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| PNG aid under scrutiny as corruption taskforce head arrives in Australia | PNG aid under scrutiny as corruption taskforce head arrives in Australia |
| (2 months later) | |
| Australia is well placed to consider sanctions against the Papua New Guinea government in response to a dramatic power grab by its prime minister, the ousted head of the country’s anti-corruption taskforce has said. | Australia is well placed to consider sanctions against the Papua New Guinea government in response to a dramatic power grab by its prime minister, the ousted head of the country’s anti-corruption taskforce has said. |
| The former chair of the investigative Taskforce Sweep, Sam Koim, who was to meet the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, on Tuesday, told Guardian Australia “the writing is on the wall” for the prime minister, Peter O’Neill, and said protests – which began today in PNG – would build, predicting it would not be long before police officers joined them. | The former chair of the investigative Taskforce Sweep, Sam Koim, who was to meet the Australian foreign minister, Julie Bishop, on Tuesday, told Guardian Australia “the writing is on the wall” for the prime minister, Peter O’Neill, and said protests – which began today in PNG – would build, predicting it would not be long before police officers joined them. |
| O’Neill was served with an arrest warrant last Monday relating to long-running corruption allegations, with the task force claiming new evidence had emerged. The prime minister then dismissed numerous government and law enforcement figures including the attorney general, the deputy police commissioner, and an assistant police commissioner who served the warrant. He also disbanded Taskforce Sweep, accusing it of being compromised by government and media connections. | O’Neill was served with an arrest warrant last Monday relating to long-running corruption allegations, with the task force claiming new evidence had emerged. The prime minister then dismissed numerous government and law enforcement figures including the attorney general, the deputy police commissioner, and an assistant police commissioner who served the warrant. He also disbanded Taskforce Sweep, accusing it of being compromised by government and media connections. |
| Transparency International PNG likened it to “a disgruntled player sacking the referee and changing the rules”. | Transparency International PNG likened it to “a disgruntled player sacking the referee and changing the rules”. |
| The task force’s corruption investigation, which includes but is not limited to, alleged illegal payments of about $30m from the government to a Port Moresby law firm, was initiated by O’Neill in 2011. Previous arrest warrants for O’Neill and two senior ministers were dismissed in January. | The task force’s corruption investigation, which includes but is not limited to, alleged illegal payments of about $30m from the government to a Port Moresby law firm, was initiated by O’Neill in 2011. Previous arrest warrants for O’Neill and two senior ministers were dismissed in January. |
| Koim was due to meet Bishop on Tuesday afternoon, as well as members of Labor and the Greens. It was not his place to suggest to Australia it hold back aid or investment, Koim told Guardian Australia, however “those are the things that Australia is well placed in our country to assess”. | Koim was due to meet Bishop on Tuesday afternoon, as well as members of Labor and the Greens. It was not his place to suggest to Australia it hold back aid or investment, Koim told Guardian Australia, however “those are the things that Australia is well placed in our country to assess”. |
| “Which sanctions can effectively be imposed, if you like, or [how to] effectively demand certain acts upon the rule of law – [Australia] is well placed to assess that situation.” | “Which sanctions can effectively be imposed, if you like, or [how to] effectively demand certain acts upon the rule of law – [Australia] is well placed to assess that situation.” |
| Koim said he was in Australia to speak to Bishop, as well as the Australian people, and explain that events in PNG “is not just a domestic political situation.” | Koim said he was in Australia to speak to Bishop, as well as the Australian people, and explain that events in PNG “is not just a domestic political situation.” |
| “Australia has invested over $20bn in PNG – the same as in China,” Koim said. | “Australia has invested over $20bn in PNG – the same as in China,” Koim said. |
| “Australia – and the taxpayers of Australia – have generously given aid since colony days until now at an average of $500m every year. Part of the taxpayers’ money is used to build and develop the rule of law in our country.” | |
| “What’s happening in my country is one person trying to undermine the very rule of law. The rule of law is fundamental … Those people in authority, they are the guardians of the rule of law, but when those people are subjected to the same rule of law they put up resistance. They do not want to submit to it, and when that happens you have anarchy. This is what our close neighbours and friends are looking at.” | “What’s happening in my country is one person trying to undermine the very rule of law. The rule of law is fundamental … Those people in authority, they are the guardians of the rule of law, but when those people are subjected to the same rule of law they put up resistance. They do not want to submit to it, and when that happens you have anarchy. This is what our close neighbours and friends are looking at.” |
| On Monday, the recently appointed police commissioner, Geoffrey Vaki, revoked permission for a protest march in the capital Port Moresby citing concerns it could escalate, but rallies were held in areas of Port Moresby regardless, and several schools and businesses shut down for the day. | On Monday, the recently appointed police commissioner, Geoffrey Vaki, revoked permission for a protest march in the capital Port Moresby citing concerns it could escalate, but rallies were held in areas of Port Moresby regardless, and several schools and businesses shut down for the day. |
| An increasing political and national awareness in the country – where many remote regions get little or no media – was being ignored by politicians who assumed their constituents were naive, and “prey on them and their naivety,” Koim said. | An increasing political and national awareness in the country – where many remote regions get little or no media – was being ignored by politicians who assumed their constituents were naive, and “prey on them and their naivety,” Koim said. |
| “That’s why our people are more and more nationally conscious of the issues affecting our country. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take to the streets.” | “That’s why our people are more and more nationally conscious of the issues affecting our country. I wouldn’t be surprised if they take to the streets.” |
| He predicted police and defence officers would not put up with it for long “and soon they themselves will take to the streets”. | He predicted police and defence officers would not put up with it for long “and soon they themselves will take to the streets”. |
| “Those police officers that are directed by people higher up, and those defence officers who are also under direct influence … are seriously affected by those same issues that all of us our facing,” he said. | “Those police officers that are directed by people higher up, and those defence officers who are also under direct influence … are seriously affected by those same issues that all of us our facing,” he said. |
| “They live in very unbecoming living conditions – bad living conditions if you like – yet they are commanded to protect the few people who destroy them.” | |
| Two former prime ministers – Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan – are among numerous politicians and high-profile Papua New Guineans calling for O’Neill to resign or at least allow the law to “take its course”, but it has not swayed O’Neill, who set up his own commission of inquiry in place of Taskforce Sweep and passed on all documents to police. | Two former prime ministers – Sir Michael Somare and Sir Julius Chan – are among numerous politicians and high-profile Papua New Guineans calling for O’Neill to resign or at least allow the law to “take its course”, but it has not swayed O’Neill, who set up his own commission of inquiry in place of Taskforce Sweep and passed on all documents to police. |
| Koim said PNG was at a tipping point, and more would stand up to O’Neill. | Koim said PNG was at a tipping point, and more would stand up to O’Neill. |
| “That’s why many are inspired, to stand up and say enough is enough. All for the sake of making sure that everybody is subject to one and the same. Democracy survives under rule of law. You remove the rule of law and there is no place for democracy,” he said. | “That’s why many are inspired, to stand up and say enough is enough. All for the sake of making sure that everybody is subject to one and the same. Democracy survives under rule of law. You remove the rule of law and there is no place for democracy,” he said. |
| AJ Brown, Transparency International Australia board member and public policy professor at Griffith university, told Guardian Australia: "It's clear everyone including Prime Minister O'Neill should cooperate with police and allow due process to run its course. International cooperation in support of due process and the rule of law in PNG should now be the shared priority of all parties, if stability is to be retained and trust in government restored." | AJ Brown, Transparency International Australia board member and public policy professor at Griffith university, told Guardian Australia: "It's clear everyone including Prime Minister O'Neill should cooperate with police and allow due process to run its course. International cooperation in support of due process and the rule of law in PNG should now be the shared priority of all parties, if stability is to be retained and trust in government restored." |