By Norm Dixon
There is widespread disbelief and concern in Papua New Guinea over the return to government of the parties responsible for hiring apartheid-linked mercenaries. Surprisingly, the People's Progress Party of defeated prime minister Sir Julius Chan and the Pangu Party, led by Chan's deputy, Chris Haiveta, have formed a "grand coalition" with their most vocal erstwhile opponents.
"A week is a long time in politics" goes the old maxim, and it certainly is the case when it comes to parliamentary politics in PNG. On July 17, Sir Michael Somare was literally dancing for joy at the news that the parliamentary speaker, former prime minister and Pangu member Sir Rabbie Namaliu, had broken ranks with PPP/Pangu to join Somare's coalition, citing the former government's corruption.
At that stage, two coalitions were vying to be the next government: the PPP/Pangu group and Somare's National Alliance (NA) in tandem with Bill Skate's People's National Congress (PNC), the People's Democratic Movement (PDM) of Paias Wingti, another former PM who lost his seat, and a bloc of 10 independents — the Melanesian Solidarity Group — led by Father Robert Lak and Peti Lafanama.
Lafanama is general secretary of the radical activist group Melanesian Solidarity (Melsol), which played a key role in the protests in March against the Chan government, as well as grassroots political campaigns around environmental issues, compensation for land holders from mining and forestry companies and opposition to the World Bank/IMF/Australian government-backed structural adjustment program.
The MSG stated that the election result reflected the overwhelming rejection of the PPP/Pangu government's plan to use mercenaries to kill PNG citizens. They also recognised the result as a rejection of the political elite's self-serving and corruption.
"We have been elected for a change, and we will not go against the people's will by joining the same political parties that have caused the mess in this country. The old leaders caused the problems", Lafanama said.
While the MSG pledged to support the NA/PNC/PDM group, it threw its support behind Skate for PM, rather than Somare.
Skate, the governor of the National Capital District and reportedly a born-again Christian, is popular with Port Moresby's poor, unemployed and students. He has sponsored job-creation schemes, opposed user-pays tertiary education and spoken out against corruption. During the anti-Chan demonstrations he provided food and water for the protesters. Skate, too, had vowed not to join with the former coalition parties.
As the July 22 opening of parliament approached, the NA/PNC/PDM/MSG group — with the support of at least 63 of parliament's 109 MPs — remained deadlocked over the issue of who would be PM. In the late afternoon of July 21, PPP/Pangu sent word that it would support Skate as PM if his supporters defected. In a meeting with PPP/Pangu leaders — reportedly also attended by both Chan and Wingti — Skate and his PDM/MSG allies agreed to desert.
When parliament met, Skate was elected PM with 71 votes to Somare's 35. Skate's interim cabinet includes Pangu's Haiveta and PPP leader Andrew Baing. PDM leader Sir Mekere Morauta refused to join the coalition and crossed the floor to vote for Somare, saying, "We seem to have created a government that many people wanted to get rid of".
Skate announced that his government would reopen the commission of inquiry into the former government's hiring of the Sandline/Executive Outcomes mercenaries, investigate corruption, take steps to end user-pays education and support the peace process recommended by the Bougainville delegations which recently met in New Zealand.
Should Skate seriously implement these investigations and policies, it will immediately endanger the coalition because they will threaten senior PPP and Pangu leaders, especially Chris Haiveta.
The MSG leaders have been sharply criticised by their supporters over their participation in the "grand coalition". Powes Parkop, a leading Melsol member and one of four NGO activists facing charges over their role in protests against the PPP/Pangu government, said on July 23 that Father Lak and Lafanama had "stunned and bewildered" the PNG people with their support for the new government.
"Instead of standing up for principles and the anti-corruption fight, they joined the same mob, and this is shocking", Parkop said. He also criticised Somare's intransigence over the PM's position.
A spokesperson for the Unggai people in the Eastern Highlands, Nick Yaupa Amero, said the people of the region had voted for Lafanama "to fight corruption but instead he came and joined the people we were all determined to put out". Letters to the daily newspapers are overwhelmingly against the MSG's participation in the government.
Melsol executive member John Kawowa, who is also facing charges related to anti-government protests, called for the dissolution of the new government because it had been formed by political manipulation.