Namah threatens to arrest Supreme Court judges
23 May 2012
BY LIAM FOX
AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION
PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S GOVERNMENT has threatened to arrest the judges who ordered the reinstatement of Sir Michael Somare as Prime Minister.
Deputy prime minister Belden Namah threatened to arrest the three judges involved "for sedition" unless they resign.
Prime minister Peter O'Neill said Somare has no mandate to retake the PM role.
He said the judges are biased and have no right under the PNG constitution to order Somare’s reinstatement.
O’Neill rejected the suggestion he stand aside to allow Somare a caretaker role before next month’s general election.
"Why should we do that when we are heading towards an election...which takes place in six weeks time, when he has absolutely no mandate on the floor of parliament," O'Neill told the ABC.
Mr O'Neill earlier said the court had overstepped the separation of powers, and said he will not respect its decision.
"It has become apparent the Supreme Court has made decisions to try and create a chaotic situation in the country," he said.
"If the Supreme Court and members of the bench cared about the stability of the country, this should have been handed down after the elections and the election of a new government."
Somare does not have the 'mandate' of what parliament Mr. O'Neill?
I thought the people's parliament has already been suspended as of date of the issuing of writs and that its powers has reverted back to us, the people, in the interim.
O'Neill is only making matters worse with his continued defiance of the SC decisions.
On the one hand he appeals to us and says that we respect the decisions of the courts, irrespective of the outcome.
However soon after the SC ruled against him, he then declared with a forked tongue that he will not honor the SC's decision. What a power hungry, baby-sensed hypocrite.
Posted by: Moais Gabuar | 24 May 2012 at 03:23 AM
It's quite incredible that the O'Nama government can continue to defy Supreme Court decisions and continue it's attacks on the integrity of the judiciary and especially the Court which is the highest court in the land!
One wonders what is the hard evidence or basis that the government has against the chief justice Sir Injia. Is there a democratic country in the commonwealth in which the prime minister and government defy it's own Supreme Court?
I do agree though that the timing of the decision is not quite right but then a decision on the issue after the elections would have been a pointless exercise..
Posted by: Frank Kaupa | 23 May 2012 at 10:49 PM