Pardoned mutineers a dangerous precedent

By REG RENAGI

The military I joined before independence was a professional outfit .
After 1975, general discipline in the PNG Defence Force was very tough. 

Every servicemen knew the military regulations and what the overall consequences for serious breaches of service discipline - such as being involved in a military mutiny was. 

Not today!

News has just reached the streets that by this afternoon we will soon know of some rogue soldier's demand for a pardon, as a result of last weeks' mutunity.

It seems certain now that the authorities will most likely give the soldiers who breached serious regulations of the PNGDF what they are demanding for.

If the soldiers involved in last weeks' mutuny are going to be pardened by this afternoon, then both the government and the defence hierachy will have then all compromised themselves. 

This unprecedented decision alone will also greatly undermined the PNGDF command position and its future efforts to strengthen general discipline within all defence communities.

The bottom-line is: it is now open-slatter for anyone in the PNGDF (and the Royal PNG Constabulary) to be rebelious, disobey superior orders and take the law into their own hands...knowing they will always be pardoned by their own government?

A dangerous precedent has now been set by the powers-that-be!