From Bismarck Ramu Group

Non-government organisation Bismark Ramu Group (BRG) is calling on Prime Minister O’Neill to support the call by SABL Commissioner John Numapo to revoke illegal SABL leases or face a swelling grassroots backlash throughout the country.

BRG spokesperson Rosa Koian said her organisation strongly supports Commissioner Numapo. “Over 5.2 million hectares of land are affected by these leases. Sixty six of the 75 leases investigated have been unlawfully issued.

Therefore the obvious thing for the O’Neill government to do is:

1. revoke the leases
2. return the land to customary landowners, and
3. cancel all illegal Forest Clearance Authorities.

“The government called for the Commission. The Commission issued their report - what’s the hold up? she asked. O’Neill himself said “the nquiry revealed a shocking trend of corruption and mismanagement.”

“The word is there is millions of kina being floated around to prevent the SABL’s from being revoked. What Mr. O’Neill and his government appear to be ignorant about is the anger throughout the country about the land theft under the SABL scheme. There is a groundswell of anger that is growing and close to exploding and its countrywide”.

In addition Ms. Koian said Commissioner’s Jerewai’s refusal to submit his report is also causing anxiety especially from the Pomio area. Jerewai, a landowner and a Papua New Guinean is making lame excuses and denying his countrymen and women their rightful land.

“As tensions mount it lays squarely on the shoulders of Jerewai for holding back and O’Neill for not taking a leadership role.” she said.

The PNG Government received the findings and recommendations of Commissioners Numapo and Mirou in June last year.