Last week prominent PNG business man – Sir George Constantinou – was stoned to death by thugs near the Tete settlement in Port Moresby. The story of this brutal and senseless murder appeared in the Wednesday’s edition of The National (see below). A couple of days later another story was published about how the Police had gone in and razed Tete settlement to the ground (also see below).
A file picture of Sir George Constantinou with his young son
Sir George dead
*Senior businessman murdered at Gerehu*
ONE of PNG’s leading businessmen, Sir George Constantinou, was murdered by criminals in Port Moresby yesterday.
The 78-year-old tycoon was killed along Nigibata Road in Gerehu, next to the Tete settlement, as he was leaving his timber yard.
News of the killing spread like wildfire, evoking shock and condemnation from leading citizens, including Sir George’s long-time contemporary, Sir Brian Bell. (See Page 2)
Police said Sir George had driven out of his timber yard at Gerehu and was approaching the Tete settlement turn-off when a large group of men armed with home-made guns, knives and stones blocked the road.
He tried to avoid them in his Landcruiser station wagon, but the criminals stoned his vehicle and shot at his tyres.
Sir George lost control and ditched the vehicle on the side of the road, when the raskols set upon him.
Metropolitan police commander Supt Fred Yakasa said Sir George was hit in the head apparently with a stone or a hard object.
He was taken to the Gerehu clinic and later rushed by ambulance to the Pacific International Hospital (PIH), but was pronounced dead on arrival.(Click here to read the full story at The National)
One of the houses at Tete settlement going up in flames after police started the demolition operation
Bulldozed
*NCD police demolish notorious settlement*
By SAMSON KENDEMAN
TETE settlement on the outskirts of Gerehu suburb in Port Moresby was bulldozed and razed to the ground by NCD police yesterday.
Hundreds of setters have been left homeless, with many fleeing the area with their belongings yesterday afternoon when the police operation started.
The police operation followed a public outcry against the notorious settlement, which has a long history of criminal activity, following the brutal murder of businessman Sir George Constantinou on Tuesday afternoon.
After the killing, police had given the Tete community a 24-hour ultimatum to hand over all the criminals involved.
Police personnel from all stations in the nation’s capital went to the settlement around 2pm and began bulldozing it, setting alight buildings and chopping down trees on one side of the settlement.(Click here to read the full story at The National)
My thoughts on the above two stories
- I condemn the brutal killing of Sir George. No one deserves to die like an animal especially not a person that had contributed so much to Papua New Guinea over the years. My sincerest of condolences to the family and close friends of Sir George.
- I condemn the razing of Tete settlement. It is the responsibility of police to enforce the law and not to take on the role of judge and executioner – this is the job of the law and courts system.
- The Police have absolutely no right (in a civil society) to take it upon themselves to dish out justice like they did at Tete Settlement – a society that lives in fear of its police such as the PNG people do – is a society that is headed for severe social strife.
- The story about the destruction of Tete Settlement reminded me a of a story that appeared in the newspapers when I was living down in Lae. A senior cop was reported as advising folks that if they see anyone standing along side the road with a gun and they’re not in uniform – to just run them over!!
- A week doesn’t go by that I don’t see the local police carry in some poor sod into Goroka Hospital’s emergency department – that’s just had his legs broken or shot by the law.
- Settlements in PNG towns are a source of much trouble now and much more trouble to come. Not one PNG politician or leader is seriously tackling the settlement issue. PNG politicians only look a few months or a few years ahead – I have yet to see a true visionary emerge as an elected leader in this country.
- Why is that some Papua New Guineans systematically go about committing acts of destruction within their own communities? Why don’t they go over the hill and commit these atrocities (the thugs that killed Sir George) instead of bringing inevitable retribution to their own kin?
- My theory on social unrest in PNG towns… it’s a very convenient situation for the Government and ruling class – as long as Papua New Guineans are busy fighting, getting into trouble and causing mayhem within their own communities – the “chaps” have carte blanche to fill their pockets and satisfy their greedy natures.
- What about the innocent folks from Tete Settlement? Why did they have to pay the high price of losing their homes and possessions? Because they didn’t dob in the pricks? Poor decent folks… they live in fear of the thugs and also the police! Where does one turn to?
- And the coppers believe that they have solved the Tete Settlement problem by burning it to the ground. Fallacy! All those homeless folks will just move to another settlement down the road – where the social disorder will double due to a sudden influx of hundreds.
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Good points Rob I was thinking about that just yesterday. So I have two questions to ask:
1. Where do the Tete settlers move to now? Because that’s not solving the problem.
2. So what about the other settlements in Port Moresby? What is the criteria we are using now to clean out a settlement?
Good points Emmanuel,
I think many folks are thinking along the same lines – and not just the folks that had their property destroyed by the local constabulary.
Some additional points:
1) The settlement issue in PNG is a bomb waiting to happen.
2) I have been into many a settlement and find the living conditions absolutely atrocious.
3) All societies have a need to release aggression and violence from time to time. Us westerners seem to have perfected the art of taking this need across the oceans to another land (eg: middle east conflicts). Unfortunately for the locals this aggression and violence is in their faces.
4) For how long will the PNG people cop police brutality?
5) When is this country going get decent and selfless leadership?
6) A visionary for a leader in PNG could work wonders.
7) It pains me to see how humans treat other humans – especially when it’s close to home.
8) I reckon Tete folks ought to take out a class action against the coppers!!
9) At times I wander: Why do persist in wanting to live in this place when I could be going for an early morning swim at Wiley’s Baths followed by breakfast at one of the outdoor cafes.
10) There’s always ten points!!
R
Hi Robert, my sentiments exactly. My work throughout the Pacific is helping these poor sods in self respect and training them to be able to get employment…. I really feel for those homeless families.
I spent 3 months in the Solomon Islands a few months back and I have to really praise the RAMSI Personel on the fantastic job they have achieved there in the past 5 years, “got rid of the corupt politicians, Police and Public servants” and it works, even sent Julian Moti back to Oz! everyone is now “SAFE”! Only one answer for Law amd Order in PNG, another RAMSI Unit for PNG. They’ll sort ‘em all out.
“Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you Robert and Eli and all your Wantoks”
Have a good one Mate!!!
Rob the Tete settlers are in the process of working on legal action right now.
Hi Robert,
I agree with all the points you raise. PNG is sitting on a time bomb and what is shameful is that our political leaders just don’t seem to have an answer to solve our social and economic problems. The Government declared the 2008 Budget as the “Empowerment Budget” for the people but it was a total farce because less than 20% of the funds were allocated to law and order. Tete settlement and the murder of Sir George are a reflection of failed Government policy on law and order and the social ills of our society. Sending in the police to trample on the lives of innocent Papua New Guineans is no worse than when Hitler sent his Gestapo thugs to terrorise the Jews in Germany in the Second World War. Police are there to protect the constitutional and human rights of all Papua New Guinean citizens – not to brutalize its own people. I for one do not condone the murder of Sir George at the hands of these thugs and sympathise with his grieving family but the question has to be asked, what long-term policy has the Government initiated to solve our spiralling and out of control law and order problems? And I am sickened by the deafening silence of the local MP’s like Sir Mekere Morauta and Powes Parkop whose electorate cover Tete settlement / Gerehu etc where all the perceived “criminals” of PNG society reside. I am afraid if nothing is done at the political level to put a lid on all the violence and crime eating into the fabric of our society, then our country will face a far worse situation then what the world is now seeing in Zimbabwe and had previously seen in Kenya, Aceh and Rwanda…. We live in a dangerous and terrifying cycle of violence in our urban and rural areas and if this situation is not addressed immediately by the powers that be, then I am afraid our beautiful country will lead to anarchy.
I feel as the persons at Tete Settlement had no tenancy agreements or contracts with the property owner (s) to legally have possession of the land then they have no legal rights to be in possession of the land . there fore i feel the police did the right thing. i was born in PNG and am familiar with port moresby . in australia if you illegally take possession of a home or land its the police services job to effect the warrant of possession ( or eviction ) . i feel the ex persons of the Tete settlement have no legal right or jurisdiction to even file a court application let alone seek legal remedy against the PNG Police or anyone else for that matter. the bottom line is that the persons from the Tete settlement had no legal right to be be there and there fore i feel have no legal right to even pursue legal remedy. Furthermore the persons from Tete settlement were acting in a objectional manner and also disturbing the peace and i feel the police correctly removed them and their homes ( which were illegally built without council permits etc any way) . I feel the tete settlers have no right to seek legal action as they were living illegally at the tete settlment anyway . I dont understand why the land property owners did not evict these persons (or rascals ) much earlier.
Thanks for taking the time to note your comments.
I’m thrilled to see some quality debate surface on this complex, sensitive and in much need of attention topic.
R