNI soldiers have been wounded, including Sergeant Ari Baskoro and Serda Putra Rahaldi, who died in Suru-suru, Antara reported on Saturday, December 4, 2021.

The armed conflicts remain tense between the TPNPB and the TNI in seven regencies in the territory of West Papua, namely: Yahukimo District, Intan Jaya Regency, Star Mountains Regency, Nduga District, Peak District, and Maybrat-Sorong Regency.

This seemingly low-level, yet hidden conflict between the Indonesian state security forces and the TPNPB continues, if not worsens, and the world has largely turned a blind eye to it.

The Papuan church leaders stated in local media, Jubi, on Thursday November 25, that a massive military build-up and conflict between Indonesian security forces and TPNPB had resulted in displacing more than 60,000 Papuan civilians.

‘More than 60,000 displaced’
“More than 60,000 people have been displaced. Many children and mothers have been victims and died while in the evacuation camps,” said  the chair of the Synod of West Papua Baptist Churches Reverend Socrates Sofyan Yoman.

Jakarta seems to have lost its ability to see the value of noble words inscribed in its constitution for the betterment of humanity and the nation. In essence, what is written, what they say, and what they practise all contradict one another – and therein lies the essence of the human tragedy.

On December 1, 1961, the sacred Papuan state was seized with guns, lies and propaganda.

On May 1, 1963, Indonesia came to West Papua with guns.

In 1969, Jakarta forced Papuan elders to accept Indonesia during a fraud referendum at gunpoint. In the 1970s, Indonesia used guns and bombs to massacre Papuan highland villagers.

And after 60 years, Jakarta is still choosing guns and bombs as their preferred means to eradicate Papuans.

Sixty years on, the making of the current state of West Papua with guns and bombs is difficult to forget. Although West Papua lacks one key characteristic that East Timor had that brought international attention to their ardent independence war.

Morning Star flag – always flying
Nevertheless, as demonstrated around the world last week on December 1, their banned Morning Star flag seemed to always be flying in some corner of the world.

As long as Papuans fly the Morning Star flag, their plight will challenge the human heart that cries out for freedom that binds us all together, despite our differences.

As Indonesia’s state violence intensifies, Indonesians are likely to sympathise more with Papuans’ plight for justice and freedom.

At some point, the government of Indonesia must choose whether to continue to ignore Papuans and use guns and bombs to crush them or to recognise them with a new perspective.

Yamin Kogoya is a West Papuan academic who has a Master of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development from the Australian National University and who contributes to Asia Pacific Report. From the Lani tribe in the Papuan Highlands, he is currently living in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.

• Other Yamin Kogoya articles

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has announced that there will not be a total lockdown of Port Moresby.

He said the decision was made after much deliberation with key stakeholders in the city and the national government.

“Instead we will focus on maintaining and upgrading the three-pronged approach we are currently pursuing to respond to the third wave of the covid-19 pandemic,” Parkop said.

• READ MORE: Port Moresby police unable to enforce the Pandemic Act 2020
• Other PNG covid crisis reports

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu said it would also be a logistical nightmare for police to arrest people who breached the covid protocols because they did not have the facilities to lock up all those people.

He said city police would only encourage city residents to observe the new normal protocols of wearing facemasks, observing social distancing and other measures as part of their policing routines in the city.

Superintendent Ikumu said this as the City Hall announced on Monday that it would not enforce a complete lockdown as many people had expected, despite the rocketing number of deaths and covid-19 positive cases in the city since September.

“There is an absence of regulations to implement the specifics of the Pandemic Act 2020 and we cannot arrest someone for simply not wearing a mask as an example,” he said.

Defining legislation
A regulation is the subsidiary legislation that defines the essence of an Act.

It also provides guidelines that show the way the Act needs to be implemented.

Superintendent Ikumu reiterated Governor Parkop’s appeal to city residents that to stop unnecessary deaths and to get “us to overcome the crisis at hand, it needs everyone to step up and do their part”.

“For those who are still reluctant or afraid of the vaccine for one reason or another, the “Nupla Pasin protocols and testing must be your foremost priority on a daily basis,” he said.

“We will do our best to encourage compliance but it is up to each and every person in the city to comply.”

According to the John Hopkins University global covid dashboard, Papua New Guinea has 27,895 confirmed cases of the virus and 335 deaths, but these figures are widely believed to be an underestimate.

Grace Auka-Salmang is a PNG Post-Courier reporter.

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has vowed that NCDC has the municipal mandate to protect public interest and manage the best interests of the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby, reports PNG Post-Courier.

He made these remarks in a statement while he was present with onlookers at the city’s controversial Jack Pidik Park armed with an excavator to tear down a fence erected by the developer company TST adding a new twist in this land row.

“Today we have taken back Jack Pidik Park,” declared Parkop.

• READ MORE: Parkop blasts PNG Lands Department for failing to protect public parks
• Jack Pidik Park fence demolition

“It is public recreational land as far as we are concerned and shall remain that way until the commission decides otherwise.”

He said that TST had not received approval or power to “unilaterally” develop the land.

“Even if it is commercial land, it can’t be developed without our approval,” Parkop said.

“It has not complied with the orders it got from the National Court.

Developer ‘acted illegally’
“It has acted illegally and this cannot be allowed to continue.”

He said: “We assert NCDC power as the municipal government for our capital city to plan and manage our city for the benefit of all our people – individuals, corporations, churches and NGOs.

“Under the NCDC Act and vested with powers delegated to us by the Physical Planning Act and exercised through the NCD Physical Planning Board, we alone decide the type of development in the city,” he said.

“We have defended public interest in public recreational areas like Ela Beach, Unagi Oval, Gerehu Sports Oval, Apex Park, Nature Park and other smaller parks in the city,” he said.

He cited other land that had been developed in the city, saying: “We have sold most of Sea Park land, for example, to raise money to complete the historic Sir Hubert Murray Stadium.

Responsible, ethical actions
“We have signed a memorandum of agreement with Kumul Training Institute to lease a park at Tokarara to operate its training center while continuing to serve the public,” he said.

“We will continue to maintain this approach as it is the most responsible, ethical and legal thing to do.

“Those private residents in the city or our country, be they individuals or corporate, who wish to access public land must respect this policy, importantly to see our cooperation and support to develop such land or facilities. So it is a win-win outcome.

“Those who seek to do it by default or deceit will not succeed.”

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has lashed out at the Papua New Guinean Department of Lands and Physical Planning for failing to maintain and manage portions of land in urban centers for public use.

He said public space in NCD was “diminishing” and the department had not been helpful in retaining public land use over the years.

“I want to say that from the outset, public space in NCD is diminishing,” he said.

• READ MORE: Other reports on Papua New Guinea

“The Department of Lands has not been helping us [NCDC] to manage public space properly, not just public recreational space but also spaces like drainage reserves, road reserves — a lot of other reserves are there for the benefit of the public,” Parkop said.

He said the continuous change to the Minister for Lands and Physical Planning and its Department Secretary over time by successive governments was also a contributing factor to a backlog of issues.

“The Department of Lands continues to override us, continues to ignore planning, zoning and the public interest. Not only on this occasion but many other occasions.

“I want to inform the general public that NCDC is here to ensure that all recreational parks will be maintained for the benefit of all the public.”

Jack Pidik Park controversy
Parkop raised his concern in relation to the controversy over the popular Jack Pidik Park that was formerly used as a recreational area.

“From the outset, we respect TST Group of Companies [responsible for a large development involving most of the part, we have no dispute and personal grudges with that but it is our responsibility as the government to protect the public and recreational space,” he said.

The governor claimed that the department had created the problem over time and it should be held accountable to “fix the problem”.

“The Jack Pidik Park was traded by the Minister for Lands or the government at that time without consulting NCDC.

“The national government made the decision and is the only one able to correct it,” he added.

Parkop also lashed out at the National Appeals Tribunal for overruling NCDC decisions on land issues.

“In the last two years, the company has appealed against our decision and the National Appeals Tribunal and sadly again, Department of Lands through the Appeal Tribunal overruled us (NCDC Physical Planning Board) and accepted the re-zoning for commercial purposes,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lands and Physical Planning Minister John Rosso said he was speaking to Governor Parkop and would address the land issues in NCD.

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has challenged Port Moresby’s almost bottom ranking in the 2021 edition of The Economist Intelligence Unit’s (The EIU) Global Liveability report, calling it “harsh” and “irresponsible’.

The report ranks Port Moresby 138th out of 140 cities across the world — the lowest in the Asia Pacific region and in the same league as Damascus, Karachi and Dhaka.

He said Port Moresby has been ranked as “one of the least liveable cities in the world”, along with war-torn cities, reports the PNG Post-Courier.

• READ MORE: Auckland is the world’s ‘most liveable city’? Many Māori might disagree
• Auckland has become the world’s most liveable city – The Economist

“This is a harsh verdict on our city, which we have worked so hard to build,” Parkop said.

“We are constantly striving to transform Port Moresby into a world-class city with modern infrastructure, conducive business environment, cultural development through music, arts and creative industry.

To be ranked alongside Damascus is ridiculous and irresponsible, and we want to know how the agency came to this conclusion.”

According to the EIU website, the liveability survey was set in the context of the covid-19 pandemic.

Global lockdowns
The crisis caused “liveability” to decline as cities experienced lockdowns and significant strains on their healthcare systems.

However, Port Moresby was one of the few cities around the world which remained largely insulated from the virus.

While cases surged in March 2021, it was swiftly brought under control due to border shut-down, travel restrictions, and strict covid-19 protocols.

Parkop said that Papua New Guinea’s comparatively low covid-19 statistics were evidence to an effective response, including a vaccine rollout launched in the NCD in May.

“We have actively advocated for residents to take the vaccination,” he said.

“The faster, we get vaccinated, the faster the road to recovery.

“During the pandemic, while the gaps in our health care system were exposed, it also gave us an opportunity to identify and rectify these gaps.

New hospital in Gerehu
“We are currently in the process of building a new level-5 NCD provincial hospital in Gerehu which will be the new general hospital for the city as the current hospital has been pre-designated as a National Referral and Teaching Hospital.

“The new hospital project, which has already received approval from the Physical Planning and Building Board, will have 500 beds and will also serve the near-by provinces of Central and Gulf.

“We are also building a new hospital at Kaugere, Moresby South.”

Last year, the National Capital District Commission had unveiled its vision 2030.

This is a comprehensive plan that will guide all future urban development, including infrastructure, affordable housing, roads, transport, utilities and open spaces.

“The National Capital District Commission, our municipal government and I have a clear agenda – we want our city to be a safe, smart and liveable,” Parkop said.

“Though there are many challenges of urbanisation and population explosion, we are committed on delivering on projects like settlement to suburb upgrade, upgrading of roads, building market spaces for informal vendors and creating recreational spaces using the Ela Beach model.

‘We have a plan’
“We have a plan, and we are on track to achieving our vision.”

Slamming the EIU Liveability Report shared recently, Parkop said: “A report like this is totally irresponsible, counterproductive and paints a bad picture of our city internationally.

“It will impact our economic, tourism and cultural reputation.

‘‘So, we are taking it seriously and lodging our protest with the Europe-based agency which conducted the survey.

‘‘We want them to review the ranking.”

Prosecution of perpetrators of gender-based violence around the country still remains a massive problem for Papua New Guinea, says National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop.

He said while the issue of GBV continued to escalate in the country, perpetrators were not being brought to account and this gave them a “licence to continue”.

Parkop said this while addressing a workshop conducted by United Nations Women in Lae last week.

• READ MORE: Other reports on women in Papua New Guinea

“We need to fix this referral pathway, because we cannot let perpetrators of GBV [avoid] the law for their actions.

“It is simply hard for women who are victims and survivors of GBV to go and get the support they need in terms of counselling, medical support and court, and for some it is hard to get justice,” Parkop said.

“Most are not able to get justice due to lack of financial support and other factors.

“There must be a support system established so that victims of GBV cannot go back to abusive relationships where some of them end up losing their lives.

Dynamics ‘unchanged’
“It is important that we fix this referral pathway and allocate money and resources to effectively address this…..because despite work done over the years to address GBV issues in the country, this has not changed the dynamics.”

He said all stakeholders, including the government and political leaders, must ensure that this issue was dealt with and must not be something that the future generation could continue to do.

A participant in the gathering and an advocate of GBV in Lae, Nellie McLay, said there was a serious need for the government to look at recommendations made some years ago and implement these to help address the issue of GBV.

McLay said women were important, equal to men and were bearers of human beings, the most important resources in the world.

But many women in PNG continued to be abused, tortured and some killed at the hand of their partners, she said.

Several participants said that when there was not much support given to victims of GBV, women continued to stay in abusive relationship and this needed to change.

Janet Kari is a PNG Post-Courier reporter.

National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop has warned Papua New Guinean ethnic groups to stop fighting and killing each other or they will be evicted from the city.

Parkop told the media and settlers living around Moresby South settlements who turned up at Badili police station on Friday that they must stop the fighting and senseless killings.

“I am not bothered where you are from, but if you continue to cause problem attacking each other, I will come and remove you all – simple as that,” he said.

• READ MORE: PNG deploys troops to violence-plagued Alotau

“And if you can’t learn to live with each other then you don’t deserve to live among everybody else.”

A negotiation with landowners at Vadavada along Taurama road was also going on and settlers there who planned to start any fight or killing in the future would be removed, Parkop warned.

“I have the responsibility in terms of development of the city. NCD is planned for development and most of these houses in the settlements are unplanned and have no approval. I have the power to remove them,” he said.

Powers would be used
Parkop said if another fight or killing erupts in Moresby South, his powers would be used and he would not hesitate to remove everyone in the settlements.

He said police were doing their best to fight law and order in the city and he would also play his part to make the city safe for developments.

“I have given an ultimatum to Vadavada settlers and I hope they don’t start any fighting again and the same applies to settlers of Moresby South,” he said.

Parkop added that the authorities had had enough of “this nonsense” in the city with law and order and serious action would be taken.

Governor Powes Parkop says there will be no lockdown in Papua New Guinea’s National Capital District (NCD) despite a second spike in covid-19 cases.

“We surely cannot afford to lock down NCD again because the economy of the country is in a precarious position,” he stressed firmly amid rumours being spread of a second lockdown, especially on social media.

“As the governor of our capital city, I am not going to entertain, discuss or even consider a second lockdown,” he said.

• READ MORE: Spate of PNG covid-19 cases include national pandemic chief
• No 2 in PNG covid-19 response dies
• Other PNG covid-19 reports

“The covid-19 pandemic and the economic downturn are two equally compelling crises challenging the country. But the impact of an economic meltdown would be more severe than the impact of covid-19 in Papua New Guinea.”

He said he did not want to see more people getting unemployed or going into part-time employment.

“We are not going to and I will not support any plans or suggestions to further restrict or lock down the city that will severely affect the functioning, normalcy and ability of the businesses to be carried out daily.

“[The economy] has suffered severely since March 2020 and it’s just recovering.

‘We need economy to start growing’
“We need the economy to start growing again. We need to stimulate the economy.

“Many of our young people who (completed) school last year are seeking employment which we must create for them.

“Many who have been laid off or gone into part (time jobs) are trying to get into small-to-medium enterprises.

“A lockdown will surely strain the economy further and therefore sufferings for the people. I don’t want to imagine the consequences of an economic meltdown in our city and country.

“This is why I am adamant that there won’t be any restrictions or lockdown.

“All we have to do, and what I want to encourage, is for all of us to adhere to covid-19 prevention protocols so that everything will remain open and we proceed with reviving our country’s economy.”

RNZ Pacific reports that the deputy head of PNG’s National Pandemic Response to covid-19, Dr Paison Dakulala, died today.

PNG Police Commissioner David Manning, who is also the man leading the response, issued a statement this evening.

Lulu Mark is a reporter for The National. Asia Pacific Report republishes The National articles with permission.

They said it was an emotional day for them, to celebrate Mother’s Day in iconic Paga Hill  in Papua New Guinea’s capital of Port Moresby – a place they once called home.

Mothers who were unfortunate to have been part of the eviction of settlers from Paga Hill, capitalised on Mother’s Day to appeal for help.

It was also a symbolic gesture for them. On Mother’s Day six years ago they were evicted along with their families, and resettled to Six Mile and Gerehu. Since then, they say they have been living there under harsh conditions.

On Mother’s Day morning, they staged a peaceful march during the Walk for Life along Paga Hill road to make a statement.

Staging the march was about getting the recognition they deserved as citizens with equal rights as any other to basic services.

Weeks beforehand they had decided to reach out to the NCD Governor Powes Parkop for assistance.

Parkop had no idea that they had planned to meet him at the end of the Walk for Life event. There, they handed him a bilum containing a documentary that sums up what they have and continue to endure since they were resettled to Six Mile and Gerehu.

Gerehu group
Bessie Maiga and her family were part of the group who resettled in Gerehu. She says it has been hard on her and her family, especially when it came to finding water and employment. She said:

“Now Mothers Day na ol larim ol mama sidaun, nogat ba mipla karim container wara go kam lo rot olsem ol camel.”

(Because its Mother’s Day today we celebrate. Every other day we carry large containers of water up and down the road like camels).

Bessie’s husband now lives in the city with relatives in order to keep a job that would sustain his family.

Her story is one many of them share. Some families are not as fortunate as others to have a steady income.

“Sampla papa sa wok, sampla nogat. Lo Paga ino olsem, ol man blo mipla na pikinini man sa go dive na mipla sa salim,” Bessie said

(Some of our husbands have jobs, other don’t. It wasn’t the same at Paga Hill when our husbands and sons would go diving for fish and we would sell it for money).

Going back to Paga Hill rekindled fonder memories of a time when life was simpler for them.

“It was home for us, and it is unforgettable” said Bessie’s daughter Serah

Their Mother’s Day march was a desperate cry for help from the government. They say they seek only to be given the decency of basic human rights and services they deserve as people of this nation.

Meleasie Goviro is an EMTV News reporter. This is article is republished by Asia Pacific Report with permission.

• More Paga Hill stories

Is history repeating itself for the Moresby North West electorate in the Papua New Guinean general election?

In 2012, polling was deferred to a day after the scheduled date for this electorate.

This year, polling has been deferred once more. However, this time, it is affecting all electorates of the National Capital District (NCD).

Current NCD Governor Powes Parkop recalls the 2012 elections.

“In terms of the counting, I was the last to be declared. When [Prime Minister] Peter O’Neil was elected as the Prime Minister, I was not yet a Member of Parliament. It’s like a bad dream coming back,” he says.

Yesterday, the Electoral Commissioner declared this Friday, June 30, as the rescheduled date for NCD polling.

This however may cause inconvenience to many voters and in the case of contesting candidates, be stressful in terms of resources and going through the agony of how the voting will go on.

Expensive for rival groups
Rival candidate Robert Agen said the deferral would be expensive for all parties. But he still welcomed the decision.

“We’re trying to bring our nation forward, so everybody must follow the rule of law and election is one of the democratic process that needs to be followed properly,” he said.

Meanwhile, there is a window period under the law in which to deliver the election, after which the election can be termed as a failed election.

Parkop said the Electoral Commissioner was the only person authorised to announce a new date to vote as long as it fell within that set window period. As was the case in 2012.

“The law is very clear, you have to deliver the election within a period of time. The courts or the NEC cannot interfere in the electoral process – nobody except the Chief Electoral commissioner and his officers.”

Gloria Bauai is a Loop PNG reporter.

• More PNG general election stories

A petition calling on O’Neill to stand down and face an investigation into corruption allegations was finally delivered to the prime minister yesterday.

The students gave an ultimatum that he must stand aside or there would be a mass withdrawal of students from the tail-end of UPNG’s semester.

“Citizen Journalist” has been on the ground at UPNG as the saga unfolded, filing for Asia Pacific Report. Here are some of his pictures:

UPNG students protest

1 of 12

The petition is believed to call on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill to stand aside while implicated in corruption allegations and investigations.

This was the way forward that the students had agreed to, said Parkop.

“An opportunity was given to them last week and they turned it down. It was consistent too with their demand that the Prime Minister or ‘his representative’ receive their petition,” he said.

“By reneging on their own position, the students have shown [a] lack of sincerity in their cause. I encourage them to allow the petition to be received on behalf of the Prime Minister or be delivered by a committee of the students and allow the Prime Minister time to consider and reply.”

Parkop pointed out that since independence, no prime minister has gone to UPNG or elsewhere to receive any petition, especially in the current environment of boycotts or protests.

All prime ministers in the past had maintained a stand to protect the integrity of the Office of the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea so that a precedent was not set where the incumbent PM had to succumb to threats and or demands, Parkop said.

‘Keyboard warriors’ condemned
“At the same time, I condemn other members of society, or keyboard warriors, who took advantage of the situation to create fear and anxiety by distributing in social media and other means, a warning to businesses, schools and the public in the city of an impending civil unrest. Such actions are unacceptable,” the governor said.

“Those who seek to pursue a campaign by protest must show leadership and responsibility in their decisions and actions. In particular, they must seek to ensure minimal disturbance, [so that] neither fear nor anxiety is created in our country.”

Parkop said that inciting fear, threatening violence or looting and destruction was completely irresponsible and it would not be tolerated.

It also did not set a positive precedent to children and future generation.

“We are doing all we can, especially in the city, to prepare for international events, to build a city that is safe and peaceful for all, so I call on the student body at UPNG to support good in the country and to disassociate themselves from these agitators as they are a liability and will bring a bad name to the student body,” he said.

“I encourage the students to partake in actions and activities that will yield positive results and portray themselves as better future leaders in the country.”

Governor Parkop also appealed to residents of the city to remain calm and go about their business as usual.

The UPNG administration earlier today warned in a statement that the planned student boycott ballot could be bordering on contempt.

• UPNG warns student planned protest ballot ‘bordering on contempt’
• UPNG students shrug off threats