Bougainville News 12/11/97 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit VIKKI@lexsun.law.uts.edu.au Tue Nov 11 20:20:04 1997 The National (PNG) Newspaper - 12 November, 1997 Singirok 'misused funds' Malegepa claims ex-army boss diverted K10m By PHIL YOMBON PORT MORESBY: Former Defence Secretary James Malegepa told a Defence Board of Inquiry yesterday that former commander Jerry Singirok had misused K10 million meant for the operation on Bougainville to buy military equipment from a London-based arms dealer. Mr Malegepa was the first witness at the inquiry chaired by Justice Timothy Hinchliffe to investigate the command and control procedures in the Defence Force following the Sandline crisis earlier this year. Justice Hinchliffe is assisted by senior magistrates George Manuhu and Richard Chereake. Mr Malegepa told the inquiry that the K10 million was used by Mr Singirok to buy an automatic grenade launcher, three heavy mortar launchers and other light weapons from J S Franklin Pty Ltd while many of the essential operations that were needed on Bougainville were abandoned. The inquiry heard that Mr Singirok had contacts with JS Franklin chief executive Sidney Franklin and had committed most of the money to buy equipment from him while Operation High Speed 2, a major operation on Bougainville, stopped due to lack of funding. He said Mr Singirok failed a government direction to use Operation High Speed to speed up resolution of the Bougainville conflict. Mr Malegepa told the inquiry that Mr Singirok failed to consult the Defence Council or the National Executive Council (NEC) before using the K10 million. Mr Singirok then resurrected an earlier NEC proposal to establish an elite force of 1983, and set up the Special Forces Unit (SFU) at the cost of a million kina. The inquiry was told that SFU was later used by the former commander for his own interests, but there was no proper military planning. The inquiry also heard that Mr Franklin lobbied for the Singapore Navy to buy two 28-year-old patrol boats at the cost of US$1.5 million (K2.3 million) each. The boats were to be used in the waters between Solomon Islands and Bougainville. The contract of sale was believed to be drafted by Mr Franklin and it did not go through the NEC, it was alleged. Mr Malegepa told the inquiry that Mr Singirok had bought many other things like uniforms for the soldiers from JS Franklin earlier. The inquiry has eight terms of reference which include investigating the involvement Papua New Guinea Defence Force personnel into the Sandline crisis this year and all aspects of the command and control structure of the force. It is expected to make its report by April 30 next year. Justice Hinchliffe called on the general public to assist the inquiry. ================== Nenta admits promising support to former chief By NIKINTS TIPTIP PORT MORESBY: Former Police Commissioner Robert Nenta told former army chief Jerry Singirok that he would support Mr Singirok in his move to call on certain ministers to resign and to abort the Sandline contract. Mr Nenta told the Sandline tribunal here yesterday that he was not aware of the Sandline contract until Mr Singirok paid him a surprise visit at his house at East Boroko on March 17 at 6am. He said he agreed to support Singirok without considering the seriousness of the matter that would follow. He told the inquiry that he then met his senior officers at the police headquarters at Konedobu including Deputy Commissioner Ludwig Kembu and told them that "we would not support but continue on our normal duties." He said on the same day he and Mr Kembu visited Flagstaff House (the commander's residence at Murray Barracks) to meet Mr Singirok. He said that a copy of Mr Singirok's address to the nation on the radio and a letter to the Prime Minister were delivered to him by lawyer Peter Donigi at that meeting. Mr Kembu had denied earlier in his evidence before the inquiry that he was informed by Mr Nenta of the withdrawal of his support to Singirok. Counsel assisting the Inquiry Ian Molloy asked whether Mr Nenta had told Mr Singirok about the seriousness of the matter and that he would withdraw his support from Mr Singirok. Mr Nenta said he was not in a position to tell Mr Singirok of his attempt to withdraw his support because he feared the presence of security personnel at Murray Barracks and that Mr Singirok was obviously in control. Mr Molloy asked if he made any later attempts to inform Mr Singirok of his withdrawal but Mr Nenta said he called once on his mobile phone and could not get through. No other forms of communications were tried. Mr Molloy said Mr Singirok told his troops later that day that the police were behind his move. Mr Nenta also refuted suggestions by Mr Singirok's counsel Moses Murray that Mr Donigi had not been in the vicinity of Murray Barracks on March 17. Mr Nenta said he met Mr Donigi on March 17 as he was leaving his meeting with Mr Singirok. "I really saw him there at Murray Barracks on the 17th and got documents from him," Mr Nenta said. Mr Murray said the documents were passed on through Mr Kembu and Sam Inguba and Mr Nenta was not there at the time to pick the documents. "You did not support Mr Singirok but Mr Kembu (in his earlier evidence) said that you proclaimed support during the meeting with Mr Singirok. Mr Kembu said he was shocked when he heard you indicating support," Mr Murray said. "I don't remember saying words of support in the first meeting and if I did I was not in a position to say no provided the serious circumstances surrounding me," Mr Nenta replied. Mr Murray asked if Mr Nenta had met with the then Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan during the period of March 26-27 at the Islander Hotel in room 601 and whether some form of incentives were delivered to him which would allow him to withdraw his support (if he was supporting) to Mr Singirok. Mr Nenta denied the claim saying he was not aware of any incentives being given to him by anyone. The inquiry continues today. ====================== Aussies must spell out their role in B'ville THE "Bougainville Interim Government" is closely monitoring Australia's new defence relationship with the Government of Papua New Guinea, as recently announced by the Minister for Defence, Ian McLachlan, in Adelaide. A lot of trust and confidence building needs to be nurtured between the people of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea and Australia. >From 1989 onwards under the former Labor Government, the thrust was to equip the PNG Defence Force with every available military arsenal including Iroquois helicopters to crush the Bougainville people. Under these circumstances thousands of civilians were killed, and the destruction of thousands of villages and properties and gross human rights violations took place against Bougainvilleans. We are hoping that a greater part of this new defence program will be to teach the Papua New Guinea military among other things the respect for law and fundamental human rights not only for the people of Bougainville but also for its own citizens. We also welcome the more positive stand that the current Liberal coalition government in Australia has undertaken towards a resolution to the Bougainville issue. This is especially evident in its stand not to be "prescriptive" and to have "no blueprint" from Australia as to the political future of Bougainville. The "possibly long-term commitment to support peace on Bougainville", as the Minister said would be much preferred to the re-equipping of the PNG military for further prosecution of the war on Bougainville by the Papua New Guinea Defence Force. For this reason it would be very important even at this early stage for the Australian Government to clarify and clearly spell out what its future role would be towards the resolution of the conflict on Bougainville. Moses Havini, Sydney, Australia ================================================================= 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-11.15.97-02:22:13-30328