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Lae's West Papua community joined in celebrating Papua New Guinea's 46th Independence at the PNG University of Technology yesterday

#PNGNews.

John Lanta, a leader of the community and staff member of the university said their culture is slowly dying because they've been away from home for many years. 

"West Papuans who live abroad, especially in PNG are so thankful and honoured that we are being invited to special events, especially Independence Day for PNG. It's a big thing for us...it's touching because our people have been fighting for independence for 52 years and we are still waiting."

Mr. Lanta's parents fled from West Papua in 1967 and settled in Papua New Guinea in 1969. This is a story similar to that of many other West Papuans who have now made Papua New Guinea home. 

"Our parents told us about our customs, traditional stories, practices, so we try to keep that alive while we are in exile."

While congratulating Papua New Guinea on 46 years of independence, Mr Lanta said he hopes that one day the West Papuan dream of independence, becomes a reality.

#westpapua #lae #independenceday #celebrations

Good morning to you on the last day of 2021

2021 will go down in our history as one of our darkest. 

I feel I owe the nation an apology. I acted in good faith to humbly resign in May 2019 thinking that the change that was asked for would be youthful and move us forward faster than my government could.

I have, like you, been bitterly disappointed in the performance of the Marape led Government over the last 31 months.

I am sorry to have not fully understood the cargo cult mentality; lack of common sense and absence of integrity that now identifies the Marape Government. I have been surprised at how fast they have managed to undo years of hard work of not just my government, but those that came before me. 

Economically we are in one heck of a mess with debt at over K51 billion and no plan to increase income except to tax our people more.

Socially, crime and violence in our capital and the regions is out of control. The law is routinely abused and manipulated for political gain.

Corruption, nepotism, and greed is worse not better and our economic, health and social unrest has made us a laughingstock in the region.

It is with deep regret that I now look back on what has transpired since May 2019. Marape has consistently shown a lack of moral courage; decisiveness and leadership.

However, with the New Year upon us it is time to look forward.

We have much to be proud of – our culture is one of the world’s most vibrant and evolving still; our country is blessed with natural resources more than adequate to meet our needs; we are gifted to have a democratic system of Government in the Commonwealth and our neighbours are peaceful. 

Our prospects could not be better. 

We saw during APEC in 2018 how the World’s largest economies responded to our potential. Opening up new ways of doing business with old and new trading partners and billions of Kina flooded in to help our country access electricity; digitize and evolve but we have failed since then to capitalise on these development opportunities.

There really is nothing to stop us reaching our potential but ourselves.

But 2021 will go down not as a year of moving forward but of rapidly going backwards. 

In a few short months the reign of this Marape led Government will pause, and you will have your chance to vote for a better future. You have my commitment to lead a team of candidates, both experienced campaigners and fresh faces, to rebuild Papua New Guinea and set forth once again to living up to our incredible potential.

We are all looking forward to a brighter 2022. I am confident it will be a year of positive change – we must fight for our children and for PNG.

Happy New Year and stay Safe

God Bless

Melanesian Style va Western Style of Development

The difference .................. PNGeans feel inferior when confronted with the realities of a village boy making it big as an educated elite holding positions of power and "high set" social life and privileges of high rental accommodation etc. It all hits home when the climb to this life style changes abruptly. Reality hits home and you come home to your humble beginnings of the hamlet and the old tracks that you trod some years ago. How do we change that to bring foreigners with high living standards to our humble villages to the same life style found in the urban centres? We change our planning process. Plan for "villages to urban centres". The landowner is then empowered to change for the better. This is another way of viewing my post of 18th December, 2021. I cannot pretend, lets look at development from our own experiences. Why bring outsiders whom do not know how to be a Melenesian to plan for Melenesian ADVANCEMENT! God placed man on land and blessed him, NOT MONEY! PERIOD.

Vanuatu opposition calls for engagement with New Caledonia loyalists

Vanuatu's opposition leader is calling for engagement with New Caledonia's anti-independence side.

New Caledonia last week narrowly rejected independence from France, but a third referendum is likely in 2022.

Ralph Regenvanu, who is a staunch advocate for decolonisation in the region, says New Caledonia is Vanuatu's closest neighbour and home to the largest group of ni-Vanuatu abroad.

He says New Caledonia's independence is the goal of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, for which it was set up.

"We also need to convince the anti-independence lobby that New Caledonia can be a viable state in the Pacific like the other states in the Pacific," he said.

"I know that the anti-independence lobby in New Caledonia often likes to point over to Vanuatu and say 'look, you could become like that if you become independent'.

"For us, it is quite amusing because we think we have got a very good development model happening here," Regenvanu said.0

Joint Statement at the conclusion of the Joint Supervisory Body Meeting

The governments of PNG and Bougainville today concluded the Joint Supervisory Body Meeting in Port Moresby. 

Prime Minister James Marape and President Ishmael Toroama affirmed to work within the spirit and intentions of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.  

The two leaders further reaffirmed their commitment to the jointly agreed timeframe that has been set to find a lasting solution for Bougainville. 

Among key agreements reached today, the leaders tabled the Joint Statement that was agreed to in the Joint Consultations meeting yesterday. 

The leaders endorsed the Joint Consultations Statement and directed that both governments’ technical teams will work together to ensure its effective implementation as per the Wabag Roadmap. 

Other key agendas discussed in the meeting today include the implementation of the Sharp Agreement and other outstanding financial matters. 

The two leaders also noted the recurring agendas that have remain unresolved for a number of years such as the fisheries, BCL shares and the Restoration and Development Grant, and directed the technical teams to ensure that these matters are resolved immediately at the administrative level. 

The leaders agreed that the next meeting of the Joint Supervisory Body will be held in March 2022 in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville. 

Following the meeting, the two leaders jointly launched the Bougainville Socio-Economic Baseline Survey Report.

The Baseline Survey Report is an activity led jointly by the ABG and National Department of Commerce, and provides the government with complete data on Bougainville’s current socio-economic situation, and proposes policy interventions for the government to implement going forward. 

Ends...///

PNG did not to learn from mìstake on BCL. Foreign ownership of Gold Refinery is wrong


Bougainville crises erupted due to failure by PNG government to give priority to rightful resouce owners by nature but landowners by cut and paste foreign laws.

Provicial governments and landowners were made spectators in their own land without participating in the development and benefit sharing of their own gold and copper. 

PNG government adapted a foreign law to deal with our gold and copper mining which favours the foreigners and citizens were made to suffer from the sideline.

Gold Refinery does not need a rocket scientist to develop a refinery. There was partly a state own gold refinery company known as MRO in operations, other PNGians have already been into the business. 

We commend the Marape government's vision to set up a refinery and save our gold bullion. Refinery should be owned by state in partners with nationals who are already into the refinery business. 

We already have gold refinery in PNG, the only new thing is saving gold bullion as reserve at Central Bank of PNG. 


Politicians should not be misleading PNG for their personal interest making side deals. Citizens wake up and say no to foreign ownership of Gold Refinery. We cannot sell our country cheaply to foreigners and be slaves to them in our own country.

If government is not careful in her dealings to do something with our resources and businesses with foreigners, other Provinces will follow the precedent set by Bougainville. PNG will be divided nation, creating many small nations out of PNG.

Vanuatu's Shefa province recognises West Papua government

 anuatu's Shefa province is recognising Benny Wenda as the interim president of a provisional West Papuan government.

In a country that has historically been the most vocal in support of West Papuan self-determination rights, Shefa province is the first authority in the country to officially recognise an independent West Papua government.


Wenda, a West Papuan pro-independence activist who fled persecution in his homeland under Indonesian control, was granted asylum in the United Kingdom in 2003.

A year ago, as the head of the United Liberation Movement for West Papua, Wenda announced that it was forming a 'Provisional Government' of West Papua, with him as the interim president.

Shefa's recognition of that government was announced by the Secretary General of Shefa provincial government, Morris Kaloran, to mark the 60th aniversary of West Papua's declaration of independence which was soon overshadowed by a controversial US-brokered agreement which paved the way for Indonesia to take control of Papua.

Kaloran said the ULMWP Provincial Government and its Interim President were the legitimate representatives of the people of West Papua and their struggle.

In a symbolic gesture, Shefa province had already adopted the indigenous Melanesian people of West Papua and their struggle for self determination and liberation from Indonesian rule.

"The destiny of our two Melanesian peoples of West Papua and Vanuatu is joined. The West Papuan people remain enslaved and colonised in 21st century, subject to discrimination, assassination and military operations," Kaloran said.

"Their gallant freedom struggle, under the guidance and leadership of the ULMWP Provisional Government, is moving ever closer to victory. Until the people of West Papua are, no one in Melanesia is free."

Hundreds of ni-Vanuatu, and West Papuan representatives, march for West Papuan independence in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila. Photo: Joe Collins

Indonesia's government opposes the ULMWP's claims to represent West Papuans, saying the people of the Papuan provinces of Indonesia have democratic rights like other people in the republic.

Both Indonesia and the ULMWP have been granted membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group, whose full members Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and New Caledonia's Kanaks have expressed a wish for Jakarta to engage in dialogue with West Papuans about their grievances.

Source: RNZ

West Papua - The UN's Dream Project 60 Years On

In the PNG Parliament NCD Governor Powes Parkop asked a series of questions during Question Time on West Papua.

Wednesday 1 December 2020.

(Reposted):
 
https://www.facebook.com/765439466917271/posts/4407650296029485/
NCD GOVERNOR HON. POWES PARKOP'S QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE TO FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER IN PNG PARLIAMENT

Thank you, Mr Speaker. 

INTRODUCTION

On this day Thursday December 1st 1961 West Papua declared independence and raised its national flag the Morning Mtar. They had a Legislative and an executive government, a standing army and all the national symbols of a nation state. 

They had their National anthem Hai Tanaku Papua ( oh my land Papua). Their territorial boundaries were precise and demarcated. Then in January 1962 the Indonesian invaded and the rest is history. 

Since then we (PNG) have adopted a policy that is shameful and is totally unethical to say the least. 

Hiding under a policy of friends to all and enemy to none might be ok for rest of the world but it is a total capitulation to Indonesia aggression and illegal occupation.

 It is more a policy of seeing no evil, speaking no evil and to say no evil against the evils of Indonesia. So much has happened since which should be bothering on our conscience. How do we sleep at night when our own people on the other side are subjected to so much violence, racism, deaths and destructions? 

How can we call ourselves Christians when fellow Christians are being subjected to so much abuses on their own land?

 How can we hold ourselves high as the biggest Melanesian State when the other half of our land which we share same ancestors, culture, language, traditions, songs, dance, river, mountains and seas continue to live as if they don’t exist.

 In the recent a past priest has been killed, thousands of people have fled their homes and become internal refugees and some have crossed over to our side of this one island, one land. Not one word of complain or concern or event protest has been aired. 

Even the people who have crossed over recently are from same tribe as the Min people on our side, speaking same languages and sharing same ancestry. We have not uttered a word of complaint or protest. 

QUESTIONS

Mr Speaker, my questions therefore are as follows : 

1. Are we going to revise our policy towards West Papua and adopt a more ethical morally courageous policy. 

2. Do we plan to raise the matter in the Melanesian Speaker Head Group and if so, when? 

3. What have we done or plan to do to apply pressure on Indonesia to allow the UN Human Rights Rapporteurs to visit the territory to inquire into the specific human rights complaints and the general human rights conditions in west Papua consistent with the Resolution of the Pacific Islands Forum in 2019. 

4. What steps are we doing to assist the ACP Countries escalate the resolution adopted in Nairobi Kenya on West Papua to the United Nations. 

5. Considering that PNG is a key member of MSG and MSG has recognize the United Liberation Movement for West Papua as a observer Member of the MSG what plans do we have provide support to the ULMWP? Can we allocate them funds from our budget or space here in PNG to step up an office capacity to purse their right to self determination. 

Imagine if in 1974 when we had declared self-government and Indonesia invaded and no one came to our assistance. Imagine in 1980 when the French manipulated Jimmy Steven’s to stop the independence of Vanuatu and imagine if Sir Julius Chan and Government then did not send the Kumul Force to Espirutu Santo.

When are we going to have the courage to speak the truth on what is happening on our ancestral land to the West? How long are we going to allow fear to dictate our decisions and actions and do what is morally and ethically correct?

Thank you, Mr Speaker

RESPONSE BY PNG FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Soroi Eoe's response is that he will raise it in Parliament.

...ends.

Pacific leaders recently highlighted the West Papua at the 76th annual UN General Assembly session.

The issue of self-determination for West Papua was highlighted for the first time since the 1960s by Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinean prime minister James Marape spent more than 40 minutes addressing the assembly, but his speech included some brief indirect and ambiguous remarks that have been widely interpretated as referring to the situation in occupied West Papua.

“While commenting on the United Nations’ peace effort in PNG, I would also like to recall the Pacific islands leaders forum in 2019 and the outstanding visit by the UN human rights’ mechanisms to address the alleged human rights concerns in our regional neighbourhood,” Mr Marape said.

“This visit is very important to ensure that the greater people have peace within their respective sovereignties – and their rights and (the) cultural dignities are fully preserved and maintained.”

The territory’s Free West Papua movement applauded the remarks, suggesting that “those 30 seconds are highly valued, appreciated and respected because every second counts to prevent another Papuan death accompanied by another loss of land”.

While his speech was carefully constructed and avoided naming Indonesia directly as responsible for human rights abuses, Vanuatuan prime minister Bob Loughman was more direct.

“In my region, New Caledonia, French Polynesia and West Papua are still struggling for self-determination,” he said. “Drawing attention to the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples as stipulated in the UN charter, it is important that the UN and the international community continue to support the relevant territories giving them an equal opportunity to determine their own statehood.

“The indigenous people of West Papua continue to suffer from human rights violations.

“The Pacific (Islands) Forum and ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific states) leaders, among other leaders, have called on the Indonesian government to allow the United Nation’s office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to visit West Papua province and to provide an independent assessment of the human rights situation.

“Today, there has been little progress on this (UN) plan. I hope that the international community, through appropriate UN-led process, takes a serious look at this issue and addresses it fairly.”

Resolutions that were adopted, which were met in 2019, had called for the root causes of the West Papuan problems to be addressed.

On 1 December 2021, this week, the 60th anniversary of self - government for West Papua which the Dutch began on 1 December 1961 was celebrated by indigenous Melanesian Papuans.

After decades, 60 years on, Melanesian consciousness for the inalienable right of West Papua and the indigenous people fighting for freedom seems to find traction.

 PIF and MSG have a position on West Papua. So, does ACP.

PNG followed the ' Greek Tragedy' from day one. So, did Australia. Both signed the UN Protocol on Responsibility To Protect Doctrine Chapter 1 and 2. Indonesia was among 15 countries that blocked the ratification of the UN protocol.

The tide of history is changing.

A NATION OF HYPOCRITES: Make PNG A Christian Nation

China is currently the world's leading economic power, in China there is nearly Zero Church and they demolish mosques as they stand!

Finland has the most stable economy in the world today. There are less than twenty churches in Finland!

Switzerland has the second most stable economy in the world. Switzerland has fewer than thirty churches!

Denmark is the third most stable economy in the world, there are about 23 churches in Denmark.

Indonesia a most populated non Christian country in South East Asia. But has a powerful military arsenal in the region 

United Arab Emirates is 47 years old (one year ahead of PNG) virtually has no Church. But is a icon of innovation and technologies in the world.

These countries are considered to have the highest number of atheists, but they are blessed!

Come to Papua New Guinea, there are more than 10,000 churches per region including thousand churches in a Province alone! 

In Papua New Guinea we have more churches than schools and hospitals combined!

More pastors than doctors.

Leaders are God-fearing!

Everyone one is born again!

Everyone is covered with the blood of Jesus!

Jesus even became the husband of all single women (according to them) in revival churches!

Everyone is filled with the Holy Spirit!

The only functional thing that is running smoothly and developing every day in PNG is Church. Look everywhere around you, Church is the only institution which is run and operated by Papua New Guineans that is successful. Do you know why? Because it doesn't benefit or develop the lives of people. What it does is to keep people in poverty and to make them pray for imaginary breakthrough. 

How do you expect to get out of poverty and to develop your community if you still love church more than education and technology? Poor PNG communities have many churches in one village but they don't have even a single factory that is producing something and creating jobs. In China there are more factories than churches, Chinese spend the whole night working and producing jobs for their children while we spend the whole night praying and fasting for our problems.

They say Jesus Christ died on the cross for PNG. But all I see is Papua New Guineans pinned on the cross of poverty and life of pain. I see people hanging on the cross of economic exclusion, police brutality and political exploitation. If Jesus Christ died for your sins why are you still suffering. Dogs of Europeans eat better than some of us. But PNG is rich with oil and all minerals. If you think a foreign European called Jesus Christ died for your sins ask yourself why are you still suffering?

However, none of these claims reflect the moral and ethical elevation that is hoped for in a society. PNG may one of the most violent, drankards and corruption den country in the world.

We are among the laziest, the most deceiving, the most corrupt, the most hypocritical, the most hateful on the planet today, with all our Jesus and the Holy Spirit!

Our politicans and people need to distinguish between religion and stupidity or between spirituality and tradition.

The genocide in West Papua…..

The genocide in West Papua…..much is now known, if not earlier. The question now is if human suffering could be alleviated through a greater effort by the international community. Papua New Guinea, being close cousin to West Papua alone could have prevented such horrors, and probably does not make a convincing case that even a modest effort would have had significant impact. Prime Minister, Peter Oneill, after 60 years of genocide in West Papua did it.


We are all Papuans, and tribal Melanesians. The Pacific Region remains mute, led by Australia, which has blood on its hands. Based on declassified information, private papers, and interviews, other citizenship media coverage everyday on the Papua Conflict, a lack of political will cannot be an excuse, and failure to intervene is like shaking the hands of the devil..and welcoming a problem from hell itself. West Papua is not a problem from hell...Indonesia is. Indonesia, somehow must be stopped. These two tribal Melanesians shown in the photo, depict what it means to means to be Melanesian, during a recent independence rally in Abepura, West Papua.

They will need a helping hand...from fellow 'as tangets' in Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Region, and humanity. Free West Papua. Now.
The human rights abuses occuring in West Papua come complete with reports pouring in today on the situation. We see the drama which offers an uncompromising and disturbing examination of 21st century acts of genocide, but to date the international community , probably led by the U.S, has failed to cause the needed responses to them. Read on: http://westpapuamedia.info/.../commonwealth-attorney.../

In the course of human history, we can revisit the Turkish genocide directed at Armenians in 1915-1916, the Holocaust, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge, Iraqi attacks on Kurdish populations, Rwanda, and Bosnian "ethnic cleansing," and in doing so, argue that U.S. intervention has been shamefully inadequate. West Papua has reached that point, and burns in the vortex of an armed conflict. Read the latest reports on the drama in Jayapura, Manokwari, and elsewhere.Jayapura:http://westpapuamedia.info/.../Manokwari...//t.co/uXaTcCMC. Other reports:http://t.co/di9mdHz6

What is the unwritten rule that nonaction is better than action with any backlash for countries friendly to West Papua and its tribal Melanesians; We are talking about the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s and the Pacific Island Forums’s unwillingness to see a moral imperative. I see a moral imperative, and it is time now to act for West Papua. Melanesia and the Pacific Region are challenged, now more than before, to reevaluate the principles being applied to foreign policy choices. In the face of firsthand accounts of genocide, we cannot repeatedly just look on and refuse to accept the reality of genocidal campaigns carried out by Indonesia in West Papua. Australia, especially, knows full well the story of genocide occurring on its doorstep. Read on:http://www.google.co.id/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=johnrumbiak.... And, the idea that Indonesia can continue to keep West Papua in the dark, with able assistance and support from Australia is a joke. It only drives the lush of freedom for West Papua to greater heights, but with the costs defined clearly in human lives decimated up till today. On this account, Australia has blood on its hands Read on:http://www.google.co.id/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=johnrumbiak... 

The emotional force of all discourses on the human rights crisis in West Papua, and the arguments for Indonesia to come clean before the international community, is carried by citizenship media or undercover jounalists with moving, sometimes almost unbearable stories of the victims and survivors of such brutality. It could be argued that West Papua and its people deserve a West Papua Declaration in order to fight against genocide in Melanesia, and the Pacific Region. There has been progress, with Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and Vanuatu already mounting strategies diplomatically to address the Papua Conflict. We need more effort. This will be in keeping with the prominent work by, among those who made a difference, Raphael Lemkin, a Polish Jew who invented the word genocide and who lobbied the U.N. to make genocide the subject of an international treaty, and Senator William Proxmire, who for 19 years spoke every day on the floor of the U.S. Senate to urge the U.S. to ratify the U.N. treaty inspired by Lemkin's work. Indonesia, somehow must be stopped. Something can be done to help the situation, led by the U.S.Read on:http://www.google.co.id/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=octovianusmote... 

Belden Namah face to face. The man behind the enigma

16 August 2013
SONJA BARRY RAMOI

Belden NamahDEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS of Paru Paru village not far from Panguna mine - the village of the late secessionist leader and first president of Bougainville, Joseph Kabui – a delicate military action was underway.

Defence Force helicopter pilot, Captain Charlie Andrews, was ordered by PNG Defence Force Commander Brigadier General Jerry Singirok to get Captain Belden Norman Namah out of there.

The terrain was in enemy territory and under the control of the Bougainville Revolutionary Army. But there was no place for a chopper to land.

Captain Namah – in a daring display of bravery – was airlifted from the bush by hanging onto the skid of the chopper. Only a very strong and highly skilled man could do that. Namah was a highly trained Special Forces Unit commando.

Did Belden Namah, now Opposition Leader of Papua New Guinea, tell me the story to impress me? No. I heard the story from someone else and asked Namah to confirm if it was true.

"Yes it's true”, he replied. That was it.

There are many more tales of Namah’s military exploits and deeds to be told. Some, still classified, will no doubt surface later.

His role in rescuing OPM (Operasi Papua Merdeka) hostages the in two separate incidents near the PNG-Indonesia border in 1996 and 1999 still needs to be told.

I know Opposition Leader, Hon Belden Namah, very well. He is not scared of anything. He only fears God. He is a fighter and he doesn't go down easily.

If he was prepared to sacrifice his life and help save more than 360,000 lives on Bougainville and later go to jail with two comrades for resisting an intervention by mercenaries in the infamous Sandline Affair, does anyone seriously believe that an arrest warrant will scare him?

Why is so much speculation and false information about the Opposition Leader posted in the social media – especially Sharp Talk? Do his critics miss him that much?

Everybody loves a hero. PNG certainly needs many more heroes. When I wrote, during the political impasse, that retired Colonel Yaura Sasa would go down in the minds of many Papua New Guineans as a hero, I was criticised because Sasa had been charged with mutiny.

About one year later the mutiny charge against Sasa was thrown out thanks largely to leading Port Moresby lawyer Tony Waisi, from West Sepik. And the hero who quelled the so-called mutiny was none other than Belden Norman Namah, who should be credited for defusing a potentially deadly clash between factions of the army and the police force.

Some of us are too good at tearing down people and our political leaders based on false information and incomplete stories fed to us by a biased foreign and domestic media.

Napway Kunum, an engineer from Jiwaka Province, working on a fly in fly out basis on an offshore gas plant in Iraq, knows Belden Namah well from their student days at Sogeri National High school.

I asked Napway to share his recollection of Namah. Napway, was president of the Judo Club at Sogeri at the time and his room-mate was Gerald Alec from Sandaun Province.

Napway recalled that Belden - who was one year behind him and Gerald - would go to their room every Wednesday to join them at judo training.

“He is one of those that did not speak much but will listen attentively and then go ahead and will get things done,, recalled Napway, “on that you can depend on him. He was always in a hurry trying to get something done.”

He also described Namah as “quiet and easy going with determination.”

“If things aren’t right, he’ll throw himself at it to get it right. Those are his traits. One thing, he’ll call a spade a spade.

“He’ll be loyal to you when he knows that what you are doing is good for people and country. If it’s not he’ll be in the way. That’s all the way from Sogeri.”

It appears they spent a great deal of time talking about the OPM freedom movement in West Papua.

“OPM kept us busy discussing them into the night,” said Napway who added, “It’s not surprising that BN joined the army, and I thought Gerald also did.”

“One thing I found about BN is that he always had respect for me and Gerald, and he would listen attentively. Gerald and he would discuss the suffering of the West Papuans and I would listen in on how unfairly they were treated.

“They’ll say it’ll be best to help them out. So there and then I knew that BN would always fight for the underdogs, and that’s natural, his inbuilt character.”

When Napway, who has worked in many places in PNG and overseas as an engineer in the petroleum industry, was in Kutubu he knew three security supervisors who had been in the army and served in Bougainville during the civil war.

“They said BN is one hell of a person who can move single-handedly forward after he planned out an operation and those were daring ones. They didn’t tell me the full story but I could gather from what they were saying that BN was one hell of a warrior.”

I confided in Napway: “In this very volatile world, you and I know that PNG needs BN”.

Napway replied: “PNG needed BN 40 years ago, Sonja, and that’s not kidding. That’s not discrediting our fathers who brought us to independence. They did what they could. Between independence and now, we let greed get in the way of developing our nation. And that’s where we need him. And that’s 40 years back.”

Certainly nobody can rightfully claim that Belden Namah is greedy, certainly not when he is probably Papua New Guinea’s first multimillionaire philanthropist politician who gives from the goodness of his heart and not to get publicity.

Are there so many gullible people around? If it was true that Belden Namah is a power-hungry ‘would be dictator’, then why did he hand power over to Peter O’Neill, practically on a golden platter, when he had the numbers and the money to become prime minister himself?

One thing is for certain, considering the tremendous support he had at the time, he could have simply snapped his fingers and taken over the country if he had so desired.

Belden Namah is a world leader - whether some stupid people like it or not - who at least can afford to pay for his travels around the world using his own private funds.

Not long ago he was in Europe. Ask yourself - how many politicians can purchase airfares and stay in five star hotels using their own honest, hard earned money? It seems that not many people know that Belden Namah is a self-made multimillionaire today because he wisely invested the money he made - starting many years ago before he entered parliament - from his share of timber royalties.

Starting from day one, he has made his stance very clear on the asylum seekers and many other issues more than enough times already. Why should he keep on repeating himself like a fool for fools? If people missed what he has said they can always look it up!

Namah is a man who is short, sharp and straight to the point. He is a 'silent achiever' who does not go around boasting and bragging about what he has achieved in order to appear more popular by scoring likes on the social media forums.

Belden Namah is a leader who believes in sharing duties and responsibilities. He does not have a monumental ego that says, 'me, me, me’ unlike certain other politicians who enjoy scoring political points by attacking and trashing their opponents.

Namah certainly would never shout at anybody merely for asking questions, unlike some more loudmouth leaders.

Where other leaders are haughty and hypocritically full of themselves - with their egos maybe somewhere up in the sky - Namah is down to earth, humble and honourable.

I have met and spoken with many politicians and statesmen – governor generals, prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, opposition leaders, speakers, ministers, ordinary MPs, premiers, deputy premiers, presidents, lord mayors – at both national and local level from when I was a kid.

Politics is in my blood. It is in my family – on both sides.

I foresee that Belden Namah will become prime minister one day and that he has a long political career ahead of him – akin to two political icons and giants from the Sepik: Sir Michael Somare and Sir Pita Lus.

Until recently, I would normally keep confidential what politicians I know and what I know about them.

"We are duty bound to give back to our people their sovereignty, freedom, pride and independence,” Belden Namah said recently.

“We are an independent nation. Australians have f'ed us up since they colonised us. They left us with basically nothing when we became independent in 1975.

“We can't afford to bring them back. We do not need their support either. We have all the wealth in the world God has blessed us with. All we need is a strong, vibrant, prudent and patriotic leadership.

“We are the only ones who can provide that to protect our people from neo-colonialism and corporate greed.

“May we be God's instruments of change for our people and our beautiful country.”

PNC – led Parliamentary Monarchy: The Revolt Is Inevitable?

In the count – down to APEC PNG 2018, and its aftermath, the PNC – led parliamentary monarchy may be prone to trigger a revolt or resistance. It would be inevitable after the options to legitimate the role of state fails to yield in which the threshold is already reached, and it cannot manipulate minds and emotions of the people or citizenry anymore. And, it is too much for society. 

Here a revolt is inevitable. This is so especially if the executive cannot manufacture consent of the people, and the tip of the ice berg is those who are protesting over whatever issue, to rule before the next periodic elections in 2022. 
 
The Opposition is calling for national general strike. It means there is something lacking about the role of the legislature as a mechanism of checks and balance. It further points to the fact that coalition – building in PNG’s parliamentary monarchy or Westminster democracy which is characterized by coalition governments, after ten national general elections since independence in 1975, has turned into a one – way traffic.
 
Yet, the country’s parliamentary monarchy is defined by prime ministers being called to account by having greater limits on their autonomy. 

Thus, a prime minister’s powers are limited in four ways: he shares executive power with cabinet ministers from other parties, requiring a process of bargaining and negotiation over key policy decisions within the government; he also remains continually dependent upon the support of a multiparty coalition in parliament to pass the government’s legislative proposals; as head of the government his ruling regime faces the continual threat of a no confidence vote in parliament; and, the ruling regime remains accountable to the electorate for its record and performance at regular intervals. 

The Opposition is doing its job.There are arguments for and against why there is no other way. And, the slogan is 'Enough Is Enough.'

Case 1

Political stability is necessary:

- Enables the government to devise and implement policy programs to bring development
- Provide a favourable business environment
- Changing governments disrupts the implementation of development programs. 

According to research, from independence in 1975 to 2002 successive votes of no confidence have removed prime ministers and sometimes replaced the executive in its entirety. No government has ever had the chance to fully implement its policies. In 2002, Ben Reilly noted that Papua New Guinea’s unbroken record of democracy has not been accompanied by economic development. 

PNG politics was unstable before 2002. Between 1975 and 2018, even though PNG has had only nine national elections, there were 15 changes to the prime minister’s position, many more than just the six times prime ministers were removed after elections.

Case 2

Political stability entrenches corruption:

- Prevents diagnosis of symptom of a much deeper problem due to the way politics in Melanesia goes on.
- Allows the malpractice of an irresponsible government to continue.

 For instance, Jon Frankel and his co-authors argued in 2008 that political instability in Melanesia is a result of MPs who consider access to elected office as the main avenue for power and wealth, and the outcome of a struggle by those MPs not in control of the resources to oust the executive. Those in the executive controlling the resources are then forced to use bribery, coercion and all kinds of malpractice to remain in power.

The Opposition has weighed out its role as part of the legislature but still called for a national general strike on Friday 25th October 2018. It seems a dysfunctional legislature has struggled to come to terms with the decision of the ruling regime led by prime minister Peter Oneill for PNG to host the APEC Leaders’ Summit amidst the country’s public health, currency exchange and foreign debt crises.  

In other parts of the world effective uses of nonviolent resistance has made a difference. In this case, ordinary citizens can make their economic and political power felt, a day when they can show their strength and commitment to make a strong statement peacefully without the spectacle of being arrested for taking part in protests to demand that government be held accountable where necessary.

Decide. 'I Will Stay Home!' effort is for one day, a mosquito bite, but it might make the difference you want to see.

Queen Elizabeth II Heartbroken as Barbados Names New President And set to be Free Of British Colonial Rule Next Month

THE QUEEN is facing losing one of her overseas realms as Barbados continues to take steps towards becoming a republic by coming month.
Ms Mottley told Bajans: "I am happy to report to the people of this nation today, that Her Excellency Dame Sandra Mason has consented to my government nominating her, at the appropriate time, to be the first president of this nation.

"We feel that this is the way we want to go and we want to thank her excellency for so graciously consenting in this manner.

"My people, we have come too far as a nation and what we are simply trying to do is to close the discussion on independence."

Mentioning the first Prime Minister of Barbados, Errol Barrow, Ms Mottley continued: "We are not trying to take away Barrow’s legacy, as some people fear. Far from that.

Barbados will soon be free of British colonial rule — and set to have a Black woman as its first president.

According to WION News, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley nominated Dame Sandra Mason as the country’s first president as an independent republic. Dame Mason will assume the role on Nov. 30, 2021, when the country’s final ties with the British monarchy are officially fully severed.
The United States of Africa congratulates Barbados for taking this bold step to decolonize itself and congratulates Dame Sandra Mason set to make history as the first President of Barbados.
“We believe that she is a fitting nomination for the post of being the first president of Barbados to be elected by this parliament of Barbados,” Mottley said.

 Barbados PM Mia Mottley announced the Opposition Leader has agreed to a joint nomination of outgoing GG Dame Sandra Mason as 1st President of Barbados - subject to passing of Constitution Amendment Bill which deals with Presidency.
This makes a turning point in Barbados history as the sun sets on the remnants of the British Empire.
The Queen is no longer the head of state, Maybe she should publish her CV on LinkedIn to see if she will find new Countries that want to be a British Colony!
#Barbados #UnitedStatesOfAfrica

BREAK-IN SUSPECT CAUGHT WITH HOME MADE GUN

Thursday 14th OCT 2021.

A man who broke into a tucker shop at Sabama's Bundi camp was quickly subdued by the shop-owner until Fox unit 104 arrived and took him into custody. 

The intruder struck at around 4am today but the owner was awake.

The would be victim told police in Pidgin, "Em holim hom-med gan tasol nogat bulet na me holim em."

"He was brandishing a home-made gun but it was not loaded and I pounced on him."

According to the shop-owner, some of his accomplices fled.

The shop-owner contacted police and Fox unit 104 responded immediately and brought the suspect to Badili Police Station.

Bonny Kaiyo: Kanaky Referendum No 3 - December, 2021: Freedom's Call.

In 2020, it was victory in defeat.
While pro-independence Kanak supporters rued another defeat in the second referendum on independence for New Caledonia, it was even narrower than the loss two years earlier.
Now there is a real prospect of a win in 2022.
“The path to independence and sovereignty is inevitable,” pledges the Front de Libération Nationale Kanak et Socialiste (FLNKS) – the umbrella group of the pro-independence parties – and the struggle will go on.
FLNKS is set to win the final vote.
West Papua. Almost.
PNG can see clearly, now. The rain has gone. Slowly, the obstacles fade away.





Photo caption: Decolonisation in the Pacific - vocabulary has changed; Kanaky - France offered 3 opportunities for international best practice to play out through referendum, the final chance is happening in December 2021 with FLNKS predicted to win the vote for independence; West Papua - PNG Prime Minister James Marape raised the issue of humanitarian crisis unfolding in West Papua at the 76th UN General Assembly Session; PNG foreign policy on West Papua - it is blurry, but increasingly clear since 2014 when former Prime Minister Peter O'Neill announced PNG approach to the West Papua issue was revised to give voice to the voiceless fellow Melanesians in West Papua fighting for their human rights; Opposition Leader Belden Namah - he pressed PNG Prime Minister James Marape and Peter O'Neill, his predecessor, to announce a foreign policy on West Papua including supporting demands for freedom from colonial tutelage by Indonesia; Benny Wenda - ULMWP chairman is confident MSG will grant full membership for West Papua as the only option left for the region to step up on West Papua as an international issue with a colonial context and therefore UN General Assembly resolution is on the table) 

As long as Europe 🇪🇺 and America 🇺🇸 Control our Money, they will Control our Econom

As long as Europe 🇪🇺 and America 🇺🇸 Control our Money, they will Control our Economy: We need African Common Currency backed by our Resources not by Dollar or by Euro

Africa may never be able to build any of the prosperous economies we built in the past because we are nearly working entirely to support the economies of others while every value we have on our land is made to be taken away for free.

You may like to ask the next person to you this question: "why do African countries sell their product to America in Dollars, to EU countries in Euros, and to China in Yuan?" 

The obvious answer you are likely to receive is: Because we need foreign exchange!

But, if we need foreign exchange (their currency) to demand for what they have of which we are in need, why don't they also need foreign exchange (our currency) to demand for what we have of which they are in need?

We want foreign currency, they want our value.

We have been Programmed into thinking that their paper is either more valuable or equally in value to our valuable resources and goods. But our paper worth nothing to their resources and goods.

But, the truth of the concept of paper money is that it only worth the value of goods or resources you own not that of others. This is the reason why Britain sells her products to US, EU, Africa or any other country in the British Pounds Sterling, Germany sells her products in Euros to Everyone including the US and China. When China want to own a share of the US Economy, it had to produce goods and values and sell them on the US market to obtain US dollars in order to use that dollar to obtain a share of the US economy through bonds and bills. China doesn't sell her product to America and pack US dollars to Chinese.

Our economic management teams must begin to understand that, no matter how little our resources may look in their eyes in their understanding, they are not valuess so they must be sold in our currencies. To allow them to be sold in the currencies of others means that we simply do not know that they even have any value at all.

The government of the African Continental Unity Party will Create an African Continental Currency which will be backed by the huge natural, material, and knowledge resources found in Africa; it is in this currency in which all African capital shall be traded in. 

Join the African Continental Unity Party, Register your membership at www.africanacup.org

Papuan stretcher bearers, nicknamed “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” by Australian

Papuan stretcher bearers, nicknamed “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels” by Australian troops, evacuate an Australian Army soldier who was wounded by enemy Japanese fire during the Battle of Buna-Gona. The Battle of Buna–Gona was part of the New Guinea Campaign which followed the conclusion of the Kodaka Track Campaign and lasted from 16 November 1942 until 22 January 1943. 

The battle was conducted by Australian and U.S. forces against the Japanese held beachheads at Guna, Sanananda and Gona. The Papuan civilians were overwhelmingly loyal to the Allies and were noted for their bravery, patience and devotion to helping, transporting and treating wounded Allied troops. A number of Papuan men joined the Papuan Infantry Battalion (PIB) and several other New Guinea battalions of the Australian Army raised in 1940. Near Sanananda, Oro Province, Territory of New Guinea. January 1943.

#PNGNews: One of the last surviving forefathers of PNG has passed.

#PNGNews: One of the last surviving forefathers of PNG has passed.

Member for Maprik and Minister for Agriculture John Simon today confirmed the passing of Sir Pita Lus. 

Sir Pita's last public appearance was at the Independence celebration in Maprik Town on September 16th. 

The occasion also celebrated his life. 

Prime Minister James Marape had personally attended the event to thank Sir Pita for his contribution to PNG. 

Sir Pita's short and simple message on that day, was for Papua New Guineans to stop all forms of violence and put God first. 

He joined the political scene in the 1960s and is famously known for encouraging Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare to join politics. 

Sir Pita was born in 1936 and shares the same birth date with PNG's Independence.

Walk for Life and Yoga Program by NCD Governor

Post below by Lady Carol Kidu on PNG TTG forum 7 tonight, 17/06/2020 regards 

I would like to clarify that the original Walk for Life was initiated by the Sir Buri Kidu Heart Institute and was the main fundraising and awareness activity for many years. I have never understood how it became a product of the yoga consultant. Perhaps it should be known that the founders of the Walk for Life concept were Prof Sir Isi Kevau, Sir John Dawanicura, Lady Stella Chan, Justice Maurice Sheehan and his wife Jan, Dr Richard Pickworth and Sandra Pickworth, myself plus many other volunteers. None of us were paid to organise this annual event that helped establish the SBKHeart Institute. 

I do not know how the highly paid yoga consultant appropriated the name and the concept. But I take this opportunity to clarify that the Walk For Life was NOT started by the yoga lady and she and the Governor should have at least had the creativity to invent a different name.
Sincerely Carol Kidu.

We did it for a greater good and did not register it as a trade name but the SBKHI Walk For Life was an annual event for many years from the late 1990s and the corporate sector sponsored teams of walkers to raise funds for SBKHI.

Thanks for the opportunity to clarify somwthing that has annoyed me for a long time!!!! Such an event does NOT and should NOT need public funds .

Lady Carol Kidu

Do not change your nature simply because someone harms you

A man saw a snake being burned to death and decided to take it out of the fire. When he did, the snake bit him causing excruciating pain. The man dropped the snake, and the reptile fell right back into the fire.

So, the man looked around and found a metal pole and used it to take the snake out of the fire, saving its life.

Someone who was watching approached the man and said: “That snake bit you. Why are you still trying to save it?”
The man replied: “The nature of the snake is to bite, but that's not going to change my nature, which is to help.”

Do not change your nature simply because someone harms you. Do not lose your good heart, but learn to take precautions

*shared

HARDCORE CRIMINAL CAUGHT AFTER SHOOTING AND CAR JACKING AT ERIMA

Saturday 25th September 2021:

A notorious criminal linked to a shooting and car jacking incident was arrested by police at Erima settlement yesterday afternoon.

Tony Dama Marshall a hardened criminal wanted for a series of crimes was caught in a massive police man hunt after a man was shot and his car stolen by criminals at Erima yesterday. 

The victim who sustaind a bullet wound to his head was rushed to the hospital as Police swung into action by combing through Erima settlement.

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent Gideon Ikumu said the crime incident was broadcasted on the police radio network and the stolen car was spotted by Fox 204 at Erima.

Mr Ikumu said the suspects jumped out of the moving vehicle and fled into the settlement.

Police reinforcements immediately joined the search and Marshall was eventually found, arrested and taken into custody.

Police investigations are continuing.