‘Perenti’ skipper jailed for 6 months in Buka
More emphasis needed on public health

Do nothing, change nothing: that’s the truth

BY PAUL OATES

THE ONLY THING necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

No, that’s not me; it’s English philosopher Edmund Burke. He knew a thing or two about human beings.

At each signpost along the road, the PNG people have had an opportunity to divert the wagon of state away from eventual destruction.

The current political situation, where a cartel of self seeking and corrupt leaders have usurped the power of government for their own purposes, has not happened overnight.

It is the result of a gradual white anting over three decades. The food in the national garden has been mumuted in front of the people's eyes.

But because this has been a gradual underground process, no one has clearly understood what’s been happening.

Many younger PNG people in positions of responsibility never experienced what pre-independence PNG was like.

While no human society is free from corruption and criminality, the contrast between PNG in the early 1970's and today is indescribable.

Perhaps this is why many people are now blasé and complacent about the slow implosion of their society and nation.

So is the impending melt-down inevitable? And can something be done to reverse the downhill slide?

History is full of examples when people have had enough and decided to mobilise.

If enough people in PNG decided to organise, nothing is impossible.

One thing is for sure. Until enough people start thinking about their nation and their children's future, nothing will change.

Complaining about what everyone knows ain't gonna change anything

Comments

Feed You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.

A Bulolo Correspondent

One hundred percent agree. I'm writing this in the midst of the chaos in Bulolo of which I'm sure you'll all read soon enough.

In my opinion, one of the reasons for all the problems is the fact that PNG is many nations in one. Until people realize that there are no Sepiks, Simbus, Watuts, etc but that there are only Papua New Guineans there will be no unity.

There needs to be a change of attitude to lose the harmful ways of the past and not focus on selfish agendas.

Even if the government was perfect but the people didn't change, PNG wouldn't be any better off. Change comes from the individual Papua New Guinean.
___________________

Bulolo at standstill as tribes rampage [Post-Courier]

THE mining township of Bulolo came to a standstill yesterday as more than 1000 warring tribesmen from Watut, Patep and Mumeng raided settlements on the fringe of Bulolo town in retaliation for the death of a young man from Patep last Wednesday.

Schools, businesses, government services and traffic came to a halt yesterday when the villagers armed with bows and arrows, painted their bodies in preparation for battle and stormed the Marama and Mondox settlements, setting fire to more than 200 houses.

The mobile squad 13 unit was flown by helicopter to the area to quell the unrest which resulted in one man, believed to be from the Sepik, being shot dead at close range by the raiding villagers.

Women and children have fled the scene and are living in the bush while many public servants have sought refuge in the PNG Forest compound.

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Working...
Your comment could not be posted. Error type:
Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Working...

Post a comment

Comments are moderated, and will not appear until the author has approved them.

Your Information

(Name and email address are required. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.)