People's power is latest tool

“Enough is enough”

Letter to the editor in The National Monday, Feb 14, 2011

To those who have been following the recent uprising in Egypt and other parts of the Middle-East, I believe many would agree with me that these events marked the dawn of a new era in the 21st century’s socio-political life – people’s power.

Egypt’s uprising against the ruling regime was inspired by a lone act of a Tunisian street vendor who set himself on fire after his stalls were raided by the Tunisian police.

His death led to massive protest and bloodshed, eventually ousting Tunisia’s corrupt regime.

Egypt was ruled for the last 30 years by another iron fist leader who did many things including altering the constitution to suit his interest.

The massive protests, which claimed some 300 lives, were an attempt to be free from oppression.

Papua New Guinea is no different to these countries.

For years, our resourceful land has been exploited by self-interested regimes and so-called politicians leaving us with nothing but scarred landscapes.

Most of our resources are being sold cheaply to foreign companies in deals that lack transparency and integrity, while our own people suffer from the low standard regulatory framework and conditions.

We speak of “development” only to realise that after nearly 40 years of independence, the word is political rather than technical, good at giving hope but no substance.

Our leaders are more concerned with power than the people’s welfare and we are being poisoned by the venom of regionalism, crime and ignorance as we struggle to make ends meet within a vicious cycle of suffering.

Tunisia and Egypt are breaking free from their yoke of suffering because people held their head up and say “enough is enough”.

When will the people of Papua New Guinea stand up?

We have suffered for far too long.

Unless we do something, we will continue to die in silence.