The National Court sitting in Madang last week refused to lift an injunction preventing the Chinese Metallurgical Construction Company (MCC) from constructing a marine tailings disposal system for its Ramu nickel mine.

The Ramu nickel mine is just one of several large mining projects under construction in Papua New Guinea and is the first major Chinese investment in the country.

Papua New Guinea’s (PNG) National Goals and Directive Principles provide the Job Description of all leaders of this nation. They set the foundation on which this nation must be governed. But it seems our leaders have forgotten the script.

Forty years ago, 16 Papua New Guinean members of then, House of Assembly, developed a vision for a new nation.

The Ombudsman Commission's opposition to the proposed changes to the Leadership Code could not be clearer, despite mischievous claims from some politician that the Commission supports the amendments.

In May 2009 the Ombudsman Commission submitted an 11 page brief to the National Executive Council (which can be downloaded below) setting out its concerns about so called "Maladina" amendments and making clear that it did not support the changes.

The Ombudsman Commission submission makes clear that the proposed changes:

The people of Papua New Guinea are caught in a self-perpetuating cycle of violence, says Medicine Sans Frontiers.

The rapid development the country has experienced over the past year has had the unintended consequence of aggravating existing tensions. For the most part, it is women and children who bear the brunt of this, suffering rape and other terrible forms of violence—some of it carried out by family members—that create an urgent need for both medical care and psychosocial support.

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.

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...