Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 22:12:15 +0100 (MET)
From: malecki-AT-algonet.se (Robert Malecki)
Subject: M-G: Bougainville Update - 6/12/96


>X-Sender: sashab-AT-magna.com.au
>Date: Fri, 06 Dec 1996 11:24:16 +1100
>To: (Recipient list suppressed)
>From: Sasha Baer <sashab-AT-magna.com.au>
>Subject: Bougainville Update - 6/12/96
>
>Title -- M67 MEDIA: Media watch group concerned about law plan
>Date -- 26 November 1996
>Byline -- Neville Togarewa
>Origin -- Pacific Media Watch
>Source -- PNG Post-Courier, 19/11/96 (delayed)
>Copyright -- Post-Courier
>Status -- Unabridged
>--------------------
>
>MEDIA WATCH GROUP CONCERNED ABOUT LEGISLATION PLANS
>
>Pacific Media Watch has voice "serious concern" over the Constitutional
>Review Commission's draft legislation to register journalists and media
>organisations.
>
>PMW co-directors Peter Cronau and David Robie issued a statement on Sunday
>urging the commission to "seriously reconsider the implications of its
>legislative moves during its two weeks of consultations".
>
>PMW is an independent group of journalists and academics monitoring
>censorship and media freedom issues in the Pacific region.
>
>"PMW notes that the proposed legislation is out of step with the
>recommendations of the CRC media committee's findings in June that
>supported self-regulation, and it appears to be in violation of the
>democratic principles of news media and journalist independence," Mr Cronau
>and Mr Robie said.
>
>They cited Clause 9 of the International Federation of Journalists'
>Declaration of Principles of Conduct which states: "Journalists worthy of
>that name shall deem it their duty to observer faithfully (the code).
>Within the general laws of each country, the journalist shall recognise in
>professional matters the jurisdiction of colleagues only, to the exclusion
>of every kind of interference by governments or others."
>
>Mr Cronau and Mr Robie said PNG had a long and proud tradition of a
>vigorous and independent news media which had contributed much to building
>the nation.
>
>The commission's media committee, comprising Trade Union Congress general
>secretary John Paska and MPs Iairo Lasaro and Gerald Beona, will begin
>consultative meetings this week.
>
>They will meet representatives of the PNG Journalists Association, Telekom
>and PNG Communication Workers Union today.
>
>Papua Niugini Niuswire
>http://www.pactok.net.au/docs/nius
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Title -- 352 ECONOMY: No transport funds acquittals by 94 MPs
>Date -- 29 November 1996
>Byline -- Tande Temane
>Origin -- Niuswire
>Source -- The National (PNG), 29/11/96
>Copyright -- The National
>Status -- Unabridged
>-------------------
>
>NO TRANSPORT FUNDS ACQUITTALS BY 94 MPs
>
>By Tande Temane
>
>PORT MORESBY:  A total of 94 MPs did not produce financial statements to
>show how they spent their rural transport development program funds in
>1994, Auditor-General Makena Geno says in his 1995 report.
>
>The remaining 15 MPs in the 109-member House acquitted a total K2.9 million
>but 14 of them submitted incomplete reports, Mr Geno said.
>
>The report said follow-up and reminder notices had been sent by the
>Department of Transport to the respective MPs but response had been
>"extremely poor".
>
>Mr Geno said 14 MPs from seven provinces obtained funds totalling more than
>K465,000 without obtaining prior approval from the minister concerned.
>
>While the RTDP guidelines stipulate that no individual MP or his agent will
>receive funds in his name, the report revealed that the Bureau of
>Management Services in Enga and East Sepik provinces paid two MPs a total
>of K130,000 in their own names in relation to projects in their respective
>provinces.
>
>Mr Geno said an advance payment of K130,000 was made by Bureau of
>Management Services in East SEpik to a company for the implementation of
>three nominated approved projects of one of the MPs.
>
>The report revealed however, that no work was done in respect of a single
>project by the company up to June 15, 1995.
>
>It further revealed that BMS paid K25,000 to a company for implementation
>of one of the MP's nominated projects but department officers have said
>that the project was abandoned due to a breakdown in the machinery after a
>small portion of the work was done.
>
>The Auditor-General's office is yet to confirm this and recover the
>unutilised funds.
>
>The audit reports also stated that an MP from Morobe province spent K77,235
>over the approved amount for a project.
>
>Mr Geno recommended that:
>
>*  Proper co-ordination and follow-up actions must be established between
>the Department of Transport and MBS and other implementing agencies in
>respect for project expenditure;
>
>*  Proper remedial action must be taken by the department in future to
>ensure expenditure under the program is correctly charged against item of
>the vote; and
>
>*  Monthly reconciliation of departmental expenditure records with those of
>Department of Finance monthly expenditure statement should be carried out
>by the department.
>
>Mr Geno's report further stated that there were no acquittals for K6.05
>million allocated under the provincial transport assistance program fund
>during the 1994 financial year until the date of audit examination in June,
>1995 from the MBS offices and the agencies that received PTAP funding for
>1994.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Title -- 354 BOUGAINVILLE: Progress made in Miriung inquiry
>Date -- 29 November 1996
>Byline -- Veronica Hatutasi
>Origin -- Niuswire
>Source -- The Independent (PNG), 29/11/96
>Copyright -- The Independent
>Status -- Unabridged
>-------------------
>
>PROGRESS MADE IN MIRIUNG INQUIRY
>
>By Veronica Hatutasi
>
>Positive progress is being made by the team investigating last month's
>assassination of the late Bougainville Premier Theodore Miriung in south
>west Bougainville.
>
>Reports reaching The Independent this week stated that favourable support
>and backing from the Bougainville seccessionists, the resistance members
>and the general public has resulted in the smooth progress of the inquiry
>proper which began last week Monday.
>
>According to reliable sources on the ground on Bougainville Judge
>Thrinuvakkasu Suntheralingham, the Sri Lankan judge appointed by the
>Commonwealth Secretariat to spearhead the inquest and his assistant Kose
>Latu, a Samoan lawyer attached to the Commonwealth flew to Buka this week
>to talk to witnesses and get collective views and information from a
>cross-section of the community at both Buka and Siwai where the late
>Miriung was slain.
>
>This is the last leg of duty for Justice Suntheralingham and Mr Latu whose
>assignment is a brief but urgent one which requires them to establish the
>perpetrators, cause of death and reasons behind it, a source said.
>
>"So far both sides including the BRA and the resistance members are
>providing total support to the investigating team for the very reason that
>they want to clear their names from any involvement in the assassination.
>Since the assassination the BRA have denied any involvement on their part
>and blamed the resistance and security forces.
>
>The security forces and the public at large on Bougainville are also
>supporting the inquiry", the source said.
>
>He also said the inquiry team has spoken to key witnesses and other people
>with vital information from the scene of the assassination in Siwai and
>they are pleased with the smooth progress so far.
>
>No date has been set as yet but upon its completion, the submissions will
>be presented to the state, police department, and the prime minister.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Title -- 357 EDITORIAL: Sir Julius' reasons do not hold water
>Date -- 29 November 1996
>Byline -- Editorial
>Origin -- Niuswire
>Source -- The Independent (PNG), 29/11/96
>Copyright -- The Independent
>Status -- Unabridged
>-------------------
>
>SIR JULIUS' REASONS DO NOT HOLD WATER
>
>Editorial: The Independent
>
>Prime Minister Sir Julius' reasons offered last Thursday in Parliament and
>subsequently through press statements a day after, on the reasons why he
>sacked the former Central Supply and Tenders Board (CSTD), simply cannot
>hold water.
>
>He said the reasons the former board was sacked was because it had delayed
>a number of important projects due to its inaction. But documents show that
>the board had 28 meetings and considered 63 projects, services and supplies
>worth some K210.3 million.
>
>It had even met and discussed projects which Sir Julius said were delayed.
>Some of these projects were deferred but most were eventually approved. In
>some cases, the projects were deferred because the former board was
>concerned about the availability of funds and wanted confirmation from the
>departments who recommended the projects. That is only proper and sensible
>thing to do as the state and the people of this country may end up paying
>more if there was no money available, but a contract was entered into. The
>state could then be taken to court and may be made to pay out the contract
>plus legal costs involved.
>
>In other projects, it called for additional information. In one case it had
>to carry out a search of a company recommended for a particular project.
>
>In fact Sir Julius Deputy and Finance Minister Chris Haiveta's information
>paper for the National Executive Council on October 4 had anything but
>praises for the committee which had made a saving of K24.7 million in its
>seven months of operations.
>
>And as Mr Haiveta said, savings can be made if proper tendering procedures
>were followed, which allowed for competition and help avoid unnecessary
>expenditures.
>
>If, according to Mr Haiveta, the former board was performing well, why was
>it sacked? Why does he have to remove a board that ensured procedures are
>adhered to and thus saved this country millions of kina ? It makes no
>sense. Sir Julius also said the board was sacked because it lacked
>technical capabilities. If that is the case then shouldn't most of the 109
>members of the National Parliament be sacked too ?  Most of them do not
>have degrees in political science. Or why has Sir Julius not sacked Air
>Niugini's general manager Moses Maladina ? He is not a pilot. And the new
>water company, Eda Ranu's new head Shem Pake ? He does not have a degree in
>engineering. The former board, just like the 109 parliamentarians, Mr
>Maladina and Mr Pake, have the option to and can seek proper technical
>advice if they so require.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Title -- 359 BOUGAINVILLE: Troops linked to Miriung Killing
>Date -- 2 December 1996
>Byline -- Cletus Ngaffkin and AAP
>Origin -- Niuswire
>Source -- The National (PNG), 2/12/96
>Copyright -- The National
>Status -- Unabridged
>-------------------
>
>TROOPS LINKED TO MIRIUNG KILLING
>Villagers fear army unit at Tunu, says Coroner
>
>By Cletus Ngaffkin and AAP
>
>PORT MORESBY:  A coroner's inquiry into the assassination of Bougainville
>Premier Theodore Miriung has implicated members of the security forces and
>resistance fighters.
>
>Coroner Thirunavukkarasu Suntheralingam said at the weekend that
>circumstantial evidence gathered during the inquest indicated that certain
>members of the PNG Defence Force attached to a unit based at Tunu village,
>and some resistance fighters were implicated in Miriung's killing.
>
>Justice Suntheralingam, a retired Sri Lankan High Court judge, released the
>preliminary findings of his three-week inquest before flying out of Port
>Moresby on Saturday afternoon.
>
>Acting Prime Minister Chris Haiveta said yesterday that the Government
>would accept the report and study it thoroughly.
>
>He said that the Government would implement the recommendations of the
>Coroner's report and would take appropriate action against those involved.
>"We wil take the recommendations of the report very seriously," Mr Haiveta
>said.
>
>Justice Suntheralingam said a 15-20 member army unit commanded by a
>sergeant was at Tunu at the time of the assassination.
>
>Mr Miriung was assassinated on Oct 12 allegedly by two gunmen at his wife's
>village at Konga, South West Bougainville.
>
>"Two people appeared to have fired the shots with the help of six to seven
>others," Justice Suntheralingam said.
>
>He said the names of the soldiers and the resistance fighters implicated
>had surfaced during the inquest.
>
>However, he could not disclose their names for fear of the suspects
>escaping or going into hiding.
>
>"The villagers are very cooperative and want to provide evidence. However,
>they are reluctant to do so because they fear repercussions from the army
>unit and resistance fighters who are still in the area," Justice
>Suntheralingam said.
>
>He strongly recommended that the unit be moved out of Tunu village as soon
>as possible so police could complete their investigations.
>
>"Unless the person in charge of the army .... takes it upon himself to
>remove that unit as soon as possible, maybe the evidence that should be
>forthcoming will not come for some time," he said.
>
>"Once they are moved out, the villagers, I'm sure, will have enough
>confidence to come out and say what they know."
>
>Despite some villagers being too afraid to appear before the inquest, the
>judge said there was enough circumstantial evidence to point to six or
>seven soldiers and an army-aligned resistance fighter being involved in the
>assassination.
>
>Justice Suntheralingam confirmed reports that an ambulance used by the
>military was seen near the murder scene shortly before and after the killing.
>
>"From my analysis of the evidence made available, I am certain that certain
>members of the resistance, are responsible for the killing, he said.
>
>The rebels said yesterday the judge's findings showed duplicity of the
>Defence Force which had blamed them for the killing.
>
>"The main culprits are the PNG government, PNG security forces and their
>local allies," the rebels said in a statement.
>
>Justice Suntheralingam was appointed by Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan to
>ensure the independence of the inquest after ther army and the rebels
>accused each other of the killing.
>
>The judge said the inquest only managed to obtain testimonies from to six
>to seven Kapana villagers.
>
>Some witnesses from the village refused to be flown to Buka on the island's
>north to give evidence beacuse it was under army control, the judge said.
>
>In another incident, the army prevented a resistance fighter being flown to
>
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