What will the Papua New Guinea people do?

From PAUL OATES

The organisers of the Maladina protest march are indeed to be congratulated. But has the Papua New Guinea government and its leader been prepared to listen and accept the message being sent?

Statements by the PNG PM, who denounced those protesting, have so far indicated an obstinate intransigence by himself and his government. Those Parliamentarians who stood at the door of the Haus Tambaran and accepted the people's petition have now been lambasted and ridiculed. This does not auger well for PNG's future. The fact that the PM was forced to make an off hand statement that was supposed to be an apology for his calling his people insane only shows that he intends to completely turn his back on the issue. He intends to ignore the will of the people and continue to pursue his own selfish ends.

Now is the time when the resolve of the protest organisers and those who are fed up with the way government ministers and leaders are treating their country and its people, will be severely tested. Will they let the issue die, like PM clearly believes it will, or will they continue to stand up for what they believe in?

The seed has been planted of that great forest tree that represents the future of Papua New Guinea. Will that tree grow strong or will it be allowed to die? Will the PNG public continue to support those who stood up for them or will they allow the heart felt sentiments expressed in protest march to die, as their PM intends.

People of PNG, your resolve has been displayed and is now being tested by those you demonstrated against. Your country's future is in your hands. What direction do you want it to take? Backwards or forwards?

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Bai olgeta pipol imas tok hamamas long ol lain itokaut long stapim dispela Maladina senis long PNG Constitusion. Tasol bai gavaman bilong ol inap long harim dispela singaut a?

PM Somare itok nogut long yupela pipol na emi no harim gut dispela laik bilong yu. PM itok nogut tru long dispela lain ibin kisim dispela pepa bilong ol lain ilaik daunim dispela senis long lo. Emi no gutpela samting long PNG. Bihain bai Somare ibin toksave olsem emi sori long liklik aswa ibin mekim tasol emi no sori tru. Emi laik tanim baksait long ol pipol na tingting long liklik lain femili bilongen tasol.

Nau bai ol lain pipol bilong PNG imas sanap na tokaut long olgeta ino laikim dispela rot gavaman isave wokabaut longen. Sapos oli no hariap long mekim dispela signaut, bai PM inap tokbaitsait long ol, "Ah mi save long ol. Oli no inap tru long mekim mipela save long dispela samting."

Tasol ol pipol yet ibin plantim pikinini bilong dispela bikpela diwai emi olsem kantri bilong PNG. Sapos ol inap lukautim gut dispela pikinin tingting bai kru bilongen ikamap na bai gutpela diwai tru isanap bihain. Tasol sapos oli lusim tingting na larim dispela pikinini diwai idai em bai kantri bilong ol ibagarap bihain.

Pipol bilong PNG. Taim bilong yu istap. Bihain bai yu wokabaut long wanem rot a? Rot igo long gutpela ples oa ples nogut?