Papua New Guinea must take up the West Papua issue with United Nations

By REG RENAGI

 

The Papua New Guinea government must now take up the issue of West Papua with the United Nations and must not sweep this long-outstanding issue concerning the ongoing Melanesian Papuans under the mat. 

The Australian and the Indonesian government also need to be brought into this three-way negotiation on what can we do now for the people of West Papua.

The so-called ‘Act of Free Choice’ was a total farce by Indonesia to annex West Papua and subjugate its indigenous Melanesian people.

This act was a violation of West Papua’s legal right to self-determination, a violation of the ‘sacred trust’ under Article 73 of the UN Charter and a breach of Indonesia’s treaty obligations under the UN Charter and the New York Agreement.

 This action cannot justify Indonesian sovereignty over West Papua.

The struggle for West Papua 'self determination' will continue whether Indonesia likes it or not.

Many more of our Melanesian people will die in future.

The Papuans are fighting for their future survival.

Countries like Australia and PNG are afraid of Indonesian aggression.

Tragically, West Papuans have been made a sacrificial lamb by the criminal acts of the Indonesian authorities, aided and abetted by a weak-willed United Nations.

It is very sad and unfortunate that, with her great influence and clout in the international arena, all Australia can muster is to watch by helplessly from the sidelines.

Australia in future will continue to wonder just what she could do to help the West Papuans (ditto for PNG) without upsetting Indonesia.

 It clearly failed to do anything in East Timor, so why should it be any different now.

Does Australia care?

 Not really, but anything to do with West Papua and its people should be in her national interest.

This sticky issue will not go away for Australia, Indonesia and PNG, and a middle ground must be found.

The plebiscite took place sometime between 14 July and 2 August 1969; the Indonesian government holding its so-called ‘Act of Free Choice’ in West Papua.

Indonesian authorities took 1,022 Papuan tribal representatives to eight locations – one for each region of West Papua: Merauke, Jayawijaya, Paniai, Fak-Fak, Sorong, Manokwari, Cenderawasih and Jayapura.

Many Papuans walked from very-remote areas for three days to their designated locations leaving behind their wives and children in the ‘care of the Indonesian government’.

These 1,022 Papuans were given two choices: either remain with Indonesia or sever ties with Indonesia, and become an independent state like PNG.

What resulted from this rigged political event is now history.

 But the question still remains: what does the UN and the Australia and PNG governments hope to do about the West Papua issue?

Indonesia is not going to let go of West Papua easily as it wants to own this very resource-rich part of the New Guinea island as part of the republic.

 Additionally, any future negotiations will prove very difficult with the transmigration program going on for many years now to redistribute its growing population eastward towards PNG.

This is another foreign policy challenge for Australia and PNG.

China is a distraction now.

But PNG must be always on guard, and keep watch over its western border at the going down of the sun, lest it be surprised one fine day.

Will Australia come to her aid in future?

Who knows.

This should be a big worry for Prime Minister Michael Somare who's about to leave the political scene one of these days soon.

Prime Minister let us also put this issue on our discussion agenda with US Secretary of State, Mrs Hillary Clinton, when she visits PNG this week.

National security at risk

From The National

 

The escape of the 12 dangerous prisoners is now a national security issue.

The National Security Advisory Committee summoned Correctional Services Commissioner Richard Sikani to brief them after lunch yesterday on the escape.

NSAC chairman and Chief Secretary Manasupe Zurenouc has been recalled from Lae where he is attending the Lutheran church synod to attend to this issue.

The NSAC will be conducting a full meeting today to address the break-out of some of the worst criminals in the country.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare has been informed.

Correctional Service Minister Tony Aimo who is away in his Ambunti-Drekikier electoral for electoral duties is also believed to have been briefed and will be returning to Port Moresby to take charge of the situation.

Mr Sikani said yesterday that the NSAC would be conducting its own independent investigations into the great escape.

He said the Correctional Service would be conducting its own investigations in what he called “highly suspicious” escape where all security procedures at the maximum security unit at Bomana were breached.

Business houses have been warned to take extra security measures in light of the escape of the country’s top criminals.

Woman 'lawyer' frees 12 hardcore prisoners

By JACOB POK in The National

 

A WOMAN “lawyer” aided the daring escape of 12 high risk prisoners, including bank robbery suspect William Nanua Kapris from the Bomana Maximum Security Unit in another hostage situation yesterday morning.

Kapris and five others, regarded as dangerous, had been involved in series of major robberies.

Besides Kapris, the others are Oliver Ben Gabi, Ben Nom, Elizah Tingal, Kito Aso and Don Aka.

The other escapees were from the main compound who were temporarily housed at maximum security.

They included John Siko Wel, who was sodomising young prisoners, James Pari, who is a serial rapist jailed for the rape and murder of a woman pilot in Lae several years ago, Peter Plesman, Greg Varvar, Duma Korowa and Raphael Walimini.

Plesman, Korowa and Walimani are on death row, or condemned detainees.

The escape drama started at the Port Moresby General Hospital at about 8.30am where a detainee, accompanied by three warders, was being treated for epilepsy.

Two warders were with the prisoner while the driver, who was in the vehicle, was held up by armed men who blindfolded him and took him hostage to a hotel room.

There he was forced to call the Maximum Security Unit guards to inform them to expect a female human rights lawyer (named) from a law firm to visit prisoner John Siko Wel.

Correctional Service Commissioner Richard Sikani said the daring escape in a hostage situation was aided by this lone woman in a clear breach of established security procedures on which visitation is granted only by the Commissioner, deputy commissioner (operations) or the courts.

Mr Sikani said the woman pretended to act as a human rights lawyer and went straight to the MSU in a blue vehicle where she delivered a letter to the guards and passed through the main gate.

He said the letter was a request letter to the officer in charge of the MSU, seeking entry to give legal assistance to the prisoner Wel.

Mr Sikani said while she was inside the prison, a guard assisted her into the visitor’s section where the prisoner was called out to meet her.

He said they sat and talked at a round table for a while and then the woman lawyer moved her chair and bent forward and in that instance passed a pistol to Siko Wel who held up the guard and ordered the other guard to unlock the cell gates and emptied the entire facility of its 12 prisoners.

He said they then made their way out of the main gate and escaped in the vehicle with the woman at around 10.33 am.

Mr Sikani said his office and police were informed of the escape an hour later at 11.30 am.

This is the second escape of robbery suspect Kapris Nanua who pulled off a similar escape in 2006 where he used a doctor to write that he was very sick and a lawyer wrote to prison officials persuading them to release him for treatment where he escaped when in hospital.

Mr Sikani has reported the matter as high priority to the National Security Advisory Committee who will be meeting today to institute an independent investigation while the CS will carry out its own.

He said all the ports and airports are now being monitored by police and Correctional Service officers and appealed to the community to help report suspicious looking people.

Mr Sikani also asked the public to take precaution and for cooperation in reporting in the escapees.

UK Government to support the preservation of Carteret Islands' Culture

Captions: 1. A Carteret Island family - what does the future hold for them? 2. Carteret Island children playing on fallen coconut trees

 

The British High Commission in Port Moresby is funding the documentation of the Carteret Islands' unique culture to prevent and minimise loss, as well as to assist the islanders maintain their cultural continuity across all relocated groups.

The project which will cost more then K129, 000 when complete will document distinctive aspects of the islanders' culture including songs and dances, ceremonies and traditions, myths and legends.

 This information will then be made available to future generations of Carteret Islanders and others.

The culture of the islands will also be documented in a film, which will be made in close co-operation with local NGO, Tulele Peisa Inc, and in consultation with the Carteret Council of Elders.

David Dunn, the British High Commissioner said, "As is everywhere in the world, people identify themselves with their culture, the Carteret Islanders been no exception, and with their island sinking and the relocation exercise in place, it is important that their culture is captured for the identity of the next generation and beyond." 

The Carteret Islands are sinking due to geological reasons associated with their volcanic origins. Overlaid on top of this are the effects of sea level rising and storm surges, which are accepted as deleterious consequences of Global Climate Change.

Dangerous criminals on the loose in Port Moresby

William Kapris

Peter Plesman

Oliver Ben Gabi

Kito Aso

John Siko Wel

James Pari

Greg Wawa

All of Papua New Guinea’s most-dangerous criminals have escaped from the country’s highest maximum security unit at Bomana jail, outside Port Moresby, yesterday morning and were still on the run last night, The National reports.
The 12 prisoners included three who are on death row, a serial rapist and William Kapris, the mastermind in a series of armed bank robberies.
The National Security Advisory Committee summoned Correctional Services Commissioner Richard Sikani for a briefing yesterday afternoon, saying it was a national security issue.
According to Mr Sikani, the National Security Advisory Committee will be meeting today to institute an independent investigation while the CS will carry out its own.
The escape appeared to be well planned and involved a woman “lawyer” who managed to breach all security procedures to smuggle in a gun and empty the maximum security unit of its occupants at about 10am.
Acting Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga said police had a mammoth task on hand to recapture more than 150 prisoners who escaped from PNG jails in the past 12 months, including 40 from Bomana last October.
Police warned of increased criminal activities in Port Moresby and warned that anyone found aiding, abetting or harbouring the escapees would face the full force of the law.
As news of the daring escape spread, the Business Council of PNG said in a widely-circulated email to its members to take extra precautions when moving in and around Port Moresby because some of the escapees were dangerous.
The maximum security unit at Bomana was undermanned at the time of the escape, Correction Service Commissioner Richard Sikani said.

New Australian high commissioner to Papua New Guinea

From AAP

 

AN Australian who went to primary school in Papua New Guinea is to return - as high commissioner.

Ian Kemish will take up the top job next month.

Mr Kemish, who speaks the PNG language Tok Pisin, is a career public servant who was recently ambassador to Germany.

He was decorated for his work with the Australian Government dealing with the aftermath of the 2002 Bali bombings.

Meanwhile, Australia's consul-general to the Pacific nation of Nauru, George Fraser, has been upgraded to a high commissioner.

The move recognises that Australia's mission to Nauru has been upgraded from a consulate-general to a high commission.
 

Polar bear attacks man in Canada

Man survives bear Attack in Churchill , Manitoba , Canada .

These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack.
The pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack!
Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery.