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... der populären australischen Nachrichtensendung "Pacific Beat" erläutert die Hintergründe der aktuellen Krise in PNG auf www.bougainville-copper.eu !

asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2011/12/...-reconciliation.html

SIR MICHAEL SOMARE has urged Papua New Guinea's public servants "to remain neutral" and repeated his earlier statement that the nation's police commissioner Tom Kulunga had been replaced by Somare appointee Fred Yakasa.

AAP’s Papua New Guinea correspondent Eoin Blackwell says the statement, issued at midnight, came after more than half of PNG's 109-member parliament voted to suspend governor-general Michael Ogio and replace him with Jeffrey Nape to swear in Peter O'Neill as prime minister.

The MPs also voted to appeal to the Supreme Court to review its 3-2 decision to reinstate Sir Michael.

In his statement, Sir Michael sacked treasury head Stephen Gibson and reinstated Somare appointee Gabriel Yer.

"Mr Kulunga's appointment was revoked for reasons of non-compliance to Supreme Court Orders and appointment beyond retirement age," Sir Michael said.

The police force has remained mostly neutral in the political standoff that came to a head after months of political and judicial in-fighting, after parliament voted 70 to 24 in early August to dump Sir Michael's nine-year-old government.

At 10 o’clock this morning, Papua New Guinea's religious leaders will give a news conference where they are expected to ask Mr O'Neill and Sir Michael to reach an agreement on the leadership.

Meanwhile the London Daily Telegraph is reporting that the Queen could be called in to settle what the newspaper terms "a bizarre political deadlock which has left the country with two rival prime ministers and two governors-general."

Da ging ja wieder mal eine große Stückzahl:

Quelle: Stocknessmonster

         1         6§6:35:05 pm 77 175,361 $135,028 Portfolio Special Crossing, Crossed

Mehr auf www.bougainville-copper.eu !

ramumine.wordpress.com/2011/12/16/...in-pngs-political-crisis/

y Martyn Namorong

Mrs Obama and Mrs O'Neill

The two economically dominant classes in PNG are the Agents of the West represented by mining and hydrocarbon exploiters on one hand, and the Agents of the East represented mainly by logging and oil palm exploiters.

The struggle between the West (US) and the East (China) is played out in the current political crisis.

When O’Neil was elected Prime Minster, he was congratulated by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard, on behalf of the Western Nations. O’Neil was able to meet Gillard in Canberra and even Mrs. O’Neil had her picture taken with US First Lady Michelle Obama during the recent APEC Summit in Hawaii.

Somare on the other hand has been the darling of the East. He was given red carpet treatment in Beijing and was responsible for bringing the Chinese Miners to Madang. Indeed the Ramu mine is majority owned by the Chinese Government through the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC). The National Newspaper owned by Malaysian Loggers, has also been openly supporting Somare.

Papua New Guineans may also recall that Sam Basil was a Guest of the United States Government when he was sent to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. The United States Ambassador was present at the Grand Hall of Parliament when Powes Parkop launched he’s political Party. Both men are in the O’Neil Camp.

It is therefore hardly surprising that both Somare and O’Neil are willing to play brinkmanship. Both men would not be so adamant about being in power unless they were both confident that the international community would recognize their leadership should they ascend to power.

The current antagonism between the politically dominant classes is fuelled by the antagonism between the economically dominant classes i.e. the US aka Exxon Mobil LNG Project and China aka Ramu Nickel Mine. Guess who the politicians are referring to when they talk about assuring investors – the Governments of the East and West.

Our politicians, being the manipulative psychopaths they are, cannot realize that they are just making the rest of us cannon fodder for the Big Boys in the region. Papua New Guineans must not take sides in the struggle between two world powers. Don’t end up being used by these two Super Powers and their two political puppets.

The Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States was fought in foreign territories such as Vietnam and Afghanistan. Today’s Cold War between an increasingly Capitalist China’s and an increasingly Fascist America will be fought in an increasing Fragile Region. Obama’s recent announcement of basing troops in Darwin was met with stiff opposition from China. The power struggle between the US and China is being played out in the Pacific and PNG appears to be feeling the effects.

This isn’t our war to fight. It doesn’t make any difference to a villager in Josephstaal, Madang Province, whether O’Neil or Somare is in Power. That villager will wake up tomorrow and will still have NO school, NO road and NO aid post. That is the reality for 80% of the country and that reality will not change regardless of who is in power for the next 5-6 months until the next elections.

www.postcourier.com.pg/20111216/frhome.htm

By John Pangkatana

PAPUA New Guinea’s Parliament appointed Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is truly the “peoples” choice.
With his 75-man strong parliamentary members in tow, the Member for Ialibu Pangia is now riding a wave of popularity more that ever before.
Yesterday, in a humbling show accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah, he braved the midday heat to receive a petition from prominent NGO leader Noel Anjo before a boisterous crowd of over 1000 people at Waigani yesterday.
‘O’Neill, O’Neil, O’Neill…’ the strong crowd shouted as they hung onto every word he said.
Mr O’Neill re-assured the people that 72 members stand undivided during this time because they feel they have been undermined for too long.
“They must be able to talk without fear or favour. Ol in no wari long ministry, ol i wari long ol laif blong ol man na meri blong Papua New Guinea (They are not worried about ministries, they are more worried about the people’s livelihood),” he said.
He said it is a time for a thorough clean-up of all the corruption that has been allowed to breed in our society.
“Opis blong Praim Minista i no blong wanpela man (The office of the Prime Minister does not belong to one person),” he said.
“Em taim blong Grand Chief long malolo (It’s time for the Grand Chief to take a break),” he said.
This brought on a huge cheer.
“Gavana Jeneral em tu giamanim mi na pipol blong Papua New Guinea (The Governor-General was not truthful to me and the people of Papua New Guinea),” he added.
“Em tu ating mas malolo tu, mi understand em nupela marit tu (He should also take a break as well, I understand he’s also a newly-wed).” Mr ONeill said.
This brought on a much bigger applause from a mixture of people from public servants to the general public.
Mr O’Neill said he was grateful to hear that there was no division within the police hierarchy and thanked the PNG Defence Force for playing a backstage role as well in this heightened scenario that has brought about a sense of instability.
He also clarified that Mr Tom Kulunga is the rightfully appointed Police Commissioner, dispelling any thoughts otherwise. “He has earned the position rightfully,” he added.
“We cannot change the Government by the barrel of the gun…it’s only through the corridors of parliament that we will prevail,” he said.

www.postcourier.com.pg/20111216/frhome.htm

Attempts to shut water, power supply to bring out O’Neill team

By STAFF REPORTERS

THE court re-instated Somare Government allegedly tried every trick in the book to lock out the populist O’Neill-Namah Government by ordering that all public utilities available to them be shut down.
This included attempting to cut water and electricity to Parliament but it now appears the public servants sworn on oath to serve the country have had enough over the last couple of days and could not be swayed by the order from Madang Regional MP and Somare appointed Attorney General Sir Arnold Amet.
The service providers simply refused to cut the power and shut the water supply to the peoples’ house, Markham MP Koni Iguan said yesterday, because the people’s house had no debts outstanding to both organisations.
Citing a letter from Sir Arnold Amet, dated December 12, Mr Iguan said the Somare regime tried to shut down the institution which runs the country by resorting to devious means which amounted to ‘sabotage’.
In his letter to his fellow MP Patrick Pruaitch, and copied to Mr Tony Koiri, CEO of PNG Power Ltd, and Mr Billy Imar, MD of Eda Ranu Ltd, and the MD of IPBC, the Attorney General and Minister for Public Enterprise in the Somare led minority government, Sir Arnold said: “I seek your instructions for the shutdown of power and water services to Parliament House.”
It seems the request fell on deaf ears as Acting Chief Executive Officer of PNG Power Limited, Lawrence Solomon gave an outright ‘no’ to the directive from Mr Pruaitch because the “current political turmoil does not amount to an emergency to warrant PPL to shutdown power services to Parliament House”.
Parliament is where all MPs are supposed to congregate to represent all the people of PNG and the O’Neill Government was in charge on Monday, Mr Iguan said.
Parliament re-elected Prime Minister Peter O’Neill on Monday and his 70 MPs have been holding court there for the past week and Mr Iguan said that ‘shutting down the power and water is denying the people of PNG their voice’.
Sir Michael, the court reinstated PM, has 37 members and a 21 member cabinet who was sworn in by now suspended GG Sir Michael Ogio on Wednesday, while the Parliament appointed PM O’Neill holds an absolute majority.
As a result, it has become difficult for Sir Michael to govern given the lack of numbers, a situation that has not gone down well with public servants, unions and ordinary people.
Mr Iguan said the directions given by Sir Arnold were illegal and further demonstrated the desperation of the Somare regime in trying to squeeze the life out of a ‘popular people’s government’.
Mr Iguan said Sir Michael was the man who agreed on the building of Parliament Haus in his Sepik mythology and to cut off the power and water was like cutting of the ‘supply of sago and sepik wara’ to the men in the house.

www.postcourier.com.pg/20111216/frhome.htm

By Harlyne Joku

OVER 150,000 union workers yesterday gave the two Prime Ministers 48 hours notice of industrial action.
Their leaders said the two ‘prime ministers’ Peter O’Neill and Sir Michael Somare must consult each other on who the rightful prime minister of PNG is.
If not all essential services including power, water, telecommunication, health, airlines, transport, maritime, police and other key service to the public will shut down.
Executive representatives of the unions said the members will simply walk off their jobs during the festive week beginning Monday next week if no clear answers are given.
Late yesterday afternoon representatives of 31 union affiliates met at the PNG Trade Union Congress (PNGTUC) headquarters at Korobosea, Port Moresby and resolved that the people of this country have had enough of this deadlock and suspense and want the two leaders to come to compromise.
“Obviously we cannot have two prime ministers, two cabinets, two governor generals, two police heads, two financial heads etc. This is crazy and a joke to the true PNG citizens,” they said. The presidents of the public servants union, the doctors, nurses, health workers, maritime and transport workers, bankers and financial institutions, airlines workers, police said they represent the genuine citizens of this country and will not hesitate to shut down the services to the public if the politicians do not stop their power struggle.
“We are calling on the two leaders to tell us who the legitimate prime minister is. If they care for the country and its people who put them in power, they must reach a decision in the next 48 hours.
“Our members will confirm the walk out by the end of today and seriously if we hear no definite response by next week we will shut down services,” PNGTUC president Michael Malabag and General Secretary John Paska and all the union executives said at an urgent meeting yesterday.
“We the God fearing citizens of this country want to celebrate Christmas in peace and want the two leaders O’Neil and Somare to assure us,” they said. They said PNG workers have been patient this week and waited long enough for leaders to show their true Melanesian leadership but come yesterday afternoon, there has still was no compromise.
“We have been patient enough, but the O’Neill and the Somare camp are still claiming the prime minister in power although the legislature and the judiciary have made the decision, our people and workers are confused.
“We love this country as true nationalists and to witness what has been happening in the past days hurt and affect our services. We no longer believe that our workers security and welfare is guaranteed, hence we have no option but to announce this ultimatum,” the two union leaders said.
“The two ‘prime ministers owe it to the people of this country to make the just decision,” they said.

..............behind Somare–O’Neill conflict

asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2011/12/...neill-stand-off.html

BY MARTYN NAMORONG

“L’ETAT C’EST ET MOI!” exclaimed Louis XIV, the Sun King of France. The dude was saying in French, “I am the State”. The question of defining the State has bothered societies for centuries. This issue of state and sovereignty as well as the application of power becomes crucial as we try to address the current political crisis.

Five hundred years ago when Melanesian societies had already arranged themselves politically and economically, the English Philosopher, Thomas Hobbes was discussing the concepts of Statehood. For Hobbes, the State was Civitas - the Commonwealth – the People’s Representatives or the Sovereign.

Of course Hobbes and Louis XIV were kinda thinking on the same page. The Sun King believed the State was embodied in the Sovereign – the Head of State. However, the French weren’t buying this and the French Philosopher Jean Jacque Rousseau summed up their contempt for Le Roi – the King. But being French, Rousseau decided to pick on the English, instead of the French King. Rousseau wrote:

   Sovereignty cannot be represented, for the same reason that it cannot be alienated... the people’s deputies are not, and could not be, its representatives; they are merely its agents; and they cannot decide anything finally...

   The English people believe itself to be free; it is gravely mistaken; it is free only during the election of Members of Parliament; as soon as the Members are elected, the people is enslaved; it is nothing.

Now, since we’ve inherited the British Westminster system of Government, according to Rousseau we’re slaves of a system that Hobbes described to be an expression of sovereignty through the people’s representatives.

That is why you, the PNG-reader, cannot have much direct influence on the current political impasse as it is your representative who is to hopefully sort it out in your best interest. OK, so maybe you can protest but you’ll get killed anyway and the politicians will still have the last laugh.

Karl Marx was the first to identify that both representative and individual sovereignty weren’t as influential in society as the economic relationships of people. So, if you’re confused, basically Marx was saying money can buy you influence and a place at the top. We all know how money buys power these days and Marx was critical of those money-men who ran the system by class coercion.

Note how Byron Chan had to cop out of giving mining rights to landowners because the mining companies were opposed. Also note how The National newspaper published biased pro-Somare propaganda. And it was Marx’s good friend Friedrich Engels who summed up the power struggle of the classes. He wrote;

   Because the state arose from the need to hold class antagonisms in check... it is by rule the state of the powerful, economically dominant class, which, through the medium of the State, becomes also the politically dominant class.

The two economically dominant classes in PNG are the agents of the West represented by mining and hydrocarbon exploiters on one hand, and the agents of the East represented mainly by logging and oil palm exploiters.

The struggle between the West (US) and the East (China) is played out in the current political crisis.

When O’Neill was elected prime minister, he was congratulated by Australian prime minister Julia Gillard, on behalf of the western nations. O’Neill was able to meet Gillard in Canberra and even Mrs O’Neill had her picture taken with US First Lady Michelle Obama during the recent APEC Summit in Hawaii.

Somare on the other hand has been the darling of the East. He was given red carpet treatment in Beijing and was responsible for bringing the Chinese miners to Madang. Indeed the Ramu mine is majority owned by the Chinese government through the Metallurgical Corporation of China (MCC). The National, owned by Malaysian loggers, has also been openly supporting Somare.

Papua New Guineans may also recall that Sam Basil was a guest of the United States government when he was sent to witness the inauguration of Barack Obama. The United States ambassador was present at the Grand Hall of Parliament when Powes Parkop launched he’s political party. Both men are in the O’Neill camp.

It is therefore hardly surprising that both Somare and O’Neill are willing to play brinkmanship. Both men would not be so adamant about being in power unless they were both confident that the international community would recognise their leadership should they ascend to power.

The current antagonism between the politically dominant classes is fuelled by the antagonism between the economically dominant classes, i.e., the US aka Exxon Mobil LNG Project and China aka Ramu Nickel Mine. Guess who the politicians are referring to when they talk about assuring investors – the governments of the East and West.

Our politicians, being the manipulative psychopaths they are, cannot realise that they are just making the rest of us cannon fodder for the Big Boys in the region. Papua New Guineans must not take sides in the struggle between two world powers. Don’t end up being used by these two Super Powers and their two political puppets.

The Cold War between the former Soviet Union and the United States was fought in foreign territories such as Vietnam and Afghanistan. Today’s Cold War between an increasingly capitalist China’s and an increasingly fascist America will be fought in an increasing fragile region.

Obama’s recent announcement of basing troops in Darwin was met with stiff opposition from China. The power struggle between the US and China is being played out in the Pacific and PNG appears to be feeling the effects.

This isn’t our war to fight. It doesn’t make any difference to a villager in Josephstaal, Madang Province, whether O’Neill or Somare is in power. That villager will wake up tomorrow and will still have no school, no road and no aid post. That is the reality for 80% of the country and that reality will not change regardless of who is in power for the next 5-6 months until the next elections.

in Comment & opinion | Permalink

www.postcourier.com.pg/20111216/frhome.htm

By PETERSON TSERAHA

A CHIEF in Central Bougainville has called on scrap metal companies operating in Central Bougainville to be fair in their dealings and trade.
Amos Obe, representing the chiefs of Central Bougainville, has boldly questioned the scrap metal companies operating in Panguna, Arawa, and Loloho to explain how their benefits are shared.
And are they following Government regulations? How much do they pay in tax to the Autonomous Bougainville Government? And who are the real owners of the companies?
“What does the rest of Bougainville get out from scrap metal exports when everyone suffered the war caused by Panguna mine?” Mr Obe has questioned. “A lot of people have died and for goodness sake Panguna is still covered in blood, North and South Bougainville are now saying we central Bougainvilleans are greedy and unfair because central Bougainvilleans haven’t fought the Bougainville crisis ourselves,’’ he said.
Mr Obe also said they had to take into account that even Papua New Guineans have died in the crisis. “I understand there is already a benefit policy for scrap metal with the commerce division in Buka so why aren’t the scrap metal companies complying with it?” Mr Obe asked.
Mr Obe said Bougainvilleans had to be mindfull about referendum and what was the plan for referendum, and when things were being done one sided?
“They can all say scrap metal is creating employment for youths and ex combatants, and that customs and quarantine have been paid, but what about the others?” Mr Obe said. “South Bougainvilleans, especially the ones from Siwai and Nagovis are all scattered in Buka looking for jobs while some of us are enjoying what everybody has suffered for,” he said.
“We are not saying we are against it to be more diplomatic, but explain how the money received will be shared among other ex-combatants.” Mr Obe said.
He also said one thing for sure was that some metals were not scrap but were very genuine metals and the type of price buyers were buying these metals for was not the appropriate price.

www.postcourier.com.pg/20111216/frhome.htm

By HAIVETA KIVIA

THE majority of Papua New Guineans wants to see Peter O’Neill remain as Prime Minister and that his Government sees out this term of the National Parliament.
If the street surveys carried out by Post-Courier, phone calls to radio talkback shows and reports from our opposition paper are bench marks to go by, then the majority of people in the country wants to see the back of Somare regime. In Lae and Morobe province, 50 percent of the people interviewed want Peter O’Neil to remains as the Prime Minister, while 30 percent called for parliament to be dissolved and fresh elections called and 20 per cent chose Somare as their preferred PM. In Rabaul, 80 per cent of the people interviewed wanted O’Neill to remain, 10 percent called for parliament to be dissolved and 10 percent backed the Somare Government.
Buko Esi, a resident at Hanta Compound in Lae, said if Sir Michael Somare had control over his young ministers and his son Arthur when he was in Government then we wouldn’t in a situation like this.
Mr Esi said they had a forum in the compound yesterday and many residents there expressed that they were very happy to see the backside of the Somare-Abal regime when O’Neil- Namah was voted in by parliament.
“This was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court but we the people think the court did not have the best interest of PNG at heart when it made its decision,” he said. He said what Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare stood for when he led the country to independence in 1975 had all gone to the dogs when he allowed young ministers in his Government of nine years to systematically abuse the trust and misused millions of kina.

... in greifbarer Nähe: www.bougainville-copper.eu !

.................als ob sich der gesunde Menschenverstand in PNG so langsam durchzusetzen beginnt.

Vielleicht gelingt es S. & Co sogar in den anstehenden Verhandlungen durchzusetzen dass es zu keiner Untersuchung div. Praktiken kommt.So hätte S. durch diesen Coup sein Ziel erreicht u. seine "Weisse Weste" gerettet.

Erstaunlich welche Stärke BOC in dieser Krise gezeigt hat, Zittrige welche sich von  einem "Unexpected" abschrecken u. ins BOC(k)-shorn jagen lassen scheinen jedenfalls nicht mehr investiert zu sein.;-)))))))))))))

www.smh.com.au/world/double-trouble-in-png-20111216-1oyvz.html

Ilya Gridneff
December 17, 2011

As two big men - Sir Michael Somare and Peter O'Neill - vied for supremacy this week in Papua New Guinea, the earth literally shook. An earthquake measuring 7.1 rattled the windows of Parliament House just after an MP told the floor PNG was ''cursed''.

It was a contest that began in the courts, played out on the floor of the nation's parliament - with the unprecedented spectacle of a country ostensibly under the control of two prime ministers, two cabinets, two governors-general, two police chiefs, and two finance secretaries - and culminated yesterday in what was being claimed as a bloodless coup with O'Neill asserting victory last night.

The current crisis has been fuelled by a looming national election in a country galvanised by the prospect of a $16 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project - and exacerbated by the chest-beating bravado of the region's Big Man politics (where big talk and political preening frequently trump policy debate). All up, an incendiary combination of ego, power and money.
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Peter O'Neill.

Peter O'Neill. Photo: AFP

But behind this week's constitutional schism lies a deeper clash between the twin forces of tradition and modernity - a clash personified in the opposing forces of the old man Somare, and O'Neill, the new blood who claims to be the voice of progress.

The country was plunged into crisis on Monday when the Supreme Court ordered that Somare be reinstated as prime minister after the parliament had declared his position vacant in early August, while he was in Singapore recovering from heart surgery, and voted in O'Neill.

In extraordinary scenes, the ailing Somare, 76, was restored as prime minister on Wednesday by Governor-General Michael Ogio, who also swore in Somare's 19-member cabinet at Government House. O'Neill, with the backing of about 50 MPs, promptly responded by having the Governor-General sacked on the floor of parliament, then elevating Speaker Jeffrey Nape to the job of acting Governor-General. Nape then swore in O'Neill as Prime Minister, enabling O'Neill's backers to sack Somare's new ministers and replaced them with their own.

By yesterday afternoon, power appeared to have been wrested from Somare, after his senior police figure could not provide the muscle needed to break the five-day deadlock and the PNG Defence Force refused to intervene. Somare and his supporters were evicted from Morauta Haus, the official building for the prime minister's office.

''There is only one government and I am the prime minister of PNG,'' O'Neill said.

The resource-rich land of a 1000 tribes and 800 unique languages has run a boom and bust trajectory ever since gaining independence from Australia in September 16, 1975. It is said that then Australian prime minister Gough Whitlam shed a tear as the Australian flag was lowered and PNG's new vibrant flag of red, yellow and black and a bird of paradise soaring to great things was hoisted at Port Moresby's Government House. This week Government House became the setting for an epic struggle for the country's future.

Somare, the father of the nation, has long been PNG's most revered and dominant political figure. He has led the country four times as prime minister. In the nine years leading up to this year, he presided over a near decade of economic growth and relative political stability. It was the Somare Old Man brand that managed to keep the government together. The respect and admiration from other ministers meant he was able to unify the factions.

But the weary ''Old Man'' as he is affectionately known has increasingly been seen as a spent force. Earlier this year he was in a coma and had three heart operations. There was a constant stream of fake emails and text messages suggesting he had died. But even before the surgery, his speeches were incoherent and he often dozed off at state functions or in parliament.

And by then he had already eroded much of his public goodwill, partly through failing to keep a lid on corruption, and partly through his refusal to move aside gracefully to make way for a younger generation.

Jenny Howard-Jones, the Lowy Institute's Melanesia Program director, says Somare's lack of any secession plan helped fuel today's unprecedented political crisis. ''The secession struggle within his own party and the numerous corruption allegations of those around him has made it difficult to convince the PNG people he is fit to rule,'' she says. ''It is perceived he has dug in for himself, not the good of the country. His best option was to step aside gracefully for the nation and hand it over for the younger generation.''

It was in July last year that things started to come unstuck for Somare in the same Supreme Court in which his quest for power culminated this week. The court overturned constitutional laws that prevented PNG's numerous coalition parties from splitting and making new governments. (It had been common in the past for MPs to regularly switch allegiance.)

Following the 2010 ruling, there were three failed attempts by the opposition to topple the Somare-led government via votes of no confidence. But Speaker Jeffrey Nape was instrumental in all the no-confidence motions failing. He allowed long parliamentary adjournments, denied the opposition the ability to move the motion or most brazenly did not call for a division to count how many voted in favour of the motion.

This sparked fiery scenes in that July parliament session, peaking with Somare crossing the floor and needing to be restrained by his son Arthur, the then public enterprises minister, while shouting in pidgin he was going to kill opposition MP Sam Basil.

But the die had been cast. Internal rumblings within Somare's National Alliance party, split along ethnic lines with Highland region MPs wanting one of their own in the top job, grew. Somare and his East Sepik supporters were being mocked as the ''Sepik Mafia'', taunts reinforced by the fact top-level posts in the police, defence force and public service were being filled by men from that province.

In April this year, when Somare was suspended from office for two weeks over failing to lodge financial statements, the power vacuum grew. Then he became sick and spent close to four months in hospital. On August 2, Peter O'Neill launched his successful leadership move.

In contrast to Somare, O'Neill, 46, and his supporters have managed to present themselves as a viable alternative, a new way, despite being pretty much the same faces as under Somare.

Since being elevated to the top job, O'Neill, of mixed Australian and Highlander stock, has begun a process of reform designed to make the government more accountable and inclusive, and to begin to tackle the endemic corruption that effectively entrenches disadvantage in a country where 85 per cent of the population are subsistence farmers and most live on less than $2 a day. This includes the recent introduction of a bill reserving 22 seats for women in parliament, and scrutiny of irregular deals involving state-owned entities such as Air Niu Guinea, many of which effectively operate more as fiefdoms than business operations.

O'Neill argues he has a clear mandate for change - a 72-seat majority in the 109-seat parliament - and claims to represent PNG's disaffected grassroots groups angry at the failure of the country's ample resources wealth to filter through to them.

Certainly he appears to have widespread support. In local newspapers, on radio talkback and via the numerous internet forums, Facebook, Twitter and blog pages, PNG's people are demanding reforms.

And by the end of the week, it seemed that O'Neill might have the chance to deliver them. While the situation in PNG remains uncertain, by late yesterday - and with O'Neill seemingly in control of the public service, the parliament, the police and the defence force - Somare appeared to have lost his grip.

With national elections looming next year, it is a critical win for O'Neill.

Australian National University Professor Tony Regan, a constitutional lawyer who has spent 17 years in PNG, points out that whoever has control of government will have access to wealth, power and resources critical to entrenching themselves in the lead-up to the elections.

The stakes become even higher when you take into account the $16 billion ExxonMobil-led LNG project that some claim will help to rejuvenate the country. Already PNG is awash with LNG-related cash that has fuelled a building boom of hotels, apartments and houses. Container ships laden with new cars from Japan flow in frequently.

But despite such prosperity on the ground, there has so far been little translation of this wealth through to the country's poor. PNG's urban elite profits while systemic corruption, incompetence and PNG's kleptocracy paralyses any chance of improving conditions for those known as the ''grassroots''.

Observers and citizens are increasingly cynical about the promises of a resources-led panacea for the country's ills. They have been here before. In the '80s, BHP's Ok Tedi copper mine ended in environmental disaster. In the '90s, Bougainville Copper Australia's massive goldmine ended in a secessionist civil war. Now it's the Texans and their talk of making PNG rich beyond its wildest dreams.

Some experts fear next year's elections are going to be the bloodiest ever considering such hype.

Paul Barker, director the Institute of National Affairs think tank, says LNG has raised usual disagreements to much more worrying levels of violence. ''Although Treasury has consistently highlighted that revenue expectations from LNG are widely exaggerated, there is a perception that it will provide untold wealth,'' he says.

''This has helped fuel strong aspirations to have access or some control over expected benefits, including through local and national political office.''

The ANU's Ron May says there is a potential for rioting as PNG people get fed up with the political game playing.

But it would be a mistake to interpret the week's ructions as a forerunner to some sort of local version of this year's Arab Spring or London riots. Despite widespread dissatisfaction with the country's endemic law and order problems, a broken health and education system and dilapidated infrastructure, PNG's latest flashpoint seems unlikely to trigger a mass movement for change.

Instead - and despite the growing anger among the country's young - the entrenched networks of obligations and loyalties have so far worked to keep the nation in a habitual holding pattern.

Whether O'Neill manages to bring meaningful change remains to be seen.

Read more: www.smh.com.au/world/...-png-20111216-1oyvz.html#ixzz1gi8udg3P

Erster unbestätigter Bericht über Somare's Niederlage auf www.bougainville-copper.eu !

The ultimate authority on whom the PM is in countries where you do not have direct presidential elections, whether it is in Australia, England or PNG is the Parliament, which consists of members elected by the people.  Ultimately the GG can only act on the advice of the elected PM. In this recent case the court over stepped its authority. When it found that Somare had been illegally removed, its next step should have been to refer the case of who should be PM back to the Parliament/the people.

Tony Regan, an acknowledged international authority on constitutional law is quoted this AM as saying:

''The Governor-General should not have been called upon to resolve this situation, for under the PNG constitution that office has no reserve powers. Rather, it must always act on advice and in accordance with the advice of some other authority. That authority when appointing a prime minister is the Parliament.''

www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-17/...ew-with-peter-oneill/3736204

Die Argumente sind schlüssig und ich bin der Meinung die Sache ist gelaufen.

But a man this big wants to go at the time of his own choosing. He certainly wasn't going to suffer being shafted by Parliament while he was on his sickbed. That's exactly what happened six months ago. The wily old veteran was under a cloud when the year began, having stood aside as prime minister in December 2010 to answer charges of misconduct in office, relating to failure to lodge financial returns in the 1990s. He abruptly resumed office in January, saying he had merely been on holiday. A month later, he was suspended for two weeks by the Leadership Tribunal. In April, Somare flew to Singapore for heart surgery, leaving his deputy, Sam Abal, in charge.

His time appeared to be up when his family announced his resignation due to ill health in June but the situation remained murky with conflicting reports over whether the old man was really gone.

By August, the country had ground to a standstill after months of political infighting. Peter O'Neill, a former treasurer and works minister, grabbed his chance. He marshalled the numbers in Parliament, which voted 70 to 24 to dump Somare.

O'Neill was installed as the head of a new government that promised to do something about PNG's entrenched corruption.

In September, he spelt out what everybody knew in a bleak "state of the nation'', lamenting that "roads and bridges, airports and wharves are in a shambles; our health and education facilities are in a deplorable state''.

But Somare was not finished. He had plenty of friends in the PNG establishment, including Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio and Supreme Court Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia.

On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled Somare had been illegally removed and that he and his minority government should be returned to power.

Since then, things have spun out of control. Somare has been sworn in as prime minister by Ogio, while O'Neill was sworn in by Parliament Speaker Jeffrey Nape, who was "acting'' as governor-general. O'Neill has the support of the majority of MPs while Somare has the court ruling to fall back on. There were several tense confrontations this week.
On Monday night, O'Neill supporters confronted police loyal to Sir Michael outside Government House in Port Moresby and there were reports of automatic gunfire. MPs from the O'Neill camp attempted to storm the gates of Government House on Tuesday in chaotic scenes that culminated in a brief meeting between O'Neill and Ogio.

By Thursday, O'Neill was looking to break the deadlock. He ordered his police commissioner, Tom Kulunga, to take control of the departments of Prime Minister and Finance and Government House. "Anyone who has broken the law will face the full brunt of the law,'' he warned. Kulunga ignored the order and met Fred Yakasa, the commissioner loyal to Somare. They decided to keep the peace.

Despite the scenes of high farce, the situation facing PNG's ordinary citizens is nothing short of tragic.

The country has been described as a failed state and statistics for security, welfare, health and education are shocking.
This is scandalous in a resource-rich nation where economic growth this year is tipped to be around 9 per cent.

As well as the ExxonMobil LNG project, China's Metallurgical Construction Corp is developing the $US1.8 billion Ramu Nickel project.

It is surprising then that the UN rates PNG 153rd out of 187 countries reviewed for its Human Development Index, which is a comparative measure of life expectancy, literacy, education and standards of living.

That's four spots below Burma, seven below Bangladesh and 11 below Solomon Islands, which was a basket case a decade back. Literacy is a poor 57 per cent of the total population. PNG's health system is a mess. The worst statistic is a maternal mortality rate of 733 per 100,000 births, a figure that has doubled in the past decade. In Australia, the figure is eight per 100,000. Drugs and medical equipment leak out of the public system to a thriving black market. Even in Port Moresby, there are shortages of vital drugs while out in the provinces, some people have no access to health care at all.

Corruption is endemic. The 2011 Corruption Perception Index released by watchdog Transparency International gives PNG 2.2 out of 10 (New Zealand is top with 9.5, Australia comes in equal eighth on 8.8) PNG is equal 154th on a ranking of 183 countries.

It is widely agreed that PNG's ruling class has used Australian aid money and resources dividends to feather their own nests.

The security situation is a nightmare with Port Moresby often rating in lists of the "Top 10 most dangerous cities in the world''. Both Port Moresby and Lae are crammed with squatter camps where migrants from the provinces congregate.

Unemployment is extreme and "raskol'' gangs hold sway. The DFAT travel advisory for PNG warns that car-jacking is an ever-present threat, particularly in the big cities. It advises "car doors should be locked with windows up at all times and caution should be taken when travelling after dark. In the evening or at night, we recommend you travel in a convoy''.

Australia has taken a back seat in the crisis with Defence Minister Stephen Smith saying Port Moresby has to get its own house in order.

Privately, Australian diplomats despair over the PNG situation. Former diplomats and media people said this week that PNG has statesmen and reformers, notably former PM Sir Mekere Morauta and ex-treasurer Bart Philemon, both members of the O'Neill cabinet.

They hope people like this have a role to play once the current crisis blows over.

- David Costello is The Courier-Mail's foreign editor.

Wer am Original Urteil interessiert ist (262 Seiten) kann mir eine BM mit addi schicken.

theconversation.edu.au/...ical-crisis-in-papua-new-guinea-4796

... und jetzt haben sich alle wieder lieb...nur Somare grummelt noch!

Reportage mit beeindruckenden Fotos auf: www.bougainville-copper.eu !

...........wenn kein "Unexpected" mehr dazwischen kommt ;-))))))))))))))))))))

Ausser einem positiven natürlich ;-))))))

...Fernsehsender "Al Jazeera" beschäftigt sich mit der Krise in PNG!

Video auf www.bougainville-copper.eu

 

 

By Online Editor
09:43 am GMT+12, 19/12/2011, Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea’s Sir Michael Ogio, suspended by the parliament elected  Prime Minister Peter O'Neil, has signed instruments for a military call  out.

The call out is for three months, reported NBC News.

But Belden Namah, the deputy Prime Minister in the O'Neill camp said the call out will not be honoured.

The  instructions for the call out reportedly came from the court restored  Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare's National Executive Council, which  met Saturday evening called on the country’s Security Council to convene  a meeting to consider this request.

The National Security Council however reportedly declined the request.

According  to inside sources the rejection forced the Somare camp to go ahead and  instruct Sir Michael Ogio to sign the instruments today to implement the  call out.

Earlier, NBC News reported that Buckingham Palace has  reportedly refused to recognise Jeffery Nape, as the acting Governor  General or acting Head of State.

That's from sources within Government House, who've opted to remain anonymous from fear of reprisal.

Papua  New Guinea, as a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, still has the  Queen as its head, represented by the Governor General.

Government  House sources say Buckingham Palace will not entertain any instruments  signed by Nape, nor the O'Neill government since it still recognises Sir  Michael Ogio as the Governor General, and Sir Michael Somare as the  Prime Minister of PNG.

They said Buckingham Palace was informed  of the situation in PNG, and will not entertain instruments to suspend  or dismiss Sir Michael Ogio.

The sources also said the British  High Commission in Port Moresby is not happy with the way the  Constitution was trampled on, especially by members of parliament who  had sworn to uphold and protect it.

Meanwhile, leading church  groups have urged the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare and Peter O'Neill  to resolve the political crisis, which is now into eighth day.

The  churches claiming to represent Papua New Guinea’s 6.5 million  population have initiated a roundtable conference for the two leaders.

One  of the churches' representatives, Reverend Joseph Walters said they  have made contact with leaders in the Somare camp, including Southern  Highlands Governor,