Somare Gags Parliament on Moti Issue

By Sarah C. LaBelle
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - Prime Minister Michael Somare has barred the Opposition in Parliament from discussing "Motigate."  Parliament Speaker Jeffery Nape informed Parliament of this ban on Monday morning, stating that since it is an issue before the courts it will not be discussed, but Opposition Leader Mekere Morauta found this description misleading, as there is no related case before the courts and the inquiry report is currently before the Defense Council.

Opposition members told the press that the prevention of debate on relevant issues a disgrace.  Transparency International agreed, saying that the Speaker should "be very careful about his position and to ensure that Parliament, being the supreme body in our country, is allowed to debate on issues impacting our country."

On Wednesday, Parliament debate got so heated that Somare called Deputy Opposition Leader Bart Philemon a "bastard" and called for him to step outside to "sort things out," according to Radio New Zealand International.  Morauta called Somare's behaviour "emotional, unbecoming, childish, that of a man who is out of control."  The debate had surrounded Opposition requests that Somare step down due to his involvement in the Moti affair.  Somare's response detailed several incidents in which members of the Opposition had stepped down, go so far as to accuse Julius Chan of mass murder and atrocities.  [In 1997, Chan's government contracted Sandline International to help counter separatist guerrilla warfare in the province of Bougainville.  This led to a revolt, a military standoff, and Chan stepping down.]  Somare was adamant that he has committed no crimes in relation to Julian Moti's flight from PNG.

Transparency International is calling for more PNG government agencies to look into the Moti affair, due to concerns about breaches of law not being appropriately handled.

For more information, please see:

Pacific Islands Report (PNG Post-Courier) - PNG Government Gags Parliament on 'Motigate' - 03 October 2007

Pacific Magazine - Speaker Stops MPs from Debating Moti Saga - 03 October 2007

Pacific Magazine - Opposition Slams Somare on Moti Gag - 04 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - Watchdog says more PNG state agencies should take action over Moti affair - 03 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - PNG government stifles debate on Moti inquiry - 03 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - PNG speaker urged to reverse ban on debate of Moti affair - 03 October 2007

Radio New Zealand International - PNG PM has lost the plot, says opposition - 04 October 2007

Marianas Variety (Pacnews) - No crime committed, PNG Somare won't step down - 04 October 2007

For more information on the Moti affair, please see the following Impunity Watch reports on Moti's appointment, PNG government involvement in Moti's escape, the Vanuatu case status, Australia's extradition attempt and the missing PNG inquiry report, PNG court refusal to suppress the inquiry report, Moti's fear of assassination attempts, and the release of the inquiry report.