Peter O'Neill's property has been especially targeted

The legitimacy of the O’Neill government following the outcome of the 2017 national elections is questionable and the continuing violence in Mendi attests to this sad state of affairs.

It has been brought about by an arrogant electoral commissioner and a prime minister who runs to the courts to seek orders to protect his own skin at every turn but is blind to the cry of his people who are hurting.

For me Peter O’Neill has lost the moral leadership to be my leader until he can fix the mess in Mendi where, apart from the carnage, the entirety of Year 10 and 12 students have not sat for exams, all schools are closed and the entire system of government control is broken.

I have studied the situation in Mendi as a man with a military background and experience in the Bougainville civil war and Sandline crisis.

Belden Namah

I am anxious that the Mendi contagion will spread to other centres as the court of disputed returns begins making decisions in many seats after the most contentious election outcome we have witnessed since independence.

I refer in particular to the seats of Mt Hagen, Hela and Kandep where the decisions of the courts may be lead to unimaginable consequences.

As a leader who faces no election dispute concerning my win, I stand ready to assist the prime minister deal with the breakdown in the rule of law in his province and I am ready to go with him to Mendi and talk to his opponents to find a way out of the mess created by him and Mr Gamato.