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PACIFIC BRIEFS
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Posted on Mar 27 2001
PNG soldiers unrest due to years of neglect
PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PIR) — The week-long mutiny by rebel Papua New Guinea Defense Force soldiers resulted from years of neglect by the government, said retired Australian Major General Michael Jeffery.
Jeffery is one of the authors of a recently released independent report on how to resolve the force’s problems.
He said, no military aircraft is able to fly due to mechanical problems and hadn’t flown for about 12 months.
“One patrol boat out of four is working. . .and there has been no patrolling along the Papua New Guinea border (with Indonesia) for 10 years because of a of lack of resources.
“Clothing and equipment are in very, very poor condition and in some cases the troops aren’t fed,” he told Radio Australia.
“All those problems have to be dealt with,” he said.
Mir space station member in Fiji drug arrest
SUVA, Fiji Islands (PIR) — A member of the group of scientists and astronauts who was in Fiji to observe the Russian space station Mir’s Pacific splashdown last week has been arrested, charged with carrying marijuana in a package of cigarettes.
A police spokesman said the man was arrested at Nadi International Airport as he was boarding an Air New Zealand flight to return home to Russia, via Los Angeles, with other team members.
Police said he will appear in Nadi court Monday to answer to the charge.
West Papuans threaten to destroy oil fields
JAKARTA, Indonesia (PIR) — Moi tribesmen in Irian Jaya have threatened to destroy all oil fields in the Klamono area of the New Guinea island province if the government does not pay attention to the social needs of the Papuan people.
Musa Labot, head of the tribal group, said his people want more benefits from the 38-year old oil drilling operation to accrue to local people.
He said, “The only way to show our anger is to destroy all oil fields, and to forbid any logging-concession holders to operate here.”
The Moi tribe totals about 6,600 families in 14 villages.
