Death by 1000 Cuts - Logging by stealth in PNG

While everyone focuses on illegal logging and logging practice - PNG's woes are much more obvious when you see the millions of hectares of land given over for 'Forest Conversion' projects like Oil Palm. Sadly many operators are using forest conversion as a back door to log by stealth.

http://www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=125252

PNG Transparency International Walk Against Corruption

The march was led by PNG's Governor-General Paulias Matane, (above shown feverishly warming up). Only three politicians attended, all from the opposition.
Tranparencey International PNG chairman Peter Aitsi (above) also got into the swing of things.

http://news.smh.com.au:80/breaking-news-national/3000-march-against-png-corruption-20090614-c744.html

Big Trouble in PNG's Little China

According to today's Post Courier newspaper PNG police commissioner Gari Baki is not too pleased about recent reporting on deported Chinese national Gu Kai.

Baki reportedly shouted at Post Courier journalist Mohammad Bashir: "You know this person (Gu Kai) ? He was an illegal alien and if I had it my way, I would boot him out on the spot and never allow him back. You can write whatever you like."

Below is a link to an AAP feature about PNG's Asian gangs influencing PNG's corruption. The Gu Kai affair certainly raises questions about the confluence of police, immigration and labour department corruption allowing Asian crime syndicates to do their thing in PNG.

http://www.individual.com/story.php?story=101834123

Meanwhile the Australian newspaper's Greg Roberts today has picked up the widely circulated, suspiciously well written, inflammatory email that was doing the round earlier this week.

The unknown source using the pen name 'Cardo Stanzo' has called for a bonfire of the tucker boxes by December 31. But it's not just small businesses that should burn but all Asian businesses they say. Most people in PNG have dismissed the misdirected email as pap albeit concerning pap - it certainly doesn't pull any punches at blaming Asians for all of PNG's woes.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25552427-2703,00.html

As ever it is easier to blame the minority group, especially as they look and sound different and worse don't follow rugby league. But there is no mention of the PNG owners who employ Chinese to manage their shops or go into partnership with Chinese as they are more reliable than PNG to make a quick buck. Nor is there any concerted efforted against those elected and chosen leaders that so far have shirked responsibility to what some commentators see as a frontline for more civil unrest.

From earlier in the week. Here is Sam Abal, Foreign Affairs minister responding to the issue:

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/antiasian-tensions-simmer-in-png-20090526-blro.html

And from Monday Prime Minister Michael Somare responding:

http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/pngs-antiasian-riots-blamed-on-vice-20090525-bkod.html

As the Chinese say: may you live in interesting times!

Dim Dim and Dim Sum

PNG’s Prime Minister Michael Somare admitted on Monday corruption in PNG's police force, labour and immigration departments was a factor behind a week of widespread violence and looting against Chinese businesses.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Abal said corruption, not just in immigration, was "paralysing PNG's systems”.

Peter Aitsi, from Transparency International's PNG branch told AAP PNG's general public have no faith nor confidence in the procedures of police, labour and immigration departments.

“We’re getting to a point we’re if we don’t take a stand this country is lost.

“Who will stand up and take ownership? Who will stand up and take responsibility?" he said.

Below is a link to an interesting background read to this 'Big Trouble in Little PNG'.

James Chin's Contemporary Chinese Community in Papua New Guinea: Old Money versus New Migrants.

Australian National University, Chinese Southern Diaspora Studies, Volume Two, 2008

http://csds.anu.edu.au/volume_2_2008/117ChinCSDS2008Master.pdf