Temu set to challenge Somare leadership
Totally off the wall: A sign of the times

Somare escapes for now, but threatens Basil

THE ABC is reporting that this morning’s session of the PNG parliament ended with an extraordinary outburst by Sir Michael Somare, who threatened to kill an opponent.

After Sir Paulias Matane was sworn in as governor-general, there was a move to suspend parliament until 16 November, said the ABC’s Liam Fox.

“When the speaker called for 'ayes' and 'no's', the no's were noticeably louder,” Fox said.

“But the speaker said "the ayes have it" and adjourned parliament without calling for a division to count the numbers.

“As members were leaving the house, Sir Michael walked towards the opposition benches, pointed at MP Sam Basil and yelled in Pidgin: ‘I'm going to kill you outside’.”

It seems that, with Parliamentary sittings suspended for nearly four months by a compliant Speaker, Sir Michael has escaped a vote of no confidence, at least for now.

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Colin Huggins

Hugh - It is now blatantly obvious why Somare went to Copenhagen, he was not interested in what was going on in that place, beautiful though it is to visit - great shopping. Why did he take such an entourage with him - were son Arthur and daughter Betha there?

It was reported that he had a private meeting with the despot supremo, Mugabe, also there no doubt for shopping and mischief.

Appears to me that Despot #1 was able to give Despot (would be) some valuable advice on how to rape a country.

Somare was a brilliant student - he has now passed the test with flying colours. I think the people of PNG should clip his wings and those of his son, his daughter and all the Somare clan, and bring them to justice.

Justice hopefully will prevail in these troubled times, the sooner the better. The matter now rests with the PNG people - outsiders like me can just but hope and pray.

Hugh Greer

Michael Somare and the speaker of Parliament, Jeffrey Nape, have together plotted and schemed to make sure that Somare holds on as prime minister.

Together they have killed PNG's fragile democracy and made Parliament totally irrelevant.

The dictatorship in Fiji is at least honest about its intentions and role. Somare's dictatorship continues to hide behind the thinly veiled legality of parliamentary manipulation.

Somare now joins Mugabe as a self serving dictator whose sole interest is his own hold on power.

Morobe Mangi

This is PNG, so the threats by both PM and his son, Arthur, towards Sam Basil, the member for Bulolo might further endanger Sepik settlers. Some have already been killed by Morobeans.

This also places the PM and his son in a position where they are also under threat from Morobeans and other PNGeans.

We Morobeans do not take such sh-- from this silly father and son anymore and will work towards throwing them out of politics.

Papua Tauna

This is what is reported in the media: 'Prime Minister threatens to 'kill' Basil'.

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare reacted angrily to comments by Bulolo MP Sam Basil by threatening to “kill” him, The National reports.

Opposition MPs became angry and agitated when the speaker ignored their call for a vote on a motion to adjourn Parliament.

After Speaker Jeffery Nape left the chamber of parliament, and as the mace was taken out, Basil fired off some insulting words at government MPs, saying in tok pisin “yupla olgeta kaikai pekpek blong Arthur” [you're all eating Athur's faeces"].

This angered the prime minister, who pointed at Basil and said: “Mi warnim yu nau. Yu go arasait mi bai kilim yu.” [I'm warning you. If you go outside I'll kill you]

Members of Parliament and the media who heard this were stunned that the prime minister would use such language.

Angry Morobe MPs including Governor Luther Wenge and Markham MP Koni Iguan slammed the comments, saying Morobeans did not deserve this from the prime minister.

“My life has been threatened. We do not expect that from a prime minister,” Basil said.

Wenge said the prime minister had stooped so low with those comments. “We, Morobeans, have supported Somare for a long time. This time around we will not,”

The prime minister told journalists later that people should not take it literally that he would kill Basil. He said what he meant was he would campaign in his Bulolo electorate to make sure he (Basil) was not returned to Parliament in 2012.

He admitted that he was hurt by Basil’s comments at his son, Arthur. “Mi man mi gat feelings too,” he said. “What I meant was I’ll go to the polls and fix him up. I don’t kill. I’ve never organised gangs. I always fix them at the football field [political arena].”

But some MPs said the words used by the prime minister were inappropriate and inflammatory, given the recent situation in Bulolo involving two ethnic groups.

This is a very bad example of why PNG needs to throw Somare out as Prime Minister.

Bronson

Given the number of Sepik people cowering in the police banis in Bulolo under the protection of Sam Basil, as landowners finally take back there own land, I would have thought Somare might have spared a thought for them and their fate before attacking him.

Trevor Freestone.

As an Australian who worked in PNG for many years I am so distressed at Somare's performance.

After so many years PNG should be the most successful country in the Pacific. It has wonderful intelligent people, it has wonderful potential as a tourist destination, it has huge natural resources which should mean nobody need live in absolute poverty.

So with so many villagers living in terrible conditions, I have to wonder where did that caring and proud father of the nation go.

It seems that he has been consumed by the corruption bug. It's time those corrupt politicians were made accountable.

So step down, Michael, you have failed. So give someone else a chance to realise PNG's potential.

Effrey Dademo

Outbursts! Sign of weak leaders, period!

Jaymz

Malam Nalu, quoting Liam Fox ABC, says: "Somare tells MP Sam Basil : 'I'm going to kill you' "

Which one, matters to them but not to us -- horrifying for the democratic process, whoever was threatened.

What can we who love her, do for PNG in times like these?
___________________

The ABC has clarified that it was Sam Basil who was the target of the threat, as Jaymz reported. Betha Somare (press secretary and daughter of the prime minister), says her father "was provoked".

And Betha says The Chief did not say the words attributed to him. He said, in fact: "You're dead meat."

As for Jaymz last question: depending upon your preference, you can pray or you can hope - KJ

Jaymz

Who was threatened? Was it Sam Basil or Bart Philemon? PNG, I cry for you!
_________________________

The ABC reports that it was former Treasurer, and my ex UPNG classmate, Bart Philemon, but does not say what prompted Sir Michael's outburst - KJ

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