A step too far: Consequences and backlash

By PNG Echo.

Anti-government forces, the ones disguised as anti-corruption fighters, have gone a step too far to achieve their political goals.

Up until now, they have been tolerated, even supported – their thinly-disguised political ambitions overlooked as some Papua New Guineans hoped they were the genuine article, while suspecting that they may not be.

But the love affair is over.

The people have lately been given a small taste of the consequences of what activists such as Noel Anjo have visited on PNG – as they drive their masters’ political agendas – the faceless men.

Underlying provincial tensions have been driven to the surface by manipulating, competing political interests with murder and mayhem being the dire consequences – all whipped up by these faceless men, through their agents, such as Anjo, using university students as cannon fodder.

Is it a mere coincidence that the main protagonists in the violence are from the Southern Highland’s Province and Enga – as are the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition respectively?

The Backlash

Noel Anjo’s short article on the killing of the student on Lae campus, published on his popular Facebook page ‘The Voice of PNG’ today, was not given the usual wholehearted approval – even though ‘The Voice’ is demographically ‘stacked’ to exclude any known dissenters (such as myself – who was ‘blocked’ some time ago).

Seen on his posting were comments such as:

Noel Anjo you and your fellow colleague keyboard warriors have blood on your hands. Constantly having a go at the students to take action against government, are you and Don Pomb Polye and team happy now? An innocent life has been lost and the first thing you guys do is call on O’Neill to step down? Not even a word of sorry? Happy that your plan worked and is bearing fruit? Students fleeing for safety while you still sit behind the comfort of your keyboards and continue on? Shame on you. Fight your election campaign yourself and stop using students. No wonder you never succeed at elections.

A woman commenter gave a feminine perspective:

So it’s clear from Noel Anjo, the trumpet, that it was Southem Highland’s fault.
An innocent young man’s life has gone from merciless murderers.
Noel it’s a mother’s plea. Please shut up.
You want to dissolve parliament or arrest prime minister please you go and do it yourself.  Stop it, stop it, stop it, please.”

And yet another commenter has summed up what many of us have known for a while:

Noel Anjo, your comment is the worst!! Believe me, if you think like that you don’t have qualities to lead the group that you represent!

Anjo removed the post soon after.

Pandora’s Box has been opened – what do they intend to do about it? – Take a crying selfie?

In a recent press release, just to hand, the Prime Minister has laid the blame squarely at the feet of the political opposition claiming that they have “blood on their hands.”  In this, he’s not wrong.