Comments on: When the Police become Judge and Executioner

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 01:05:50 +0000

Hi Jaive,

Thanks for your comment. The concept of justice in a Melanesian society such as PNG is so different to where I come from. The longer I’m in PNG the more I learn to respect the ways of others. Although many aspects of custom are now familiar too me there will always remain those aspects which I will never fully understand. At the end of the day – I must respect the ways of my host – even if they seem so foreign.

Regards,

Robert

By: jaive

jaive — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 00:10:34 +0000

Hi Robert, I think the police did the community a favor by burning down the Tete settlement.
A few years back when that settlement was going strong, the communities of Gerehu experience daily incidents of horrible home invasions, car jackings, robbery and shootings that left many innocent Papua New Guineans dead.
Living in PNG for so long, you understand that our communties are very small and if you rob someone, kill someone, the chances of being identified and pointed out is very high Sadly the effeciency of our police and judiciary are not equal to the task of exacting the kind of punishing justice that deters repeated attacks from a community that supports such crimes, such as the Tete settlement.
As a result, though the police did many arrests, the violent nature of criminals who seemed to come from this one settlememt continues.
In early 2000′s, a southern highlands man, a resident fo gerehu was shot and killed infront of his family at 4pm in the afternoon as he drove in to his home.
In retalation, his relatives attacked Tete settlement, killing many of the settlemenst residents in an a bloody incident well covered by the media. Now, many may condemn the killings and describe it as a massacre, the people of gerehu witnessed a massive drop in the levels of violent crime after that ‘massacre.’ I spoken to a few Gerehuans and alot of them say that the attack on Tete was needed. It was PNG justice. Maybe the police dont have the right to burn down a settlement, but a community does not have the right to encourage and support criminals to attack other Papua New Guineans…and then expect to get away with it.
The idea of justice is complicated in PNG. The idea of making individuals accountabel for their crimes can achieve some success, but in a society like PNG where we cling to our community identity or form new communities should we lose our old ones, justice against a community could also help deter crime and retaliation.

By: Robert

Robert — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 20:50:53 +0000

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.

By: anita

anita — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:53:44 +0000

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.

By: Bernard Maladina

Bernard Maladina — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:50:14 +0000

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.

By: Emmanuel Narokobi

Emmanuel Narokobi — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:53:03 +0000

Rob the Tete settlers are in the process of working on legal action right now.

By: Ray

Ray — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 04:16:36 +0000

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!!!

By: Robert

Robert — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:36:28 +0000

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!!

By: Emmanuel Narokobi

Emmanuel Narokobi — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 23:20:52 +0000

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?