Sandline mercenaries - 12 May 99 (Nat) Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit source - VIKKI@law.uts.edu.au Wed May 12 00:33:47 1999 The National - 12 May 99 Defence Force to keep Sandline arms: Waieng By JOHN APAMI PORT MORESBY: Sandline military hardware being kept in the country will be retained by the PNG Defence Force, Defence Minister Peter Waieng said yesterday. The hardware include two aircraft, lawn mowers, weapons and ammunition and other military equipment being kept at the Jacksons airforce base here, Moem Barracks near Wewak and other defence establishments. The equipment was brought into the country under the US$36 million (K90 million at today's rates) agreement with Sandline International in early 1997 to assist the Defence Force end the 10-year old rebellion on Bougainville. Mr Waieng told a media conference here yesterday that "what is in the country would be retained by the country while Sandline can take what is outside the country." A large cache of military hardware is being kept in Australia at an army base near Darwin in Northern Territory. The military hardware and the US$18 million second payment still outstanding to Sandline have been at the centre of an international court battle between the Government and the British based mercenary firm. Sandline has been claiming the ownership of the military hardware and the remaining amount of its contract, after the contract was breached following the 1997 Sandline crisis. The Government had maintained that the contract was not fulfilled therefore the military hardware and the remaining US$18 million should be retained in the country. However, an international arbitration tribunal ruled in favour of Sandline and told PNG to pay the outstanding amount. Last week, the Government agreed to settle the matter out of court. PNG negotiators successfully negotiated with Sandline to have the company claim back its military equipment and reduce the outstanding payment to about US$13 million (K32 million). The Defence Minister could not say if the agreement meant Sandline would take its military hardware out of PNG. However, Minister Waieng said he had instructed the air transport squadron to service the two Sandline aircraft - small versions of the current CASA aircraft's, at the air base and use them. He said he had also instructed soldiers at Moem to use two lawn mowers to cut grass around the barracks. In other matters, Minister Waieng said the National Executive Council had approved the allocation of the government aircraft unit to the Defence Force. He said many countries including Australia were using the Air Force to provide air transport and security to governments. The move will cut costs. It costs the Government up to K7 million annually to maintain the flying unit, he said. Mr Waieng said two defence aircraft will also be leased to Air Niugini to be used as cargo and passenger carriers. He said Air Niugini will hire the two aircraft for K7,000 an hour. Air Niugini officials could not be reached for comments last night. Mr Waieng said "this is one of the moves under the Defence Force White Paper to make the Defence Force self supporting." He also indicated that the National Disaster and Emergency Service (NDES) would be brought back into the Defence Force. He said the officers and men of the Defence Force can manage the disaster and emergency funds and were capable of deploying manpower when required at short notice. He said a submission had been made to the NEC for approval. ================================================================= 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-05.12.99-17:25:45-4636