This is not asking too much; it is just speaking the truth to the prime minister and other public office bearers who have taken an oath to serve the people of this country and who are obligated to show utmost dedication to the rule of law.

An important question is this: Is standing up for the truth worth the sacrifices that the students are about to make?

Now that these future leaders of our country are faced with an uncertain future, I realise we have all failed in our own little way to stop this nation from reaching this point. I feel just as guilty and responsible for allowing the students to make a stand in my stead.

This is not about an individual or a group of students this is about our nation and its future. This is something that we should all be passionate about and not taking easy.

Imagine how the parents or guardians of these students at UPNG are feeling right now. If there were to be a national course that unifies this nation against a common obstacle this could be it.

The UPNG council and the national government should not take their decision lightly. Their action has repercussion on the nation’s future and they have to be prepared to live with it.

The council’s decision is unprecedented. First they called in the police and now they have thrown out the students. Is this a sign our democracy is dying?

Unfazed by the odds stacked up against them, the students have now vowed to take the fight to the length and breadth of this nation.

Surely there are politicians who are convinced that this battle is not going to come to an end anytime soon. As elected leaders they are required to state whether they support or oppose the UPNG council’s decision. No issue requires their urgent attention more than this. Their deafening silence does not make them look good.

The bold statement by the PNG National Doctors’ Association and its sister unions to take on the fight of the students could signal the opening of a new front in this battle. 

The medical fraternity has been one of the victims of the government’s reckless management of the economy that has seen budgets slashed significantly.  Now there is talk that the government is looking at adjusting salaries for top public servants.

The battle between the Fraud Squad and the government has clearly revealed there are police officers who are honest and dedicated to bringing justice. The recent defection of Richard Mendani MP, the member for Kerema, to the opposition was because of what he termed as “loss of confidence in the PM”. It demonstrated that there are MPs who are fed up with the way the government has managed the nation’s economy and affairs.

On social media and on the street, public disgust at the government’s conduct is evident. Against this backdrop, the student-led nationwide awareness campaign could unleash a domino effect that may eventually lead to the triumph of rule of law over dishonesty.

The students’ sacrifices deserve the nation’s admiration.  Their resolve to conduct a peaceful protest is to be commended. They have thrust their young shoulders under a heavy cross.

Now they have reached the zenith of their journey, the nation needs to step up and carry that cross and make the 2017 general election count. We need to write a new destiny for this nation and prove to our students that their sacrifice is not for naught.

Let’s hope that the Electoral Commission’s reluctance to conduct a referendum in both UPNG and Unitech is not a sign of things to come when we proceed to the general election and that PNG is given free and fair conditions in which to decide who will lead its future.