Be there for the people: Dame Josephine

Dame Josephine Abaijah was the first and only woman to be elected to the House of Assembly in 1972 before Independence.

At the time, she founded and led the Papua Besena movement that agitated unsuccessfully for Papua to become a completely independent country on its own instead of being linked with New Guinea.

In an interview 10 years ago, Dame Josephine was asked by the Pacific Journalism Review why she believed there were no women in Parliament in 1995. She said then, “I maintain that I will not give money to somebody to vote for me. So I think that’s one big reason. The men can get money, the men can bribe. We are finding it very difficult for women to go around bribing people. I think this is where the country is going nowhere because here there is a lot of bribes, there is a lot of corruption, something that women don’t want in this country.”

When asked about the current elections and the women vying for a seat at the table, she added “I think it’s very good that women are taking time to go in, the only thing I feel is necessary is that we all need to work together. So it’s up to the women and I feel that it’s so nice to see a lot of them but it depends on what you want to do. For me, I stood because the people want me, I had no idea about politics I just came back from school and I was just working with students.”

During her first election period, she admitted that she was limited in her knowledge of politics and did not have money like the others.

“Three expatriates, one Goilala and myself. I didn’t know what politics was at the time and did not have money like the others. In that time, Australia was already saying that Papua must unite with New Guinea and I was against it because I wanted the Papuans to say to Yes or No. That’s my stand. So that we do things properly. The way they did things to us now is thrown us in the darkness and Papua is still staying there with all the British ground laws still intact. They are not null and void.”

She was happy that both men and women voted for her and today she is telling the women who come for her advice to go out and be with the people, talk with them, and do what is necessary for the people.

Author: 
Carol Kidu