Bulolo burns

FIGHTING in Bulolo township has escalated with more than 5,000 villagers taking part in the raid on Sepik settlers, The National reports.

The local villagers are walking the length and breadth of Bulolo, armed with guns, knives and bows and arrows in open defiance of the 30-odd policemen.

The town has virtually stopped operating with all banks, schools, shops and markets closed except for the Bulolo Hospital, which is operating with staff saying they were “scared stiff”.

Locals from Patep village and Mumeng local level government have been backed by their fellow Bulolo district locals from Buang, Watut, Waria and other parts of Morobe.

They razed five settlements yesterday to take to eight the number of settlements destroyed since Monday morning.

A policeman said there was not a house left standing after the group went on a rampage at the Karanas compound around noon yesterday.

The policeman alleged that the group comprised the Mumeng and Watut people.

“The Sepiks have fled for safety into the bushes and are afraid to emerge from their hiding places for fear of their lives,” he said. 

He said police were outnumbered and could not stop the locals in their attack.

“The situation is extremely volatile,” employees of PNG Forest Products said last night.

They and other workers had not gone to work since Monday.

On Monday, Cement Bridge, Maramba, and White House settlements were burnt down.

Yesterday, the Biwat, Tambunum, Kapriman, Aitape and Sangriwa settlements were also razed.

The situation had affected the operations of PNG Forest Products, Bank South Pacific, the post office, schools, health centre, the University of Technology Bulolo campus and retail outlets – forcing all to close.

All elementary, secondary and technical vocational centre classes had been suspended for an indefinite period, district education coordinator John Tjipert said.

Students at Baiune High School were dispatched home on Monday night. Some staff members, who were threatened, fled, the policeman said.

Grace Memorial Secondary School principal Ipisah Wanega assured parents that all the students and staff were kept safe in school with Wau police monitoring the gates.

Residents, not only in Bulolo but Wau as well, are now in short supply of food.

Traffic flow from Lae to Bulolo, Wau, the Hidden Valley mine site, Watut and Menyamya has been halted.

Fourteen Australian tourists on their way to Bulolo, to walk the Black Cat Track, had to cancel their trip due to the ethnic violence.

This had caused PNG Tourism Promotion Authority chief Peter Vincent to call on the national government and cabinet to quickly address the worsening law and order situation, not only in Bulolo but throughout the country.

Morobe provincial government stepped in and allocated K52, 000 to deploy police reinforcement from Mt Hagen to join mobile squad 13 from Lae.

Speaking on Radio Morobe yesterday, Governor Luther Wenge urged all parties involved in the clashes to stop and seek a peaceful means to the conflict.

Wenge said the government had foreseen the need for additional police in the area and the police mobile squad 15 set up base there in 2001, but complacency on the part of police had set in.

The more than 2,000 settlers, who are now using PNG Forest Products camp site as a care centre, are in need of food supplies.

The settlers have lost everything except the clothes on their backs. They have sought police protection and are being kept at the PNG Forest Product compound as locals try to penetrate the area.

A police mobile squad member said there had been a lot of casualties; however, he could not confirm the number or say if there had been any further deaths.

By last night, two casualties were flown by helicopter to the Angau Memorial Hospital in Lae.

 

A six-point plan for better government in Papua New Guinea

By REGINALD RENAGI

 

IT’S UNFORTUNATE that, since independence, Papua New Guinea has lacked a progressive and transformational government.

We desperately need to restore parliament to its rightful place as the people's house.

Papua New Guineans have unfortunately lost respect for a parliament that is supposed to make good laws for people and country.

This is because parliament and government have compromised PNG's national interest.

PNG needs a fresh new and uncompromising leadership to make things right by and for the people.

The future leadership must aim to create an improved system of government in which power is properly shared with the legislature, and the people instead of being concentrated in the office of prime minister and cabinet.

The PNG government must restore a significant, independent role to our parliament through this six-point plan:

 

1.    Elect an independent speaker, who will not sit in a party caucus during the term of the legislature over which he presides.

 

2.    Establish legislative committees in key policy areas with the power to initiate legislation, propose amendments to government legislation, and investigate and report on the progress of government programs in their policy areas.

 

3.    Appoint a special legislative committee to ensure proper scrutiny and public discussion of government proposals in areas of national and provincial concern.

 

4.    Mandate government to make comprehensive responses to parliamentary committee reports within a fixed time, indicating acceptance or rejection of the committee findings and giving reasons for acceptance or rejection.

 

5.    Amend the Elections Act to require a by-election to be called within 60 days of a vacancy and held within 90 days of a vacancy.

 

6.    Enable real public dialogue that can have a genuine influence on government policies and priorities.

 

It is time for the government to adopt an open legislative process to allow maximum consultation and improve the quality of PNG’s democracy.

Communication and development in nation-building

Maria Linibi at the FAO regional office in Bangkok
Seniorl Anzu...combining farming and journalism

By MALUM NALU

Two people who reflect the very essence of communication and development in Papua New Guinea have been rewarded for their tireless efforts.

National Agriculture Research Institute’s senior communications officer Seniorl Anzu and PNG Women in Agriculture Development Foundation president Maria Linibi are joint winners of this year’s UNESCO/Divine Word University communication and development award.

Anzu is one of the most-prolific contributors of farming articles to The National and other media.

Linibi and Anzu received their awards at Media Freedom Day celebrations at DWU on April 30.

“At first glance it may seem that Seniorl has won the communication part of this award and Maria the development part,” DWU communication arts head of department Br Michael McManus said.

“But in fact both people have helped each other to win this award.

“We have recognised Seniorl and Maria because together they have been a great example of how communication and development go together hand-in-hand for real and on-going development in PNG.

“Seniorl has written many articles about Maria's organisation.

“These articles have promoted the organisation's great work among the agricultural community in PNG and overseas.

“Maria herself has become more involved in communication too with literacy programmes and agricultural education for other women farmers.

“Maria's work has also contributed greatly to NARI's mission as a research organisation that develops practical connections with PNG's farming communities.”

Br McManus thanked UNESCO for its continuing support of this award.

“UNESCO has a mandate from the UN to promote freedom of expression and freedom of information,” he said,

“The agricultural community in PNG is the beneficiary of both these freedoms as demonstrated by our two winners.”

Linibi and Anzu received their awards from DWU vice-president academic Br Andrew Simpson.

Bee farmers set up national body

By SOLDIER BURUKA of DAL

 

A national apiculture industry association has been established to promote and develop the honey bee industry throughout the country.

The association has been formed by bee farmers, queen bee breeders, producers, breeders, suppliers, and other stakeholders involved in the development of the industry. The move is the result of recommendations made at the first-ever national apiculture industry workshop held in Goroka in March this year.

 A meeting of stakeholders in Goroka organised by Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association after the workshop resolved to establish the national body as the first step towards moving the industry forward.

 An interim executive has also been elected with longtime bee promoter and chairman of Isten Hailans Beekeepers Association Jonah Buka as interim chairman, Hardy Ketauwo as treasurer and Jonah Negiha as secretary.

The association includes representation from farmers in all highlands provinces, including Jiwaka as well as Madang, Morobe, Oro and Central.

Potential bee farmers in other provinces are also urged to join the national body.

 One of the key outcomes of the national apiculture industry workshop was the need to establish a body that would represent the apiculture industry at the national level and not be restricted to only one or fewer provinces as is the present situation.

As the way forward, the workshop determined that the new body would play a lead role in driving the honey bee industry and ensure that there was sustainability as well as improvements in the livelihood of the bee farmers throughout the country.

 It has been resolved that the Isten Hailans Beekeepers Association will utilise its expertise in collaboration with the Highlands Farmers and Settlers Association and the Department of Agriculture and Livestock to take ownership in establishing the new body. Bee keepers, producers, suppliers, queen breeders, trainers and others in the provinces will be required to affiliate to district and provincial branches that will form part of the national association.

DAL and Livestock Development Corporation have been urged to play a key role in the formation and provision of technical and secretarial assistance to set up the body.

This was confirmed at another stakeholders meeting held early this month in Goroka.

 Meanwhile, a field day and seminar on honey bee is being planned for either May or June to showcase the success of the industry in some areas and its vast potential.

University of Goroka hosts seminar on language translation

Dr Ellis Deibler addressing participants on translation work at the translation seminar held at the University of Goroka

By KATE GUNN of UOG

On Thursday May 13, 2010, the University of Goroka (UOG) Language and Literature Department hosted a seminar on language translation work.

The seminar was conducted as part of the department’s celebration of and participation in the United Nation’s proclamation on the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures.

Guest presenter of the seminar was Dr Ellis Deibler, international professional translator with 20 years experience in Papua New Guinea and the Alekano and Yaweyuha languages.

The seminar was officially opened by the Acting Dean of the Humanities Faculty Dr Lynus Yamuna, who commented that the United Nation’s proclamation was timely for the Language and Literature Department of UOG as it focused on indigenous languages and cultures.

The seminar, aimed at staff, students and members of the community with interests in documenting their own languages, was well received by a large number of participants who enjoyed an animated presentation from Dr Deibler.

Dr Deibler highlighted to participants of the seminar: “Language is the shrine of a person’s soul, and to lose language is to lose your culture.”

Dr Deibler also commented on the problem in PNG today of children not learning indigenous languages from their parents.

Other topics covered in the seminar included: the meaning of translation; types of translations; reasons to translate; translation versus interpretation; and career opportunities available through the work of translation.

The gathering concluded on a high note with participants looking forward to Dr Deibler’s next seminar to be held at the University of Goroka on Thursday, May 27, 2010.

Address issues for sustainable livelihood

The Integrated Agriculture Training Programme (IATP) of the University of Natural Resources and Environment cannot sustain livelihood of the people of Maprik in East Sepik province unless certain issues are addressed.

This was stated in a report to the university’s administration by IATP head trainer Owen Ngala.

Ngala said almost 60% of farmers who sat through the training last year were practicing some of the techniques and technologies they learnt, but training alone would not sustain their livelihoods unless some of the issues affecting them were addressed by the Government and stakeholders.

He said as observed by the IATP team in numerous cocoa blocks the team visited, there was a great need to replace old or outdated cocoa varieties that were still being planted and still existing in cocoa blocks.

“Currently, access to the latest-recommended high-yielding  pest and disease resistant clones are very difficult as supply of seeds and bud wood comes through PNG Cocoa Coconut Institute regional office in Madang,” Ngala said.

Secondly, the team identified that there was a need for central cocoa nurseries in the four local level governments to supply seedling to the farmers with the latest recommended varieties that would be accessed from Madang or East New Britain.

Thirdly, there was a need for IATP to work in collaboration with other stakeholder in educating cocoa farmers of the latest best management practices of cocoa.

“The implementation of skills gained would be better utilised if farmers are fully equipped with appropriate cocoa management tools required to manage their cocoa blocks properly,” Ngala said.

The other difficulty faced by farmers is the bad road condition.

It is assumed that this situation could also be contributing to the non participation of farmers in economic activities in less-accessible areas.

Ngala said for the next training IATP would wait upon the advice from division of primary industry on which modules were to be delivered.

“The IATP approach would be for the farmer to sit through the three base modules, then project-based training then into business or entrepreneurship training,” Ngala said

He said this was because when farmers sat through three modules they were in a better position to make decisions for themselves on how to use their resources wisely to benefit their individual families in the present situation and in later years.

He said once the farmer developed the right mindset, the project based training would be more meaningful or purposeful because he or she would realise the importance of gaining such skills.

“Once he mastered the skills for his project, certainly the production will increase thus income to the family,” Ngala said.

Meanwhile, the IATP team travelled to West New Britain province last Thursday to conduct monitoring and evaluation for the first time since IATP reached WNB in 2008.

 

Students conduct poultry survey, construct fish pond

Students of University of Natural Resources and Environment have gone out to conduct a survey to assist in improving village poultry production in East New Britain.

The students began their survey last week at Vudal Block interviewing villagers on the production of village poultry.

According to Animal Science lecturer Saun Ignatius, the survey would determine number of village chickens kept by household, where they kept chickens (chicken house) and their production performance from clustered sample of villages in Papua New Guinea.

He said the survey was done in two parts, commercial and village.

In commercial, students went in Kokopo and Rabaul town to find out how much business houses spend to import chicken meat, stock feed and chicklets.

In the second part of the survey, the students interviewed villagers at Vudal Block which is sample size of ENB to find out how many chickens they looked after, what was the purpose for keeping village chickens, how they looked after chickens and the difficulties they faced.

He said once the survey was completed the students would use the findings to conduct a one- day training to farmers at Vudal Block.

A student, John Gimmy, said according to the interview the students conducted last Friday, about 90% of those that kept chicken did so without thinking of expanding.

He said most looked after chicken for family consumption.

He said the chickens lacked proper housing as they lived on cocoa trees or slept in kitchens.

Due to lack of proper housing some are stolen, killed and eaten by dogs and birds.

He said villager had shown great interest in expanding the chicken poultry.

The survey was conducted by final year degree (BTA 4) students with the help of Year three students. 

Apart from that, Year 3 students are also doing their practical by assisting a farmer at Vudal Block to construct a fishpond.

Student Fransisco Lauten said the practical was a good learning opportunity for students.