Comments on: Democracy and the theft of conscience http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/ a community of critics committed to putting people first Wed, 28 Sep 2011 00:59:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Andrew Johnson http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Andrew Johnson Mon, 25 Aug 2008 12:09:33 +0000 http://themelanesian.org/?p=37#comment-42 Isn't PNG speech restricted for the public and media about Indonesia incursions? Be it the TNI or Indonesian shop owners raising Indonesian flags inside PNG. Are West Papuan refugees allowed to stay only on condition they don't talk publically about West Papua; and the government doesn't admit they are refugees because the UN would then have to admit Indonesia is a colonial power thousands of refugees are fleeing. Isn’t PNG speech restricted for the public and media about Indonesia incursions? Be it the TNI or Indonesian shop owners raising Indonesian flags inside PNG. Are West Papuan refugees allowed to stay only on condition they don’t talk publically about West Papua; and the government doesn’t admit they are refugees because the UN would then have to admit Indonesia is a colonial power thousands of refugees are fleeing.

]]> By: Vergil http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Vergil Wed, 20 Aug 2008 02:28:05 +0000 http://themelanesian.org/?p=37#comment-34 Yes, I agree that, it was inappropriate to compare Somare to Mugabe. If it was true, Chan, would not have been allowed to say what he asid at the Waigani seminar. It seems that, in that regard we still have freedom of expression and conscience in PNG. That freedom, is however limited in its application to Members of Parliament when it comes to vote of no confidence. There are two options here. One is to seek a s19 reference questioning the constitutional validity of the law. The second is to muster enough numbers to repeal this law on the floor of Parliament. It therefore seems that there was an element of political point scoring on Chams comment without a genuine desire to contribute in meaningful ways to change this law. Yes, I agree that, it was inappropriate to compare Somare to Mugabe. If it was true, Chan, would not have been allowed to say what he asid at the Waigani seminar. It seems that, in that regard we still have freedom of expression and conscience in PNG. That freedom, is however limited in its application to Members of Parliament when it comes to vote of no confidence. There are two options here. One is to seek a s19 reference questioning the constitutional validity of the law. The second is to muster enough numbers to repeal this law on the floor of Parliament. It therefore seems that there was an element of political point scoring on Chams comment without a genuine desire to contribute in meaningful ways to change this law.

]]> By: Skantha http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Skantha Mon, 18 Aug 2008 00:04:45 +0000 http://themelanesian.org/?p=37#comment-31 Andrew, Yes, it is an interesting juxaposition of Africa and the Pacific. A similar sentiment that entered the academic discourse was the article by Ben Reilly of the National Centre for Development Studies at ANU entitled "The Africanisation of the South Pacific". You can google the title to get the article. Solomon Andrew,

Yes, it is an interesting juxaposition of Africa and the Pacific. A similar sentiment that entered the academic discourse was the article by Ben Reilly of the National Centre for Development Studies at ANU entitled “The Africanisation of the South Pacific”. You can google the title to get the article.

Solomon

]]> By: Andrew Moutu http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-29 Andrew Moutu Sun, 17 Aug 2008 10:47:44 +0000 http://themelanesian.org/?p=37#comment-29 Andrew, Thank you for your intervention and for highlighting especially the role of the USA in submiting the people of West Papua to the gruseome cruelty of rape, muders, assasination, massacres, arson, robbery and plunder that has and continues to be inflicted on the people of West Papua. The Western world, characterised chiefly by the USA, Australia, Britain and the Dutch have participated in the Indonesian exploitation through complicity. I have kept West Papua as part of the history of Western colonialism and the cold war politics whose legacy continues to put a Melanesian people under genocide and extermination. Andrew Andrew,

Thank you for your intervention and for highlighting especially the role of the USA in submiting the people of West Papua to the gruseome cruelty of rape, muders, assasination, massacres, arson, robbery and plunder that has and continues to be inflicted on the people of West Papua. The Western world, characterised chiefly by the USA, Australia, Britain and the Dutch have participated in the Indonesian exploitation through complicity.

I have kept West Papua as part of the history of Western colonialism and the cold war politics whose legacy continues to put a Melanesian people under genocide and extermination.

Andrew

]]> By: Andrew Johnson http://themelanesian.org/2008/08/15/democracy-and-the-theft-of-conscience/comment-page-1/#comment-27 Andrew Johnson Sat, 16 Aug 2008 09:27:57 +0000 http://themelanesian.org/?p=37#comment-27 I think you should qualify that passing comment about West Papua, people might get the mistaken impression you mean it isn't a colony for a western interest. It's the ultimate pin-up for colonization , seeming it was Freeport director & Cold-War architect Robert Lovett who in 1960 told Kennedy to appoint McGeorge Bundy as the US National Security Adviser, who in turn had the US National Security Council throughout 1961 tell Kennedy that he had to sacrifice West Papua to Indonesian ownership to stop Indonesia becoming a communist state. The United States even paid-off the UN with $200m to get the UN to add its name to the New York Agreement selling the colony so Freeport could get the mine license from General Suharto & mine West Papua's gold & copper for the US shareholders. Colonization in its hightest form, seven years ago fellow Skull & Bonesman G.W. Bush in Jan/2001 began his campaign to resume US support of the TNI. West Papua has been victim of both the Cold-War & War-on-Terrorism bonesmen. I think you should qualify that passing comment about West Papua, people might get the mistaken impression you mean it isn’t a colony for a western interest.

It’s the ultimate pin-up for colonization , seeming it was Freeport director & Cold-War architect Robert Lovett who in 1960 told Kennedy to appoint McGeorge Bundy as the US National Security Adviser, who in turn had the US National Security Council throughout 1961 tell Kennedy that he had to sacrifice West Papua to Indonesian ownership to stop Indonesia becoming a communist state.

The United States even paid-off the UN with $200m to get the UN to add its name to the New York Agreement selling the colony so Freeport could get the mine license from General Suharto & mine West Papua’s gold & copper for the US shareholders. Colonization in its hightest form, seven years ago fellow Skull & Bonesman G.W. Bush in Jan/2001 began his campaign to resume US support of the TNI. West Papua has been victim of both the Cold-War & War-on-Terrorism bonesmen.

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