Bougainville News - Postcourier PNG 11/9/97 id BAA18729; Fri, 12 Sep 1997 01:43:31 -0400 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit Source: VIKKI@lexsun.law.uts.edu.au Wed Sep 10 23:05:45 1997 Joint deal on `sore point' PNG and Solomons agreeto work at B'ville peaceSOLOMON Islands and Papua New Guinea yesterday sealed a joint commitment to tackle a common ``sore point'', the Bougainville conflict. The conflict has drained at least K100 million a year from the PNG Budget and claimed the lives of hundreds of PNG security forces members and infrastructure on Bougainville. The spillover effects have also drained Solomon Islands' meagre infrastructure and funds with Bougainville refugees' use of hospitals and schools, especially in the border Western Province and Honiara. Solomon Islands Prime Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu, concerned about the drain on his country's financial resources and the strain on relations between the two countries, made PNG his first official visit after taking office on August 27. His trip was rewarded with the Skate Government commitment of K10 million, with K2 million to be immediately released after signing of yesterday's agreement for a Honiara road project and other projects. These and other commitments were sealed with the signing of a five-page joint communique on eight bilateral matters and a memorandum of understanding between PNG Prime Minister Bill Skate and Mr Ulufa'alu in Port Moresby yesterday. The communique highlighted that the Bougainville conflict was ``impinging on their financial resources and affecting the two countries' relations''. Both leaders agreed to immediately address the issue ``in a peaceful and constructive manner; consistent with the process established under the Burnham Declaration''. Their stance is to ``address the Bougainville issue in close co-operation and consultation with all parties concerned'' and to marginalise detrimental ``foreign elements' involvement'' in the peace process. Their communique comes amid information that Australian lawyer Rosemary Gillespie had managed to enter Bougainville and was advising rebel Bougainville leader Francis Ona. During Cairns I and II talks, it was noted that among the ``foreign elements'' present were the Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation (UNPO) and Commonwealth Jurists Union (CJU). There have been reports that the Bougainville Freedom Movement _ initially based in Australia but drawing following in several overseas countries _ was backing the rebel Bougainvilleans' bid for secession. Mr Skate welcomed the neighboring government's commitment and noted the need for a time-frame requested by his counterpart. This, it was agreed, would need to be established and agreed to by all parties at the Burnham talks to ``ensure meaningful implementation of the peace process''. Practically, things covered in the joint communique include: ** PNG welcome of SI's offer to provide 10 teachers to be deployed on local terms and conditions as part of the rehabilitation process on Bougainville;PNG to provide inspectorate service to SI schools; ** PNG supports SI's intention to participate as observers at the second round Burnham talks and other peace talks at both officials and prime ministerial level; ** RECOGNISED need to involve a third party to supervise the reconciliation process with the possibility of a Melanesian Peace Force; ** PNG and SI to share intelligence information on investors and swap experience in structural reforms and mining; ** PNG to honor the government commitment of K10 million for Honiara road project and other projects. SI to support PNG's nominee Noel Levi for the post of Secretary General of the South Pacific Forum; ** MR SKATE to visit Solomon Islands around December 22 to 26, travelling then to Bougainville. ** PNG asking SI to open a resident diplomatic mission in Port Moresby. ================== Govt is illegal and can be dumped, says Narokobi THE two-months-old Skate-Haiveta government is illegal because it was formed ``at the barrel of a gun'', Opposition Leader Bernard Narokobi alleged yesterday. Because of this, he said, the normal 18-months ``grace period'' did not apply and the Opposition was free to form a ``proper government''. Mr Narokobi was speaking on the Roger Hau'ofa Talkback Show on Kalang Radio. Also on the panel were senior Opposition MPs Masket Iangalio, Lady Carol Kidu, John Tekwie and Peter Peipul. He said the Opposition knew the ``gunmen'' but was unable to take the matter to court because it was very expensive. ``This government is illegal,'' he said. ``By right we should be in government but we are short of numbers. Now that these gunmen have gone, we are free to form a proper government. We don't have to wait for 18 months.'' He said the Opposition had many alternative policies which would be announced in the September 23 sitting of Parliament. Mr Iangalio said the Opposition had ``very strong views'' on Value Added Tax, privatisation of government assets such as Air Niugini, and air, land and sea transport. Lady Kidu added: ``We have policies on education, charity and women which I hope we will implement one day. We must reach out to the masses because, for example, urban poverty is a real problem because the people don't have gardens.'' Mr Tekwie said: ``Papua New Guinea hasn't moved since 1975. Are we going to to continue to build super freeways in Port Moresby and ignore the millins out there in the rural areas?'' =============== Hiring of QCs comes under attack THE Government never should have hired Queens Counsels from Australia to represent it at the first Sandline inquiry, Opposition Leader Bernard Narokobi said yesterday. He said he supported the Skate government's decision to pay legal costs for the key figures in the inquiry, but that ``does not right the first wrong decisions to bring in the mercenaries and hire a QC to represent (the government leaders) in the inquiry''. The ministers had been directed by Cabinet so it was right that the State continue to foot their legal bills in the second inquiry, and he welcomed the decision to meet sacked Brigadier-General Jerry Singirok's costs, but ``it does not right any wrong''. ``Our people are suffering because of drought and frost, and yet we have to pay excessive legal fees for a mistake made by the previous government,'' he said. ============ PM accused of `burying' deals OPPOSITION deputy leader Masket Iangalio has accused Prime Minister Bill Skate of singling out Sandline and burying other allegedly dubious or corrupt deals. Speaking on talkback radio, the shadow finance minister said Mr Skate was obliged to explain because he and many of his ministers had campaigned on the promise that they would root out corruption in leadership. He said the forgotten issues included the K19 million Cairns Conservatory property purchase, K2 billion Port Moresby water deal, Orogen float, purchase of West New Britain Palm Oil and other major contract deals in which tender procedures had been manipulated or ignored. He also questioned why Mr Skate had decided to include the People's Progress Party and Pangu Pati in his coalition government when they were the principal parties involved in many of these allegedly questionable deals. ``I fail to see why the Prime Minister has singled out Sandline and ignored other deals,'' he said. ``Our problem is that we have a disease in our hands that has to be attended to. The people have expressed explicitly that they wanted a new government but the government has failed miserably to fulfil its promises to the people.'' Opposition Leader Bernard Narokobi added: ``I want to challenge Bill Skate on poker machines. The social effects are devastating. He made a commitment to remove poker machines but we are still waiting to see that.'' ================= Money for Solomons under fire THE Opposition yesterday questioned why the Government was prepared to give K10 million to Solomon Islands when thousands of Papua New Guineans were suffering from drought and frost. ``We need this kind of money in Papua New Guinea,'' Imbonggu MP and mining and petroleum spokesman Peter Peipul said on talkback radio. In his own electorate, thousands of people needed urgent government relief assistance. Opposition deputy leader Masket Iangalio said seven people had already died in the Highlands, and added: ``I think the number of deaths will increase. ``Human lives are at stake and the Government must act now (by releasing and disbursing relief funds).'' ================ Solomons PM: Role of govts to help `the doers' PRIME Ministers Bill Skate and Bartholomew Ulufa'alu yesterday jointly called for the establishment of a Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce. The two leaders also agreed to share information on investors. Mr Skate and Mr Ulufa'alu sealed their call in a joint communique which they signed in Port Moresby before the Solomon Islands delegation flew back to Honiara after four days here. Both leaders agreed that greater effort was needed for both countries to embark on initiatives of mutual concern and interests such as transportation, forestry, fisheries, civil aviation, trade and tourism and mining, despite the fact that agreements on technical co-operation already existed. They also acknowledged that there was a need to exchange experiences on economic reform and mining. Noting that greater interaction was required between businessmen of both countries, they called for the establishment of a Papua New Guinea/Solomon Islands Chamber of Commerce. Mr Ulufa'alu said that besides better relations at political and official levels, they wanted private sector co-operation ``because we believe that these are the doers''. He added: ``Politicians set the environment conducive for their actions but it is the private citizens in their private capacity that will bring these things to fruition.'' Mr Ulufa'alu said Mr Skate also had ``the same spirit and outlook towards your private sector''. ``We expect more positive interaction between the private sector both in trade and investment,'' he said. ============= Editorial - Postcourier 11/9/97 Unity on B'ville at last AT last Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands are united over the Bougainville crisis. It is a great sigh of relief when the governments of the two Melanesian countries agree to work together to find a lasting solution to the nine-year-old crisis. It is a milestone decision which comes amid a new stand by Bougainville leaders on either side of the crisis to work towards peace for the blighted island. Let us pray that the past is now truly buried as part of history _ that a new chapter has been opened and both Melanesian states are moving steadfastly towards returning normal life to Bougainville. The road from now on is not going to be easy at all _ there are many very serious issues to resolve along the way. But at least the two countries can now deal with each other openly in trying to solve the crisis. It is also heartening to note that both governments want to ensure undesirable elements who are a threat to the peace process do not continue their campaign of deceit and divide-and-rule to prolong the violent crisis. Such people have no place in the peace process and all efforts should be made to completely isolate them. Solomon Islands should be firm and ensure no foreign elements use its territory as the gateway into Bougainville as has been the case in the past. Only then can they be isolated and given now chance at all to interfere with the road to peace and harmony. =============== Comment: Do the foreign elements include the Australian Government and Riotino Mining Company? For further information, please contact: Bougainville Freedom Movement PO Box 134, Erskineville. NSW. 2043 Australia Tel: (+61-2) 9558.2730 ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytpac-09.12.97-01:43:35-7597