Date: Thu, 6 Mar 1997 07:31:25 -0500
Subject: M-G: Bougainville Update - 6/3/97


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>Date: Thu, 06 Mar 1997 18:34:13 +1000
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>From: Sasha Baer <sashab-AT-magna.com.au>
>Subject: Bougainville Update - 6/3/97
>
>Australian minister cancels trip because of Bougainville crisis
>==============================================================>
>Radio Australia, Tuesday 4 March, 1997 (5:46pm AEDT)
>----------------------------------------------------
>
>Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, is staying away from the
>inaugural meeting of an Indian Ocean trade bloc because of the crisis
>surrounding the Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville.
>
>Graeme Dobell reports.
>
>With delicate negotiations under way with Papua New Guinea over its
>employment of mercenaries, Mr Downer decided he could not leave as planned
>tomorrow for the first meeting of a new trade bloc, the Indian Ocean Rim
>Association for Regional Co-operation. Instead, Australia will be
>represented at the Mauritius talks by the Deputy Prime Minister and Trade
>Minister, Tim Fischer. Australia has warned Papua New Guinea of financial
>and defence aid consequences if mercenaries are used on Bougainville. And
>last night the National Security Committee of Cabinet met in Canberra to
>discuss options for dealing with the Chan Government in Port Moresby. 
>
>Meanwhile, Australia has suspended several aid projects on Bougainville,
>because of fears about the worsening security situation there.
>
> Anne Barker reports, Australia denies the move is in retaliation for PNG's
>hiring of foreign mercenaries. 
>
>Australia has allocated 28-million dollars in aid to Bougainville since
>1991, but because of the security situation only 9-million has been spent.
>Those funds are to help build a hospital at Buka in the island's north,
>appoint medical staff, and distribute basic supplies to 30-thousand
>families. But following warnings by the Bougainville Revolutionary Army that
>it will shoot all foreigners, all Australians have been forced off the
>island, and the aid projects have been suspended. Australia's government aid
>body Ausaid says the move is only temporary, and it's hoped the projects
>will resume once security improves.
>
>In another development, Papua New Guinea's Deputy Police Commissioner has
>said he wants the Defence Force to ensure soldiers and resistance fighters
>implicated in the killing of Bougainville Premier are available for
>questioning in Port Moresby.
>
>The call by Deputy Commissioner, Ludwick Kembu, is part of the investigation
>into the murder of Theodore Miriung, who was shot dead in October last year.
>
>Mr Kembu says witnesses from the village where Mr Miriung was shot will also
>be brought to Port Moresby as part of the investigation.
>
>An independent coronial inquest commissioned by the PNG government named
>some soldiers and resistance fighters as the alleged killers.
>
>It recommended they be removed from the army base at Tonu to allow police to
>continue the investigations.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Solomon Islands to challenge use of mercenaries in PNG
>=====================================================>
>Radio Australia, Tuesday 4 March, 1997 (9:02pm AEDT)
>----------------------------------------------------
>
>Solomon Islands is preparing to mount a case in the International Court of
>Justice challenging the Papua New Guinea government's plan to use
>mercenaries against Bougainville rebels.
>
>Solomons Prime Minister, Solomon Mamaloni, says the introduction of
>mercenaries will destabilise peace in the South Pacific.
>
>Meanwhile, as Graeme Dobell reports, Australia's top security committee has
>held detailed discussions on the Bougainville issue.
>
>The National Security Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, is the focal
>point of Australian decision-making on defence and security issues. The
>two-hour meeting received intelligence assessments on Papua New Guinea's use
>of mercenaries and the situation on Bougainville along with options for an
>Australian response. Mr Howard says Australia wants to bring home to the
>Chan government the folly of its policy. The Foreign Minister, Alexander
>Downer, was due to leave for Mauritius tomorrow for a meeting of Indian
>Ocean states. But Mr Downer has announced that he's staying in Canberra
>because of important issues involving Papua New Guinea. The Deputy Prime
>Minister, Tim Fischer, will take his place at the Indian Ocean meeting.
>
>Meanwhile, Australia has defended its decision to freeze its aid projects on
>Bougainville until security on the island improves.
>
>The government's aid organisation, Ausaid, says it's suspended several
>health and education projects following threats by Bougainville rebels to
>shoot foreigners.
>
>Ausaid says the decision is NOT in retaliation for the Papua New Guinea
>Government's decision to hire foreign mercenaries.
>
>But Assistant Director for PNG, Murray Proctor, says Australia's decision
>could cause the Chan Government concern.
>
>"Well clearly it's one of those unfortunate outcomes of the mercenary issue
>coming to light. We were making significant progress in rehabilitation
>projects in Bougainville and in dealing through the ougainville Transitional
>Government to help with broader rehabilitation. The fact that all those will
>now really go on hold is certainly something that I would imagine would
>worry the Papua New Guinea Government."
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Michael Somare criticises PNG's Bougainville mercenary plan
>==========================================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (3:04am AEDT)
>------------------------------------------------------
>
>In Papua New Guinea, the leader of the National Alliance and member for East
>Sepik, Sir Michael Somare, has attacked Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan, for
>reportedly allowing foreign mercenaries into the country.
>
>Sir Michael says no East Sepik soil will be used to train private assassins. 
>
>Sir Michael, PNG's founding Prime Minister, says the intensity of domestic
>and international condemnation of the use of mercenaries warrants the
>resignation of the Chan-Haiveta government.
>
>But Sir Julius says Sir Michael should stop playing politics with national
>security and Bougainvilleans' emotions.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Bougainville copper price rise being studied by stock exchange
>=============================================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (10:06am AEDT)
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>The Australian Stock Exchange is examining a sudden increase in the share
>price of Bougainville Copper, days before reports about the possible use of
>mercenaries on 1Bougainville Island.
>
>Shares rose to 61-Australian cents between February 14th and 17th -
>considerably higher than any price in the past six months.
>
>The increase was just days before it was revealed the P-N-G Government had
>hired foreign mercenaries from the South African based company, Executive
>Outcomes.
>
>The Exchange says it routinely examines any sudden fluctuation in share
>prices, but won't comment further.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>PNG Cabinet meets over new Bougainville policies
>===============================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (12:59pm AEDT)
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>The Papua New Guinea Cabinet is meeting to discuss Sir Julius Chan's new
>policies for Bougainville and the reaction they've generated in Australia
>and the region.
>
>Sean Dorney reports that the P-N-G Government has yet to formulate a
>response to questions Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, put to
>the P-N-G High Commissioner, Ken Noga, in Canberra last week about the
>hiring of foreign military advisers:
>
>"Papua New Guinea's Deputy Prime Minister, Chris Haiveta, told me yesterday
>he'd be putting opitons to today's PNG Cabinet meeting on how to finance one
>aspect of the new Bougainville strategy - the purchase of CRA's 53% interest
>in the Bougainville Copper Mine. But the other major development - hiring
>Sandline International to train and equip a special PNG Bougainville Strike
>Force - has left the Bougainville peace strategy developed by the Provincial
>Affairs Minister, Peter Barter, in tatters. While there's some disquiet in
>Cabinet, Chan has won considerable public support in PNG for his new, tough
>line against the rebel leaders most noticeably since Australia condemned it.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Australian Opposition calls for suspension of PNG aid
>====================================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (10:31pm AEDT)
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>Australia's Opposition says the Howard Govenment should give formal notice
>to terminate the 250-million dollars a year aid treaty with Papua New
>Guinea.  The Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Laurie Brereton, said
>six months notice is needed for termination, and the clock should start 
ticking.
>
>Mr Brereton said the Government had to increase pressure on Papua New Guinea
>to abandon what he called its crazy plan to employ foreign mercenaries
>against separatist rebels on the island of Bougainville.
>
>He said Australia should seek an urgent meeting of the South Pacific Forum
>and launch a campaign for a resolution of the crisis at the United Nations
>General Assembly.
>
>Mr Brereton said Australia and every country in the region had to speak up
>in the toughest possible terms.
>
>He said Papua New Guinea had to know just how serious Australia is about
>trying to prevent the use of mercenaries.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Australia rejects holding aid over Papua New Guinea
>==================================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (10:31pm AEDT)
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>The Australian government has rejected an opposition call to serve Papua New
>Guinea with notice of termination of an aid treaty over the Bougainville issue.
>
>Earlier, the federal Opposition called on the Govenment to give formal
>notice of termination of a 250-million dollar a year aid treaty, because of
>the Port Moresby government's hiring of foreign military trainers.
>
>Speaking in parliament, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says Australia
>could terminate its aid treaty with Papua New Guinea with six months notice.
>
>However, Mr Downer said threatening the aid treaty would hinder difficult
>talks with the PNG Government.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Legal challenge to PNG's use of mercenaries
>==========================================>
>Radio Australia, Wednesday 5 March, 1997 (10:31pm AEDT)
>-------------------------------------------------------
>
>Meanwhile, the head of a legal firm in Papua New Guinea has filed papers
>with the National Court to try to stop the government's deal with private
>military consultants, Sandline.
>
>Sean Dorney reports, the lawyer names the Prime Minister, Sir Julius Chan,
>and the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Chris *Haiveta as
>first and second defendants.
>
>Rimbink Pato, a lawyer who's trying to revive the once significant United
>Party for the coming PNG National Elections, is taking Sir Julius and Mr
>Haiveta to court seeking a ruling that they've breached the Constitution by
>appropriating public money without the approval of Parliament. He claims the
>Sandline
>International contract was not included in the 1997 Budget passed by the
>Parliament late last year and therefore is illegal. He's also claiming the
>Prime Minister and his Deputy are conspiring to raise an unauthorised force
>in contravention of the PNG Consitutiton.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Solomon Islands' Prime Minister criticises PNG over mecenaries
>=============================================================>
>Radio Australia, Thursday 6 March, 1997 (5:33am AEDT)
>-----------------------------------------------------
>
>Solomon Islands Prime Minister Solomon Mamaloni says any use of mercenaries
>in the South Pacific would be a cowardly act, contrary to the enhancement of
>the Pacific way.
>
>Mr Mamaloni described Papua New Guinea's reported introduction of
>mercenaries into the region as a dangerous precedent.
>
>He said the move would destabilise peace and harmony within South Pacific
>Forum countries and throw everybody back into the days of cannibalism.
>
>Mr Mamaloni urged Australia and New Zealand to support the Solomon Islands
>in an action in the International Court of Justice to block Papua New
>Guinea's use of mercenaries in the Bougainville dipute.
>
>In Australia, the Federal government has rejected an opposition call to cut
>Australian aid to Papua New Guinea - worth 250-million dollars annually.
>Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told the Parliament suspending aid over
>the use of mercenaries would hinder difficult talks with the PNG Government.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>PNG unions express concern over hiring mercenaries
>=================================================>
>Radio Australia, Thursday 6 March, 1997 (5:44am AEDT)
>-----------------------------------------------------
>
>Papua New Guinea's Trade Union movement is worried the Chan Government is
>setting a dangerous precedent by hiring private military trainers and advisers.
>
>Sean Dorney reports that the Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress has
>called on the the PNG Government to cancel its 36-million dollar contract
>with Sandline International to train and equip a PNG special operations
>force for Bougainville.
>
>The PNG Trade Union Congress claims the military advisers are nothing but
>mercenaries and that Sir Julius Chan has set a very dangerous precedent
>because future PNG Governments may use the decision to justify calling in
>mercenaries to stay in power while others may do so to stage a coup. The
>trade union body is not so opposed to Chan's decision to try to try to buy
>out CRA's interest in the Bougainville Coppper Mine, saying giving
>landowners and the people of Bougainville equity, may help settle the
>conflict. But the unions urged the Government to be honest.
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Cabinet gets tough on PNG 
>========================>
>The Australian, 5th of March, 1997
>----------------------------------
>
>By foreign affairs writer DON GREENLEES and MARY-LOUISE O"CALLAGHAN 
>
>MARCH 5: Federal ministers refined an action plan yesterday to force Papua
>New Guinea to abandon the use of foreign mercenaries as Papua New Guinea
>Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan promised to work for a "political solution"
>to the Bougainville conflict.
>
>Despite Sir Julius's statements, the federal Cabinet and the six-member
>National Security Committee met on Monday and again yesterday morning to
>



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