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Wednesday, 7 March 2012
SIR Michael Somare is questioning whether Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill or Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah are behind the recent arrest of Chief Justice Salamo Injia and says police have been mobilised to arrest members of the East Sepik provincial government.
Taken back in 2008.
Somare hails from East Sepik and its provincial government started a special reference case to the Injia-led Supreme Court which resulted in the December 12 ruling that Somare was the rightful PM.
Despite the verdict, O’Neill has remained the effective PM due to overwhelming numbers in parliament.
This majority has even pushed through bizarre laws to maintain the O’Neill-Namah coalition’s grip on power – including a new age requirement for parliamentarians that Somare is too old to meet.
But with the Supreme Court wading through more legal matters relating to the ongoing constitutional crisis since it returned from the Christmas break, the arrest of Injia – presumably over allegations he mismanaged court finances – could be a significant circuit breaker.
Somare unsurprisingly called for O’Neill to reign in the activities of police.
“What is happening in the country is deplorable and unacceptable,” he said yesterday.
On the basis that what he was hearing was “true”, Somare said it was contemptuous for armed policemen to enter the precinct of the courts and kidnap the chief justice at gunpoint for “questioning”.
But Somare appears to have heard of more disturbing developments.
“I also received reports from Wewak [East Sepik provincial capital] that police personnel on a military vessel entered Wewak early this morning through Moem Barracks,” Somare said.
“I am also told that another band of policemen will be entering Wewak through Vanimo to arrest members of the East Sepik provincial government.”
Somare is becoming convinced that O’Neill might not be behind the unusual police activity he discussed, which might imply a belief that former PNG soldier Namah is calling the shots.
“Either Mr O’Neill is in charge and consenting to these actions or he has no control over what is going on,” Somare said.
“Whatever the case may be, this bullying and harassment has to stop for the greater interest of peace and harmony in our country.
“Mr O’Neill has to tell PNG where the police are getting their orders from and if it is from his deputy, can he tell PNG what actions he will be taking to stop this abuse.”
Somare had more criticism of the fledgling coalition which ended his government in Parliament last year.
“The regime’s initial action to suspend the chief justice last year was contemptuous and still is,” he said.
“By ignoring court orders and continuing their pursuit of the chief justice and the East Sepik provincial government members, this numerically strong gang of members of parliament with the aid of the police and defence force have taken siege of our constitution.
“People of Papua New Guinea must know that while the East Sepik provincial government’s Supreme Court reference is before the courts, the police cannot go into the province and arrest provincial MPs.
“Despite the fact that numerical strength does not condone legitimacy, their behaviour seems to suggest that they can defy court orders as they are supreme.
“I call on the public to recognise what these rogues are up to.
“Before we know it they will defer the elections because they have created disharmony and fear in our institutions.”
On the issue of the looming election, O’Neill wants it to run mid-year as scheduled while Namah wants to delay it by 12 months – even though Parliament can only alter the election date if there is a state of emergency.
Somare is of the view the O’Neill-Namah coalition might not do as well as expected in the next election.
“I caution the reckless and irresponsible members of parliament that the public are watching your actions and having money does not guarantee a win in the elections,” Somare said.
“Handing out large sums of money at public gatherings cannot and does not buy legitimacy.
“The issue of legitimacy is still before the courts.”
In mid-February, the O’Neill-Namah government’s “Task Force Sweep” corruption investigators and associated police were greeted by an angry mob at Wewak airport – with most forced to fly back to Port Moresby.
The National reported this morning that two mobile police squads were sent to Wewak to restore law and order as tension remained high since the roadside killing of Wewak police chief Charles Parinjo on February 25.
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
SIR Michael Somare is questioning whether Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill or Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah are behind the recent arrest of Chief Justice Salamo Injia and says police have been mobilised to arrest members of the East Sepik provincial government.
Taken back in 2008.
Somare hails from East Sepik and its provincial government started a special reference case to the Injia-led Supreme Court which resulted in the December 12 ruling that Somare was the rightful PM.
Despite the verdict, O’Neill has remained the effective PM due to overwhelming numbers in parliament.
This majority has even pushed through bizarre laws to maintain the O’Neill-Namah coalition’s grip on power – including a new age requirement for parliamentarians that Somare is too old to meet.
But with the Supreme Court wading through more legal matters relating to the ongoing constitutional crisis since it returned from the Christmas break, the arrest of Injia – presumably over allegations he mismanaged court finances – could be a significant circuit breaker.
Somare unsurprisingly called for O’Neill to reign in the activities of police.
“What is happening in the country is deplorable and unacceptable,” he said yesterday.
On the basis that what he was hearing was “true”, Somare said it was contemptuous for armed policemen to enter the precinct of the courts and kidnap the chief justice at gunpoint for “questioning”.
But Somare appears to have heard of more disturbing developments.
“I also received reports from Wewak [East Sepik provincial capital] that police personnel on a military vessel entered Wewak early this morning through Moem Barracks,” Somare said.
“I am also told that another band of policemen will be entering Wewak through Vanimo to arrest members of the East Sepik provincial government.”
Somare is becoming convinced that O’Neill might not be behind the unusual police activity he discussed, which might imply a belief that former PNG soldier Namah is calling the shots.
“Either Mr O’Neill is in charge and consenting to these actions or he has no control over what is going on,” Somare said.
“Whatever the case may be, this bullying and harassment has to stop for the greater interest of peace and harmony in our country.
“Mr O’Neill has to tell PNG where the police are getting their orders from and if it is from his deputy, can he tell PNG what actions he will be taking to stop this abuse.”
Somare had more criticism of the fledgling coalition which ended his government in Parliament last year.
“The regime’s initial action to suspend the chief justice last year was contemptuous and still is,” he said.
“By ignoring court orders and continuing their pursuit of the chief justice and the East Sepik provincial government members, this numerically strong gang of members of parliament with the aid of the police and defence force have taken siege of our constitution.
“People of Papua New Guinea must know that while the East Sepik provincial government’s Supreme Court reference is before the courts, the police cannot go into the province and arrest provincial MPs.
“Despite the fact that numerical strength does not condone legitimacy, their behaviour seems to suggest that they can defy court orders as they are supreme.
“I call on the public to recognise what these rogues are up to.
“Before we know it they will defer the elections because they have created disharmony and fear in our institutions.”
On the issue of the looming election, O’Neill wants it to run mid-year as scheduled while Namah wants to delay it by 12 months – even though Parliament can only alter the election date if there is a state of emergency.
Somare is of the view the O’Neill-Namah coalition might not do as well as expected in the next election.
“I caution the reckless and irresponsible members of parliament that the public are watching your actions and having money does not guarantee a win in the elections,” Somare said.
“Handing out large sums of money at public gatherings cannot and does not buy legitimacy.
“The issue of legitimacy is still before the courts.”
In mid-February, the O’Neill-Namah government’s “Task Force Sweep” corruption investigators and associated police were greeted by an angry mob at Wewak airport – with most forced to fly back to Port Moresby.
The National reported this morning that two mobile police squads were sent to Wewak to restore law and order as tension remained high since the roadside killing of Wewak police chief Charles Parinjo on February 25.
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