Page 11 - IB July 2018

Political Brief - PNG

PNG Court dismisses human rights case

By PACNEWS
PAPUA New Guinea Court has dismissed a human rights case
filed by the Australian-Papuan Civil Rights Incorporated claim-
ing that pre –independence Papuans are Australian citizens.
Judge David Cannings in his decision refused all propositions
advanced by the plaintiffs, led by their president Ian Smith
Ikowari.
The plaintiffs’ claims were based on propositions that:
* Papua New Guinea became a nation contrary to interna-
tional law;
* Pre –independence Papuans are Australian citizens under
Australian law;
* Pre–independence Papuans have not renounced their
Australian citizenship;
* Pre –independence Papuans had, on Independence Day,
“real foreign citizenship” for the purposes of section 64 of
the constitution and are therefore not PNG citizens; and
* Pre –independence Papuans are not automatic PNG citi-
zens.
Justice Cannings held that there was no merit in the propo-
sition that PNG was formed contrary to international law and
that pre-independence Papuans might be regarded as having
a special eligibility status for Australian citizenship.
“However, the question of whether any pre-independence
Papuan is granted Australian citizenship is a matter entirely for “When section 65(1) refers to persons born in the country
the government of the Commonwealth of Australia,” he said. before Independence Day, it is referring to persons born in the
“Though some pre –independence Papuans might have been geographical of the country that is now the Independent State
Australian citizens prior to independence, if they were never of Papua New Guinea.
granted a right to permanent residence in Australia, they have, “The area of the former territory of Papua falls within that
under section 64 (11) of the constitution, ‘no real foreign citi- geographic area. A pre –independence Papuan will have been
zenship’ and their citizenship status falls to be determined by born in ‘the country’ and, if he or she has two grandparents
other provisions of the constitution. born in ‘the country’, will be a Papua New Guinean citizen.”

Five PNG women die everyday fair - it is simply not fair. Just as it is not fair that villagers in Fiji
IT is estimated that five women die every day when giving birth and every other island nation in the Pacific are being forced from
in the country, according to the United Nations Population Fund their homes,” he said.
(UNFPA). UNFPA Asia Pacific Regional health economist Ander-
son Stanciole urged the Government to increase its investment in Two MPs defect to government
voluntary family services. “It is a critical area to think about in TWO members of the National Alliance Party have asked for
the economic development of the country. There is a lot at stake. “release” from the party in what Opposition sources claimed is
(There are) about 1000 deaths per year, or five maternal deaths poaching by the Papua New Guinea government. Maprik MP
in PNG every day,” he said. PNG’s high maternal mortality ratio John Simon and Usino-Bundi MP Jimmy Uguro have written
at 733 per 100,000 live births is among the highest in the world, letters to the National Alliance Party asking to be released to be
according to the UNFPA. in government to bring much needed development to their elec-
torates. National Alliance has confirmed that it had received the
PM O’Neill calls for climate alliance letters from the two MPs. The National Alliance parliamentary
PAPUA New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has described wing under leader Patrick Pruaitch will meet to decide the fate
climate change, as the greatest challenge confronting Papua of Simon and Uguro.
New Guinea and Fiji, and all Pacific Island nations. “Papua New
Guinea, and our region, greatly appreciates Fiji’s leadership on Chinese naval hospital ship arrives
this issue. Fiji’s central role at COP-23 in Bonn, Germany, is an CHINESE naval hospital ship Ark Peace has arrived in Papua New
example of the right approach we must take. While we in the Guinea’s capital Port Moresby, marking the start of its eight-day
Pacific did not cause climate change - our villages and towns, humanitarian mission in the island nation. The vessel, which
from our cities to our remote communities - are suffering from last visited the country four years ago, will conduct joint medical
climate change. Extreme weather leading to cyclones such as diagnoses, treatment and academic exchanges with local hospital
Cyclones Josie and Keni this year, after Cyclone Winston in 2016, staff. It will also open to the public during its stopover to further
have been of terrible ferocity and severity,” O’Neill said in his promote cultural understanding and friendship between the two
historic address at the Fijian Parliament early July. “This is not countries.

Islands Business, July 2018 11