PNG move on death penalty raises concerns for asylum seekers

AAP and Bianca Hall

Asylum seekers on Manus Island will be subject to the death penalty, the department of immigration has confirmed.
Papua New Guinea's parliament on Tuesday passed laws allowing execution by a range of methods, including hanging, electrocution, lethal injection, and firing squad, while repealing its contested sorcery act.

Janet Kemo Fogodi was victim of a brutal attack in which a family member tried to murder her due to "sorcery". Changes to PNG laws will prevent people who commit violent acts from using sorcery as a defence. Photo: Brendan Esposito

It also vowed to extend the long-dormant death penalty to cover rape, robbery and murder.
Immigration department spokesman Sandi Logan said on Twitter that asylum seekers detained on Manus Island were subject to PNG laws "100%", but declined to comment further.

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Amnesty International deputy director for the Asia-Pacific, Isabelle Arradon, said the reintroduction of the death penalty was counterproductive.
"Papua New Guinea has taken one step forward in protecting women from violence by repealing the sorcery act, but several giant steps back by moving closer to executions," she said.
"The taking of a life - whether a person is beheaded by villagers or killed by the state - represents an equally abhorrent violation of human rights.
"The government has failed to heed calls from civil society to not start killing prisoners again."
Capital punishment is currently in place for treason, piracy and wilful murder but Papua New Guinea has not carried out an execution since 1954.
Amnesty says at least 10 people are on death row.
As well as reviving the death penalty, parliament also repealed its 1971 sorcery act, which provided a defence for violent crime if the accused was acting to stop witchcraft.
It means any black magic killings will now be treated as murder punishable by death following a spate of horrific public killings of women accused of sorcery, in which there is a widespread belief in PNG.
According to Amnesty, more than two-thirds of all countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice with the last known execution taking place in the Pacific in 1982 in Tonga.
Arradon said countries were moving away from the death penalty, in part because there were no assurances it was an effective deterrent to crime.
"By passing these death penalty laws, Papua New Guinea will find it is on the losing side of history," she said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/png-move-on-death-penalty-raises-concerns-for-asylum-seekers-20130529-2nbdl.html#ixzz2UiLG5VCg

Amnesty rejects PNG death penalty bid

AAP

Amnesty International has criticised a move by Papua New Guinea to revive the death penalty as a regressive step for the poverty-stricken Pacific nation, branding it state-sanctioned violence.

The country's parliament on Tuesday passed laws allowing execution by a range of methods, including hanging, electrocution, lethal injection, and firing squad, while repealing its contested sorcery act.
It also vowed to extend the long-dormant death penalty to cover rape, robbery and murder, actions that Amnesty's deputy director for the Asia-Pacific Isabelle Arradon said were counterproductive.
"Papua New Guinea has taken one step forward in protecting women from violence by repealing the sorcery act, but several giant steps back by moving closer to executions," she said.
"The taking of a life - whether a person is beheaded by villagers or killed by the state - represents an equally abhorrent violation of human rights.

"The government has failed to heed calls from civil society to not start killing prisoners again."
Capital punishment is currently in place for treason, piracy and wilful murder but Papua New Guinea has not carried out an execution since 1954.
Amnesty says at least 10 people are on death row.
As well as reviving the death penalty, parliament also repealed its 1971 sorcery act, which provided a defence for violent crime if the accused was acting to stop witchcraft.
It means any black magic killings will now be treated as murder punishable by death following a spate of horrific public killings of women accused of sorcery, in which there is a widespread belief in PNG.
According to Amnesty, more than two-thirds of all countries in the world have abolished the death penalty in law or practice with the last known execution taking place in the Pacific in 1982 in Tonga.
Arradon said countries were moving away from the death penalty, in part because there were no assurances it was an effective deterrent to crime.
"By passing these death penalty laws, Papua New Guinea will find it is on the losing side of history," she said.

Whitehaven's Rodney Pora returns to Papua New Guinea

by Martin Morgan 

News & Star

Last updated at 08:52, Tuesday, 28 May 2013

Whitehaven prop Rodney Pora has returned home to Papua New Guinea to be with his young son, who is seriously ill in hospital.

Rodney Pora

The experienced international had been due to feature for Haven in yesterday’s Championship clash with Barrow Raiders, which they won 30-18. But on learning of his son’s condition, the club supported his decision to fly home.
“We wish him well, and hopefully everything will be all right,” coach Dave Woods said, post-match. “He’s at the airport waiting for a flight.
“It is disappointing that he’s had to go, but his family must come first, and we have to make sure we look after him that way.
“It’s very important that he gets home for his family.”
On Twitter, hooker Carl Sice later dedicated the derby win to Pora and fellow front-rower Dave Houghton, who also missed the game. Pora missed Haven’s pre-season regime and had been working hard on his fitness over recent weeks, rewarding Woods with his debut try last week.
“Jordan Hand stepped up and did a great job, and we brought in Bradd Crellin, who looked after the back-row area, so it worked out all right for us,” added Woods, who saw Crellin justify his selection with a dummy-half try yesterday.

PNG parliament passes use of death penalty

By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

 

Rape, robbery and murder will attract the death penalty in Papua New Guinea after the country's parliament passed a series of measures aimed at deterring violent crime.
PNG's parliament on Tuesday also passed laws allowing for five types of execution - hanging, lethal injection, medical death by deprivation of oxygen, firing squad and electrocution.
The parliament also repealed the controversial 1971 Sorcery Act, meaning those convicted of killing accused "sorcerers" will be sentenced to death, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's spokesman, Daniel Korimbao, said in a statement.
"These are very tough penalties, but they reflect the seriousness of the nature of the crimes and the demand by the community for parliament to act," he said.
"Which method (of execution is) to be used will be determined by the head of state on advice from the National Executive Council (cabinet)."
Death by hanging has been part of PNG's criminal code since before independence from Australia in 1975, but has not been enforced since 1954.
Under the new amendments, the death penalty will be enforced for crimes such as aggravated rape, pack rape, or where the victim is a child under 10 years of age.
Kidnapping will carry a prison term of 50 years without remission or parole, while kidnapping for ransom carries life imprisonment without parole.
Theft of money between 5 million kina ($A2.4 million) and 9.99 kina million will attract 50 years without parole.
Theft of money or property worth 10 million kina or more will be punished with life imprisonment.
A series of violent murders and sex crimes this year prompted the PNG government to enact the measures in an attempt to deter crime.
In particular, women accused of being witches have been killed in increasingly gruesome public show-trials.
In one incident, a young mother, Kepari Leniata, was stripped and burned alive in a public market, while in another, a former teacher, Helen Rumbali, was beheaded.
Some killings have been carried while police were present, with officers powerless to intervene against large crowds of armed attackers.
UN Women, a division of the United Nations, has welcomed the repeal of the Sorcery Act, but declined to comment on the use of the death penalty.
"UN Women congratulates government on repealing the Sorcery Act and looks forward to new initiatives that will counter the rising violence against women and men, and bring an end to extra-judicial killings," an agency spokesperson said.
Church groups and civil libertarians have objected to the measures and pointed out police have trouble enforcing current laws.
"We have got current systems and structures in place that are not working, we can't even prosecute a shoplifter, and here we are trying to impose the death penalty," women's rights campaigner Esther Igo recently told Radio Australia.
"We believe that we should get our structures, the current enforcement system, working before we can look at an extreme penalty."
Mr Korimbao told AAP tougher drug penalties, alcohol licensing rules and stricter penalties for home brew have been temporarily deferred.
"They are still being worked on," he said.
Two weeks ago, Mr O'Neill apologised to women in PNG for the high levels of sexual and domestic violence they experienced and pledged to pass the stricter penalties - penalties he described as "draconian."

Rotary helps in PNG

Kiama Lake Independent Times

A SISTER club partnership between two Rotary clubs from different countries will be further cemented soon with the arrival of a shipping container in the Papua-New Guinea city of Madang.
Following a long association over several years, the Rotary Club of Kiama in District 9750 and the Rotary Club of Madang, Papua New Guinea, in District 9600 decided to take this step last November.
"Along with the mutual benefit for both clubs by the successful achievement of projects, this partnership is now happening in a practical way," Rotary Club of Kiama past president John Kenny said.

Kiama Rotarians Noel Edgell and Alan Schofield pictured packing the final items into the shipping container when it was bound for Madang.

"Taking pride of place in the container is a 'state of the art' barbecue trailer which will help significantly the Madang club's fund-raising efforts, as well as its community service activities."
"Several club members arrived around the same time as the container last week and the locals are delighted with the contents. In fact the barbeque as actually christened with a good old-fashioned Aussie barbeque last Sunday, much to the delight of the locals.
According to Mr Kenny, the barbecue trailer is an example of the power of Rotary to inspire community co-operation as a local Kiama business donated the trailer as a thank-you to the club for sponsoring a family member to the Honeywell Engineering Summer School.
"TAFE students completed the fitout as part of their practical training, and a local resident and Friend of Rotary met the costs of the barbecue units as well as providing a substantial share of the shipping costs."
A team of Kiama Rotarians and volunteers will be travelling to Madang in May.
"That will be a great occasion for a good old Aussie barbecue - PNG style," Mr Kenny said.
While in Madang the team will visit a school in Brahman, where the Kiama Club has previously built a girls' dormitory, to determine what other help may be needed.

Indonesia and PNG plan joint exploration in border areas

By Amahl S. Azwar, The Jakarta Post | Headlines | Wed, May 22 2013, 10:22 AM

Indonesia has agreed to team up with neighboring Papua New Guinea (PNG) to explore potential oil and gas reserves in border areas as the former shifts its oil and gas exploration focus to the eastern part of the archipelago.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said after a meeting with PNG Public Enterprises and State Investment Minister Ben Micah on Tuesday that the two countries would work together by establishing joint operations to explore oil and gas reserves.

Indonesia’s Papua province, located in the eastern part of the nation, shares a 760-kilometer land border with PNG. The two nations currently have a few territorial disputes along the border, in areas with poor infrastructure.

“The border possesses a huge amount of unexplored oil and gas reserves, according to data obtained by our team. Economically, it would be easier to jointly explore these untapped resources,” Jero said in Jakarta.

“This is also important to maintain security along our border.”

Jero did not go into detail on which blocks the two countries planned to develop, but said they would also focus on building more infrastructure in border areas to support the energy and mining partnership.

Separately, Micah said his country also hoped its national petroleum companies would form a joint venture with oil and gas firm PT Pertamina to jointly develop hydrocarbon reserves in the areas.

PNG has two state-owned oil and gas firms, namely National Petroleum Company of Papua New Guinea (NPCP), which focuses on LNG and oil projects, and Petromin PNG Holdings Ltd., which
controls the nation’s petroleum and mining assets.

According to Micah, a number of major oil and gas companies, including France’s Total SA and Royal Dutch Shell, were currently exploring oil and gas resources in PNG. US-based ExxonMobil’s latest Asia Pacific liquefied natural gas (LNG) project is in New Guinea.

Pertamina CEO Karen Agustiawan, who was also present at Tuesday’s meeting, said her company would sign a joint study agreement with PNG’s national oil and gas company to develop resources. “We are also interested in entering PNG,” she said.

According to interim upstream watchdog SKKMigas, one of the blocks located near the Indonesia-PNG border is the Warim block, for which American oil and gas firm ConocoPhillips won the contract in 1989.

ConocoPhillips drilled six wells and spent US$98 million on exploration activities from 1990 to 1998 before the government declared the area a protected forest. SKKMigas exploration chief Nugrahani said in a text message on Tuesday that ConocoPhillips had been offered a contract renewal, which would enable the contractor to explore the Warim block for another five years.

“They will be given 15 years to exploit the block should they find profitable hydrocarbon reserves,” she said.

Indonesia, which left the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in 2008, has set its sights on the eastern part of the archipelago for exploration following the maturation of major onshore oil and gas blocks in the western part.

Notorious PNG bank robber escapes prison

Source: AAP

A manhunt is under way for Papua New Guinea's most notorious bank robber, William Kapris, who has escaped from the country's main prison along with three others, police say.
Police launched the search for Kapris shortly after he escaped from Port Moresby's Bomana prison at 5pm NZT on Tuesday.
"He had two guns," a police media spokesman told AAP.
"Kapris was the one who led the break out.
"These prisoners are high-risk prisoners, the worst of the worst."
He could not say how Kapris or the other prisoners escaped.
"He definitely had inside assistance," the spokesman said.
Deputy Police Commissioner and Chief of Police Operations Simon Kauba said a manhunt is under way to hunt down the escapees.
Police had earlier said 33 inmates had escaped, but then radically revised down the figure to four, including Kapris.
The break-out will be thoroughly investigated and anyone who had any role to play in the escape will be severely dealt with, Kauba said in a statement.
Kapris is known in PNG for a series of robberies at Bank of the South Pacific branches.
This breakout marks Kapris's third high-profile escape from authorities.
In 2010, the country's most wanted serial bank robber escaped from custody in a Toyota truck after taking a warder hostage.
He was aided that time by a woman who, posing as a lawyer, pulled a gun on guards.
He was rearrested a short time later along with several jail staff who allegedly assisted his escape.
It was not the first time Kapris had escaped PNG's justice system.
Before being captured in 2008, he had been on the run for eight years after escaping police detention while convalescing at Port Moresby General Hospital.
The news comes as PNG's legislators prepare to debate tougher penalties for violent crime in the nation's parliament, including reactivating the country's dormant death penalty.

Gillard says Australia will stand with PNG

By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has paid tribute to Australia and Papua New Guinea's  abiding friendship, as she highlighted some significant challenges during her first speech on her first official visit to the island nation.
At a state dinner to mark the visit, Ms Gillard told guests Australia will stand with PNG, our closest neighbour, as it tackles a grim health, education and security outlook.
"I know you are committed to progress in these fields and Australia joins you as a partner," Ms Gillard said.
"The PNG government has a far-reaching agenda of reform and we will support and assist you in this vital work.

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"This is a period of unmatched opportunity for Papua New Guinea. I know how determined this generation of leaders is to translate that opportunity into benefits for the generations to come."
Mr Gillard's host, Prime Minister Peter O'Neill was elected in July last year on a platform of fixing PNG's ailing health and infrastructure, which had stagnated following years of corruption and neglect.
Listing the challenges faced by PNG, Ms Gillard referred to the security of women "who endure such particular horrors."
PNG has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and some estimates suggest as many as 70 per cent of PNG's women have experienced sexual or domestic violence.
International attention has recently been focused on a series of gruesome murders of women over allegations of "witch craft".
Ms Gillard and Mr O'Neill will on Friday sign a joint declaration to boost co-operation between the two countries.
"This 2013 declaration points the way to a new level of co-operation based on mutual trust, respect and common values," Ms Gillard said.
"We must build relationships that stand the test of time during the pressures and changes that accompany the Asian century."
She said PNG was making progress in the form of the $19 billion Exxon Mobil lead PNG LNG project, which Ms Gillard is due to visit on Friday.
"We see the same signs (of progress) in the 41 billion kina in Australian investment and in your commitment to establish an effective sovereign wealth fund based on international best practice," she said.
Australia invests in the project through the Export Finance and Insurance Corporation.
"Australia is by far the biggest destination for Papua New Guinea exports and the biggest source of PNG's own imports of goods and services."
Mr O'Neill said Ms Gillard's visit reflected the importance her government attached to the PNG/Australia relationship.
"The relationship remains important and I think relevant," he said, referring to a raft of official visits.
"Let me stress the government-to-government relationship is in good shape.
"We are neighbours and I always believe neighbours should get on well together and sort their differences amicably.
"I want us to agree during your visit that we will recognise a need to reflect the new maturity of our relationship at all levels."
Mr O'Neill urged Ms Gillard to ease visa restrictions for Papua New Guineans visiting Australia.
He said there were a list of about 40 countries who had an easier time getting to Australia.

Gillard to visit PNG

By Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

Julia Gillard will meet with her PNG counterpart Peter O'Neill (L) during her visit to Port Moresby. Source: AAP

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard is expected to touch down in Papua New Guinea on Thursday afternoon, marking her first official trip to the Pacific Island nation.

In a visit lasting just under 48 hours, Ms Gillard is expected to meet with her PNG counterpart Peter O'Neill, his cabinet, and the opposition leader Belden Namah.
Ms Gillard and Mr O'Neill are expected to canvass a raft of issues during the visit.
Trade and enhanced defence cooperation will be the topics for the meetings, with PNG expected to raise concerns about visa processing for Papua New Guineans travelling to Australia.
PNG is also expected to seek Australia's help in boosting relations with Asia, as well as seeking Australia's help to host APEC in 2018.
"We are requesting (Australia) to assist us in using their experience when they hosted the meeting in Sydney, Mr O'Neill recently told Radio Australia.
"They would see what sort of issues they had to deal with when they hosted the event, so yes we are communicating with the Australian prime minister on that."
There is about $7 billion in annual trade between the two nations, while Australia also spends roughly $500 million a year in official aid to PNG.
The controversial Australian-run asylum seeker detention centre on Manus Island may also be discussed, with its legality currently before PNG's courts.
Ms Gillard is among a number of recent high-profile international visitors to PNG, which this time last year was crawling out of a political crisis sparked by the surprise elevation of Mr O'Neill to the prime ministership in mid-2011.
The mid-2012 election put the lid on the political turmoil and gave Mr O'Neill a massive parliamentary majority.
Since the polls, PNG has played host to Prince Charles, Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and Fijian dictator Frank Bainimarama, as well as a raft of Australian ministerial visits.
On Friday, Ms Gillard is expected to tour a Port Moresby market and a local primary school, and visit part of the $19 billion Exxon Mobil-led Liquefied Natural Gas project.
She will meet with business leaders while in Port Moresby, and attend a state dinner in the nation's parliament.
On Saturday she will visit Bomana War Cemetery before departing for Australia.
The last serving Australian prime minister to visit PNG was Kevin Rudd, who included Australia's closest neighbour amongst his first overseas trips after being elected in 2007.
Queensland Premier Campbell Newman is expected to visit Port Moresby next week.