Mutinous troops surrender weapons to Belden Namah
30 January 2012
ABC CORRESPONDENT LIAM FOX reports on Twitter that the remaining soldiers holed up at Taurama Barracks have surrendered their weapons after discussions with deputy prime minister and defence minister Belden Namah.
Mr Namah says that he will seek Cabinet's approval to grant an amnesty to the mutinous troops, but only this once.
He has told them that there is only one government in Papua New Guinea and that is the government of Peter O'Neill.
I am refering to Peter Aimos's comments on the recent landslide in Tari and the political impasse that he is trying to mix up...
Please Peter, you should apologise publicly for such a heartless comment. These deceased people are innocent victims of a natural disaster and for your information, they are not in any way related to Peter O'Neill because they are from Tari and the landslide took place around the Tari area, and Peter O'Neill is from Ialibu.
They are not tribal or clans men at all. How could you say such a heartless comment like that to lives that have been lost?
They have nothing to do with politics and neither are they that properly educated like you may be. They are simple landowners who live along the highway
Please mind your words and also be careful when you use God's divine word to execute judgement baselessesly as it is dangerous to do so. Do not judge others.
Posted by: Uling Gunemba | 31 January 2012 at 06:29 PM
Benedict - You misundertood me. Notice that I quoted the statement from The National by 'Silent Watcher'.
Perhaps I should have made my point clear, but as it were and like you I did try to figure out the comparison to the biblical analogy.
Posted by: Peter Aimos | 31 January 2012 at 06:07 PM
I am referring to Peter Aimos's comment on sidelining the current incident in Hides with the current political crisis.
Bro, that is not a good way to say. Our people in the remote places do not know what is happening with our government.
Most buried are people who do not know how to read and write. They were innocent and I can't understand how you sideline the incident with the current political crisis.
Please refrain from such nonsense comment. You do not seem to be talking from a Christian perspective but rather from a tribal feeling.
Posted by: Benedict Koi | 31 January 2012 at 05:45 PM
Interesting Biblical comparison, quoted from The National, Tuesday 31 January 2012.....
COMPARE the story of Moses in the book of Exodus with that of Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare, and the picture should be clear.
To force Sir Michael to abandon his defence of the Constitution is not a mistake (and has similarities with Bible analogy).
The Earth consumes those who opposed Moses and God’s law.
Sad to say but the same is happening to O’Neill and his supporters.
His hunger for power has made him steal from a sick man and reject the Constitution.
O’Neill should repent and admit his mischief; otherwise more calamity will strike in the course of the LNG project as we have just witnessed in the recent landslide affecting O’Neill’s supporters (God’s ways are higher than man’s ways and HE sees things from HIS perspective).
Silent Watcher
Port Moresby
Posted by: Peter Aimos | 31 January 2012 at 01:26 PM
ABC TV has given good coverage of the soldiers handing in their guns and of Belden Namah speaking to the assembled crowd.
The large audience standing behind Namah looked in complete agreement with what was happening. This was the Melanesian way of handling things. It was so peaceful compared to what we saw in Fiji previously.
Long may this peace reign!
We also saw Yaura Sasa being walked off to prison. He looked quite peaceful despite a huge gun over the arm of the accompanying officer. One hopes that he will also be treated with "respect" as he felt he was "doing the right thing".
"The right thing" has been lost in this whole constitutional upheaval.
I hope the next election will be held soon so the people of PNG can be given back the power to appoint the members of parliament which they want and that these elected members can then elect the Prime Minister.
I hope all that has happened in the last year will have strengthened the people's determination to elect members of parliament who will pledge to not get involved with any corrupt acts and who will pledge to see that the government money is used to get basic services back to the village level, where they belong!
Congratulations to Dame Carol for making a last stand for the women to also be elected to parliament.
Maybe Betha Somare would like to stand! She seems a determined lady!
Posted by: Mrs Barbara Short | 31 January 2012 at 07:57 AM
It seems as far as Namah/Oneil are concerned, they wouldn't trust the court system so they are sorting it out another way. In fact they are the courts now...
They have never bothered much with recent supreme court decisions so it's no surprise they are at it again.
The military court system is useless to solve this mutiny problem it appears (according to Namah).
Another dismantling of the institutions of state!
Posted by: Naiko Daosak | 31 January 2012 at 06:43 AM
I thought that was why we had the law and courts: for justice not compromise.
Unfortunately Melanesian tradition is all about compromise.
We have not matured to a stage where we can submit ourselves to the rule of law, unless it is convenient. Recent events have showed that.
Posted by: Michael Dom | 30 January 2012 at 09:28 PM
This is the problem with proffering a political solution to a military problem - comporomise!. Surely, the Commander should be allowed to exercise the military justice system that does exist (It appears the 'Courts' are now irrelevant).
Posted by: Peter Aimos | 30 January 2012 at 07:36 PM
Has this Melanesian solution worked before with the PNGDF? Don't think so......
While its easy for outsiders to offer advice, those that turn their back on history are doomed to repeat it.
Posted by: Paul Oates | 30 January 2012 at 05:26 PM
Nr Namah will seek Cabinet approval for them to be given a "second chance" - PNG custom.
Posted by: Mrs Barbara Short | 30 January 2012 at 03:29 PM
A Melanesian solution. Negotiate, agree an acceptable compromise, identify the fall guy, then have a mumu to show that we are still all "brothers and sisters".
Seen it all before.
Forgive me for being cynical, but maybe if it works, then OK.
For the time being.
Posted by: Peter Kranz | 30 January 2012 at 03:11 PM