Conspiracy theories

From PAUL OATES

It has been suggested that PNG's ruling leaders are really not that bad at all. That PNG's current ills are merely an external conspiracy to undermine the PNG government.

This could be a very convincing and convenient argument if it were true. Afterall, PNG has long been dependent on external assistance in order to function and an external conspiracy theory could be a breath of fresh air to the current government if it were found to be true. Were this suggested piece of misinformation to be accepted by the majority of PNGians as the cause of PNG's current political impasse, if would relieve the pressure on the Somare government to change direction. In a stiff credibility test however, it is difficult to imagine how external influences are responsible for poor government health services, run down education, non existent public works and any amount of PNG's reported internal problems. The PNG media is consistently full of complaints that the PNG government is not effectively looking after its own people and that some PNG leaders are increasing becoming obsessed with the sole intention of retaining political power at any cost..

The regrettable position of the Prime Minister, as head of the PNG government, is that he must accept responsibility for his government's action or inaction. Currently, the only reaction by the PM and his government seems to be to attack anyone who suggests the government is failing in its duties. Its as if, as has been suggested, the PM and his team believe they are now above the law. Now this suggestion may have some merit when one examines the recent claims by Somare that he is the reincarnation of a Sepik crocodile River god. Those that remember Somare from his early days as Chief Minister might recall his observed frustration with organised religion.

Now it appears Somare has effectively set his country on an undemocratic path with the dismissive treatment of the PNG Constitution and Parliament. That being so, the next logical step is to rule without Parliament, a course that seems inevitable if the PNG PM continues to govern without allowing the Constitutional and legal system of his country to operate properly.

To function as a head of state without following the Constitution and the law is tantamount to dictatorship. To repeat an old truism, 'Those that turn their back on history are doomed to repeat it'.

"Dealing with a dictatorship is like dealing with a snake. If you tread on its tail, it will bite you. You must deal with its head." said a German woman as was explaining about her first hand experience with the German dictatorship during World War 2.

Speaking about the how the German dictatorship rose to power in the 20th Century, the initial steps along the road were to gradually weaken the powers of Parliament and then to abolish it and any other the checks and balances altogether. The powers of the country's President (the equivalent of PNG's Governor General) was effectively removed and given to Chancellor Hitler (the equivalent of the role of PM), and any opposition was then effectively eliminated and silenced.

At every point throughout the build up of the German dictatorship, while they still have an effective opposition in their Parliament, the German people could have stood up and demanded the slippery slide into dictatorship stop. The problem was that most people were too concerned with finding a way of relieving their suffering and domestic worries to take notice of what was happening to their country. In addition, all it would have taken is for Germany's neighbours to have demanded a stop to the process yet no one who had a voice made any statement of dissent because they were afraid of creating another war. Yet that is what they ended up with anyway.

Upon attaining political power, Hitler then rapidly suppressed public comment to the point that many people came to believe the propaganda they were told by the government controlled media was true. Those who then stood up against the tyrant were either murdered or had to flee their country.

While its not suggested that PNG and her PM is quite at this stage yet, unless the law is allowed to take its course, this is where it can easily lead. Remember, you don't have to go too far from PNG to find a military dictatorship so it can and does happen very easily. Fiji's press is now effectively muzzled and her court system is now controlled by the unelected government. No one would surely suggest that the current Fiji dictatorship was the result of foreign involvement. The current suffering of the people of Zimbabwe is also another salient example. Both were home grown revolutions and dictators.

Forewarned is forearmed.