PNG Professionals challenge Naru to arrest them

The Papua New Guinea professionals have challenged Morobe Governor Kelly Naru to arrest and charge them for describing them as ‘domestic terrorists’.

Spokesman Captain James Markop in a statement sent to Loop from China said it is with dismay that Naru had used or abused Parliamentary privilege by labeling concerned professional Papua New Guineans as domestic terrorists on the floor of parliament.

“We the citizens of Papua New Guinea have given you a mandate for 5 years to represent us, not yourselves in parliament.

“How it turned to be a total abuse of power and deliberately misconstruing of the Constitution to justify politicians' criminal acts while turning it against us the true owners of power is absolutely condemnable in the strongest possible terms.

“Are intellectuals who are able to discern right from wrong now terrorists because they took a conscionable action against what is clearly a disregard for the rule of law and the systematic disassembling of democratic institutions by the prime minister?” Captain Makop asked.

“We are talking about professionals in the fields of medicine, engineering, aviation, electrical, maritime, aviation among others.”

Makop said he has never had any criminal record and his professional resume speaks for itself.

“I fought against the inequities of entrenched expatriate management when I was in Air Niugini. I was captain on the Fokker-28 aircraft at the age of 26, went on to the airbus A310 before leaving the country to go abroad.

“I was the first Papua New Guinean to fly the Boeing B777 with Emirates airlines, one of the most iconic airlines in the world. I was also the first Papua New Guinean to fly the Boeing  B747-400 jumbo jet. So are my countrymen who earned the distinction of flying such aircrafts as Airbus A380 the largest aircraft in the world.

“We all share the same concern as our countrymen in Papua New Guinea who are alarmed at the lack of accountability that seem to be the hallmark of the present political leadership.”

He added that if speaking up against a prime minister who will not subject himself to the rule of law and protesting in silence is against the constitution, therefore an act of domestic terrorism, then he is volunteering to be the first one to be arrested.

“Mr Naru, I will be arriving back home this Friday the 29th July. I challenge you to personally go to Jackson international airport and press the appropriate charges against myself and have me arrested.

“Otherwise I suggest you practice what you preach and refrain from using your knowledge of the law to justify the wrongs which seem to be the norm now.

Naru, last Friday in parliament when debating on the vote of no confidence against Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said the recent university students’ unrest resulting in one death and destruction to state properties worth millions of kina with threat of stop work by professionals were acts of “domestic terrorists and insurgents”.

“These people are domestic terrorists and insurgents who must not escape. They must face the full force of the law,” Morobe Governor, Kelly Naru told Parliament on Friday.

Naru who is also leader of the Christian Democratic Party told Parliament said that these violations were not only caused by those supporting the call for the Prime Minister to step down but also allegedly by police against the students. 

“Even professional people in our society are calling for the shutdown of essential public services and the withdrawal of labour as a means to an end. This is unacceptable conduct.

“To the extent that breaches of the peace have occurred, couple with injuries to persons and properties resulting in death and destruction, the full force of the law must be brought to bear on those responsible.

“These people are domestic terrorists and insurgents who must not escape. They must face the full force of the law,” Naru said.

 

Picture source: news.pngfacts.com

Author: 
Freddy Mou