CSO Against SoE Extension

Civil Society Organizations representatives are calling on the government not to extend the duration of the State of Emergency on COVID-19 because it is affecting the ordinary people’s livelihood.

Representatives from the PNG Human Rights Defenders Association and National Council of Women appealed for the government not to be influenced by what is happening in other countries.    

“We can see that no one has died so the government can stop the SOE and relax it and what the government can do is control the international travel and monitoring them like ship and airplanes and to manage the borders of Papua New Guinea can control that, surveillance can be in place,” said John Yoko – Vice President of PNG Human Rights Defenders and Community Leader. 

Grace Nari, Programs Officer of National Council of Women observed that although the women are the sector of society that bears all the weight caused by the observation of State of Emergency restrictions, their opinions are not being considered in decision making.

“A lot of disorder occurred within families and communities. When awareness were being done, they on COVID-19, consideration of women was missing.” Said Nari

President of the Human Rights Defenders of PNG, Linda Tule questioned the government on the evidence that justify further extension on the State of Emergency.

She appealed to the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, James Marape, to refer to the 5 directive principles of our constitution of Papua New Guinea, the third one being “PNG is an independent and a sovereign country”.

She said as such, the decisions made should be based on the interest of people of Papua New Guinea and not on other countries.

Meanwhile, Tule said the Human Right Defenders are still waiting for a response to a petition paper containing 10 points on the Gender Based Violence, which was presented to the Attorney General and Minister for Law & Justice and Deputy Prime Minister, Davis Steven last year.