In the March 2005 issue of the PNGAA journal Una Voce there appeared a review of a book by ex kiap Philip Fitzpatrick entitled Bamahuta – Leaving Papua. The review was written by John Kleinig. One reader has observed that it was a “very sympathetic and enthusiastic review”. Bamahuta was also very well received by The Australian Book Review.

But, by the time details of the book had made the journey from Una Voce to the PNGAA website, something mysterious had happened. The positive review had disappeared, and has not reappeared to this day. It seemed someone on the PNGAA committee had objected to the review being written in such laudatory tones. And this person had decided an act of censorship was appropriate.

So it is that the reference to Bamahuta on the PNGAA website today is a truncated and emaciated: ISBN 1 74076 1367, Fiction. Soft cover 313pp. Cost: $29.95 (incl postage in Australia). Published by Pandanus Books c/- Australian National University, Research School of Pacific & Asian Studies, Canberra. ACT 0200. Orders also through their website www.pandanusbooks.com.au or Ph: 02-6125 3269. Published 2005.

I haven’t yet read Bamahuta, so I’m looking forward to its reprinting later this year. But I thought I’d offer you this reaction to the book, which was contributed to the Ex-Kiap’s website in 2005 by Paul Oates. This extract from Paul’s appraisal perhaps offers a clue as to why that mysterious PNGAA censor acted as she did.

I enjoyed Bamahuta and yes, it does bring back into focus what it was like. I thought the book was more interesting in the first part where the author captures the essence of what patrolling was all about.

The second part on the build up to Independence seemed to rush it a bit and concentrated on how the new PNG elite were taking over and being resisted by the 'old guard' of the B4's.

It may also have been that the book’s treatment of the farcical characters in the Security and Intelligence Branch met with disapproval. It seems if you don’t like history, or if it doesn’t fit, you can always try the airbrush.

Thankfully for the rest of us, Philip Fitzpatrick’s book, so praised by his kiap peers and literary reviewers, will soon be republished. Let’s hope that the many fine words that will written about Bamahuta will this time make it to the PNGAA website. Watch this space.