Land issues still going on since colonial days
20/8/08: http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080820/wehome.htm
Taking land from customary landowners through trickery, bribery and divide and rule tactics for administration and business purposes without proper compensation by both German New Guinea and British Papua is a legacy that continues today. Former parliamentarian Ben Micah told the Waigani Seminar last week the old people who had witnessed the arrival of white men and who witnessed such actions rencounted the stories to the leaders of the movements who had been exposed to and educated by the colonial system. Mr Micah said those early experiences were no different to the cries of customary landowners for equitable benefits from the exploitation of natural resources. “They are no different to Rex Dagi’s historical challenge of BHP in the high court of Australia with regards to environmental damage caused by Ok Tedi mine,” he said. Mr Micah said this was no different to the demands made by Francis Ona and the Panguna landowners in 1988 which were badly handled by our politicians and developed into an unnecessary conflict which brought the country to its knees. He said this showed the Independent State of PNG no longer represented and did not exist to serve the true interests of the Melanesian people.
People face food shortage at home
20/8/08
People of Lule in South Bougainville who have been forced to return home are facing a food shortage back in their villages. he Member for Lule Joseph Kinani said yesterday that he presented his people’s concerns to the acting president John Tabinaman regarding the ongoing problem in the Konnou constituency in the Wisai area. Mr Kinani has met with Mr Tabinaman and registered his people’s concerns and problems faced as a result in that part of the South Bougainville area. He said he had told Mr Tabinaman those that were affected were the people of Lule who were displaced due to the continuing problem in Konnou constituency. These people own blocks of land purchased from landowners in Wisai area, which were purchased before and during the crisis.
See: http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20080820/wehome.htm
Tags: Bougainville, Human Rights, Land Rights, PNG