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Date Posted: 14:58:25 01/16/00 Sun
Author: Anonymous
Subject: The Problem With PNG Part I

The problem with Papua New Guinea

FRANK SENGE KOLMA on what why Constitutional pledges have not been fulfilled

The first sentence of the Constitution states: "We the people of Papua New Guinea united in one nation, pay homage to the
memory of our ancestors ... acknowledge worthy customs and traditional wisdoms ... pledge ourselves to guard and pass to
those who come after us our noble traditions and the Christian principles that are ours now."

Now, I ask you: Did our ancestors care for a Constitution? Did they desire a united nation of the kind we have today? Does a
Sepik want to pay homage to the memory of a Chimbu's ancestor? Does an Engan want to acknowledge as worthy the customs
and traditional wisdom of a Kavieng and pass them on to his sons? Would a Buka islander pledge himself to guard and pass on
to the future generations the noble traditions of a Tari?

A negative answer will be in the majority.

I sense that many of the problems faced by PNG today lies in how Papua New Guineans treat and relate to each other.

Now on the second sentence in the Constitution (there seems to be, to me, a contradiction). It reads: "By authority of our inherent
right as ancient, free and independent peoples, we, the people, do now establish this nation and declare ourselves, under the
guiding hand of God, to be the Independent State of Papua New Guinea."

Why on earth would a people who are already "ancient, free and independent" authorise themselves to be rendered subject to a
new set of rules, guidelines, and system of government about which they have little or no knowledge of and which renders their
previous independence obsolete and makes the people inferior and less knowledgeable? It makes no sense, does it?

Still, assuming that we do have the authority of those ancestors, we have asserted in the "mama lo" that:

"All power belongs to the people acting through their elected representatives;

"Respect for the dignity of the individual and community interdependence are basic principles of our society;

"We guard with our lives our national identity, integrity and self respect; and

"Our national wealth, won by honest, hard work be equitably shared by all."

Further, the Constitutional founders directed us to be involved in the process of integral human development to free Papua New
Guineans from all forms of oppression, to respect Papua New Guinean ways, to be self reliant, and to respect our environment.

Does it look today as if all power belongs to the people or to a few politicians swinging merrily on pendulums to and from
political parties?

Respect for the individual and cooperation are very conspicuous by their absence in the community.

There are hundreds giving up their lives and property each year for their tribal identity but, apart security force members falling in
the line of duty on Bougainville, I know of no instance of somebody who has given up his life in the name of Papua New Guinea.

Integrity and self respect are not too evident. Not evident too, are respect for fellow men, working an hour for an hour's pay,
saying no to the desire to forge cheques or bank public money in personal accounts.

Indeed, our personal wealth won by hard work is often rudely taken from us by gun-toting criminals.

The dependence mentality has eroded the self reliance goal to serious levels.

Any national wealth we have has never been divided equally. The education system has rarely seemed to support the integral
human development concept nor provided equal access for everybody willing. People of past generations respected PNG
ways and the environment. Today, those noble principles appear to be minor or even despicable concerns.

The Constitution states that we can take part in politics; be free from inhuman treatment and forced labour; be free to say what we
wish without, that is, hurting others' rights; move anywhere; and that our homes are private.

The Constitution guarantees all in PNG the right to life, liberty, security and protection of the law.

The principles remain as they were when they were unpacked at Independence - untouched.

Very often the only right to life many have is the fact that they will not take it themselves.

The right to say or do what one pleases is often used to the extreme without any thought for the important qualification that all
rights and freedoms are limited only in so far as they do not infringe on the rights and freedoms of others.

Do you have the protection of the law or do you need protection from the law? Is your home private enough or safe enough?

Enough said.

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