A recent video documentary called CRUDE is all about the Ecuadorian Amazonians and their 10 year fight against Chevron Texaco for polluting their land.
Pablo Farcado, the 2009 Goldman prize winner, was not a lawyer when he commenced legal proceedings on behalf of his Ecuadorian Amazonian people...
The proposed amendments to the Organic Law on the Duties and Responsibilities of Leadership - the so-called 'Maladina amendments' - have created a lot of controversy.
The Community Coalition Against Corruption is mounting a major campaign to try and persuade Parliament not to enact the proposed amendments.
The Ombudsman Commission, whose powers would be restricted by the proposed amendments, is against the changes (despite apparent claims to the contrary by the Government in Parliament).
But what are the proposed changes?
It would be easy to conclude the government has its head in the sand over the current resources boom and is ignorant of the fears of most in the general community.
While the Prime Minister and his senior team constantly talk up the good times ahead for PNG from major resource projects like LNG, the Ramu nickel mine and the Pacific Marine Industrial Zone, most acadmics, observers and media commentators are seriously worried that PNG is heading for a huge disaster.
Post Courier editorial, April 9 2010
WE ARE told that the proposed amendments to the Forestry Act is for good of the seven million people in PNG and there is no sinister motive by Forest Minister Belden Namah and the National Forest Authority in trying to amend the Act.
At the same time, Parliament is dealing with the amendments to Ombudsman Commission Act and we are told that there is nothing sinister about the amendments.
However opposition to the proposed changes to the two laws are already mounting.
One hundred police and their families have been left homeless in Lae after health authorities declared the Bumbu police barracks unfit for human habitation.
In an inspection carried out on Tuesday it was found the houses were infested with termites, there was a serious sewerage overflow and no power or water supplies.
It is reported that the houses have received no major maintenance since they were constructed in the 1960's and two homes recently collapsed on top of sleeping families.
There is a new power in Papua New Guinea that if awakened CAN change the direction of our country. That power is ourselves, the new middle class of educated people.
There are two keys to awakening our consciousness and allowing us to realize our potential.
One is connecting each of us with like minded people - and that is the role of ACT NOW!
The second is not allowing ourselves to be blinded by cynicism.
Now is exactly the time that we need thousands of people to make their voice heard and their actions count - and to stay involved for the long term.
This is a cool video from India with a good sound track and easy to follow message.
It would be great to do something like this for Papua New Guinea - please donate to ACT NOW! and we can make the dream a reality...