By Chris Baria
(Read the extract below or read the whole feature here:
https://issuu.com/home/published/plus_may19_issuu )
The Autonomous Region of Bougainville with its own government was an interim agreed measure to come out of the Bougainville Peace Agreement.
The Autonomous Bougainville Government is a government without economy that has failed to build a short-term income base from what is already available such as alluvial gold, cash crops and fisheries levy.
I believe, this is because too much money and time has been wasted, including money from the national government, on trying to reopen the mine at Panguna.
In my opinion, Australian advisors have been wrongly advising the Autonomous Bougainville Government President, John Momis, that mining is the only answer to Independence for Bougainville when it is clear that majority of the people still associate mining with the pain and suffering they endured. The war had its roots in mining. Panguna, for many, is considered not a blessing but a curse.
As this article goes to print there is a constitutional crisis being faced by Autonomous Bougainville Government after
it has allegedly been entertaining a proposal from a small mining developer from Western Australia – ‘Caballus’.
According to my information: Caballus, believed to be headed by Western Australian businessman, Jeffrey McGlinn, arrived in Buka with pre-written amendments to the Bougainville Mining Act that apparently will do away with landowners’ rights to their mineral resources and the recognition of traditional leadership of clans and community. These amendments violate the Bougainville Constitution.
Many Bougainvilleans are against the Autonomous Bougainville Government tampering with the mining law to benefit a foreigner at a time the autonomous region is preparing for a referendum that means more to the people than the promised benefits from mining.
The real challenge now facing the Autonomous Bougainville Government is the lack of funds to carry out the preparations for referendum including the update of common roll – not the re-opening of Panguna.
Editor’s note:
By Susan Merrell
Jeffrey McGlinn of ‘Caballus’ known business links put him in affiliation with Somalian, Qamar Khan (aka Stephen Khan) for whom McGlinn acted as director in AUSPNG Holdings Ltd. Siniwok Ltd acquired 100% of the shares in this company in 2015.
Siniwok’s current sole shareholder and director is Hon. Belden Namah, MP – member for Vanimo/Green in the Papua New Guinean Parliament. Qamar Khan is a former director of Siniwok.
Belden Namah is a former Captain in the Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF) who fought in the Bougainville War. For his part in ‘Operation Rausim Kwik’ a PNGDF mutiny that ousted PNG government-hired mercenaries, ‘Sandline’ he was convicted and jailed along with two others in Port Moresby. He was later pardoned and released by the then Prime Minister Michael Somare.
After his release, Namah went on to make his fortune (he’s a self-professed multi millionaire) in the highly questionable logging industry. He entered parliament and was responsible for introducing legislation that enabled Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) that have been responsible for decimating huge swathes of land in Papua New Guinea. He was the first to take advantage of the legislation.
Eventually rising to the position of Deputy Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, (following the 2011 political coup against Michael Somare’s government that he claims to have led) Namah’s outrageous antics have seen him make headlines in Australia for alleged crass drunken behaviour at Sydney’s Star Casino while gambling with a stake of $800,000 and also in Samoa for some questionable property deals.
He has recently been charged with numerous offences under the Leadership Code of Papua New Guinea and found guilty – including the storming of the Supreme Court of Papua New Guinea while in session in an attempt to arrest then Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia who was sitting on the bench, presiding.
The Tribunal recommended Namah be dismissed from his parliamentary office and the Governor General signed his dismissal papers awaiting the advise of the courts.
In July 2018, the National Court granted a stay order pending a Judicial Review by the Supreme Court of the Leadership Code’s verdict. The Judicial Review is yet to be heard as I write.
Namah is rumoured to have been in Bougainville recently having discussions with President Momis ahead of the Joint Supervisory Board meeting in Port Moresby on March 1.
