Bougainville News 11/5/97 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source: VIKKI@lexsun.law.uts.edu.au Tue Nov 4 21:52:55 1997 The National (PNG) Newspaper - 5 November, 1997 Ona softens stand on peace Sets terms to back Burnham truce By PHILIP KEPSON RABAUL: Bougainville rebel chief Francis Ona has reportedly shown a positive reaction to the peace process, Bougainville transitional government (BTG) sources said last night. Mr Ona has so far maintained a determined opposition to all peace talks and their outcomes, including the Burnham Declaration. The National was told by a BTG official last night that Mr Ona with other rebel leaders had appeared in person on Tuesday at Lagui village in South Bougainville, and met the reconnaisance truce monitoring team. Attempts by The National to confirm the rebel leader's appearance were unsuccessful because the monitoring team was briefing Islands Regional Police Commander John Toguata, and Security Force Forward Tactical Commander Lt Col Tarua Falaniki in Buka. Our sources said that after Mr Ona and his rebel delegation had met the monitoring team at Lagui on Monday, a government delegation that included Lt Col Falaniki, Mr Toguata, village chiefs and BTG representatives held a brief reconcilliation meeting at Sipai village, close to Lagui in South Bougainville. The team and the delegation then reportedly moved from Sipai later on Monday afternoon to Arawa for another reconcilliation meeting. Further information from Arawa indicates that Mr Ona reportedly gave an undertaking to support the implementation of the Burnham Truce under certain unconfirmed terms and conditions. The rebel leader was also said to have given an undertaking to attend the next peace talks. Mr Ona appears to have made his position known only at the end of the six-day visit by the truce monitoring team to the troubled island. The team is made up of three senior Australian defence personnel, six PNG defence and government officials, and three senior New Zealand defence staff. They are believed to have returned to Port Moresby from Buka yesterday. =============== Enuma to testify at court martial today By PHIL YOMBON PORT MORESBY: The commander of Sandline Operation Rausim Kwik, Major Walter Enuma, will give his evidence today at his court martial on charges of mutiny. Major Enuma is charged with mutiny along with four other officers for putting Defence Force commander Brigadier General Leo Nuia and Lieutenant Colonel Karl Malpo, the commander of the Special Operation Group (SOG), under house arrest on July 28 this year. The four other accused soldiers are Captain Bola Renagi - the acting commander of the Special Force Unit (SFU), Capt Belden Namah, Lieutenant Michael David and Second Lieutenant Linus Osoba. Second-Lieutenant Osoba yesterday told the court martial that putting Brigadier General Leo Nuia and Lieutenant Colonel Carl Malpo under house arrest on the July 28 was done to neutralise the operations of the Special Operation Group (SOG). Second Lt Osoba told the court martial that the activities of SOG were "morally unethical" against members of SFU, and the operation on July 28 was aimed to neutralise it. He said he was not aware of other activities of the SFU members but he only followed instructions from his commanding officer to put Lt Col Malpo under house arrest. He denied pointing gun at Lt Col Malpo's belly but admitted going to his house with six men. He told the court that neither he nor his men forcefully entered Lt Col Malpo's house. Second Lt Osaba said Lt Col Malpo opened the door for him and only then he announced that he (Malpo) was under house arrest. He told the court that his instruction was not to threaten Lt Col Malpo in anyway but to "neutralise" the operations of SOG by searching for ammunitions, communication equipment and firearms. Second Lt Osoba denied that he was aware of any plans earlier to put commander Nuia and Malpo under house arrest. He also denied that he was involved in any activities that were to challenge the command and control of the Defence Force or the appointment of Leo Nuia as the commander. =================== Howard confirms K104m aid offer By ALFRED KANINIBA PORT MORESBY: The Australian Government's A$100 million (K104 million) offer to Papua New Guinea would come from existing resources provided under the development assistance program. Deputy Prime Minister Chris Haiveta was told this by Australian Prime Minister John Howard during their talks on the sidelines of last month's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Edinburgh, Scotland. Mr Haiveta wanted to clarify the offer to the PNG government and to accretion the level of Australia's assistance for Bougainville as well as the current drought. Mr Haiveta said, however, that he was not able to obtain a commitment from the Australian Prime Minister that additional Australian assistance would be provided to the Government for its restoration and rehabilitation program on Bougainville. He said that Mr Howard emphasised that the draw-downs of the assistance would depend on PNGs ability to submit specific packages relating to Bougainville. Mr Howard also indicated to Mr Haiveta that the Australian Government was ready to assist in the formation of a regional peacekeeping force to monitor the peace process on Bougainville. With respect to the drought, Mr Howard reaffirmed his Government's readiness to assist both in terms of materials and supplies as well as logistical support for delivery of goods to the affected areas of PNG. While in Edinburgh, Mr Haiveta also held discussions with both the Oxford Fund for Famine (OXFAM) and the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD) to assist the National Government in its efforts to address the problems faced by those affected by the drought. Mr Haiveta said that he was able to get an assurance of aid from both these organisations. He said he was convinced that the two organisations, with their wealth of experience gained from mounting similar relief operations in other parts of the world, could play a vital role in the sourcing of medical supplies and their distribution to the affected areas. ===================== Officer accuses SOG of illegal searches PORT MORESBY: Members of the Special Operation Group (SOG) carried out some illegal and unauthorised activities including searching and confiscating private properties, one of the five soldiers charged with mutiny told a Defence court martial this week. Lieutenant Michael David said he was arrested on July 18 and the soldiers confiscated the Special Force Unit car that he was driving after a road block at the gate which he believed was illegal. He said the soldiers were from the 2RPIR Taurama Barracks who were supposed to be carrying out operations on Bougainville. He said since then his house was under surveillance, and his family's normal life was threatened. Lt David said a Captain Paul Iatau and others came to his house to search without any search warrants. He said soldiers who were all in civilian clothes illegally searched his house and confiscated his mobile phone, radio, SFU motor bike and few other goods. Lt David also told the court martial that acting commander Colonel Jack Tuat had authorised the Special Force Unit (SFU) to provide security for former commander Jerry Singirok at his residence. He said the operation ended soon after Brigadier General Leo Nuia took over command. He said the situation in the Defence Force improved after the Operation Rausim Kwik. =================== Bring killers of Miriung to justice I AM a British teacher living in London and I am a supporter of Amnesty International. As you may know, this is an international organisation which is not concerned with politics, but which works to uphold human rights throughout the world. I was very concerned to hear about Theodore Miriung, who was shot dead in October 1996. The coroner's inquiry established that a group of 8 or 10 men, some of whom were believed to be members of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, were involved in the killing, but no-one has been suspended or charged with this crime. In addition, witnesses have been intimidated, and even the judge was unable to travel to the area for fear of his safety. The government appears to have fallen well short of its obligations under international human rights standards to ensure full and impartial investigation of this crime. I am writing to respectfully urge you to protect witnesses, to ensure the safety of investigators and to see that those responsible are brought to justice. Susan Smith, London, UK ================================================================= 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 ================================================================= nytas-11.07.97-02:11:52-5487