Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 18 Aug 1992 05:20:21 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      AU/BOUG: Interference
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written  6:27 pm  Aug 18, 1992 by peg:greenleft in cdp:greenleft.news */
/* ---------- "Green Left issue 67, August 19" ---------- */
Bougainville condemns Australian interference

By Norm Dixon

The Australian government's recent decision to give Papua New
Guinea another Iroquois combat helicopter, and to continue to
fund the maintenance of the Australian-supplied helicopter fleet,
can only further escalate the conflict on Bougainville,
Bougainville's representative in Australia, Moses Havini, told
Green Left Weekly.

``It is very sad because it will in no way slow things down ...
These helicopters are still being used as gunships, and as
[troop] transport vehicles.''

Then Prime Minister Bob Hawke agreed in July 1989 to provide
PNGDF with four Iroquois combat helicopters, spare parts and $1
million annually for three years towards maintenance and the
employment of ``civilian'' pilots.

The helicopters were donated on condition that they not be used
as gunships. That condition was flouted almost immediately. The
craft have been used regularly to shoot innocent people from the
air and to strafe villages. The helicopters were most recently in
action over the village of Manetai in central Bougainville in
late July.

At least two massacres have involved the aircraft, the most
infamous being their use to dump the bodies of six executed
Bougainville Christians. With its willingness to supply yet
another aircraft, the Australian government tacitly approves
their offensive role.

Australian and New Zealand mercenaries fly these death machines.
Under Australian law, it is illegal to recruit any person in
Australia to serve in or
with an armed force in another country. However, that ban can be
waived by the government if a declaration is published in the
Government Gazette.

On August 5, the Australian Guardian newspaper revealed that on
July 20, 1989, the then attorney-general, Lionel Bowen, published
such a declaration. It stated it was ``in the interests of
Australia to permit the recruitment in Australia ... of persons
to serve in or with the Papua New Guinea Defence Force in any
capacity for the purpose of facilitating the use of four Iroquois
helicopters''.

Amnesty International has called on the new Paias Wingti
government to launch an independent judicial inquiry into reports
that PNG troops have used Australian-supplied helicopters to kill
civilians on Bougainville.

Amnesty called on the PNG government to allow international
humanitarian and legal organisations access to Bougainville and
urged PNG to ratify the Convention Against Torture and the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Moses Havini expressed disappointment at the failure of the new
PNG government to move towards a cease-fire. Instead, there has
been an increase in attacks from the PNGDF.

``There has been fighting near Torokina, in the western part of
Bougainville, as well as in southern Bougainville'', Havini told
Green Left Weekly. ``They are just minor clashes at this point.
The PNGDF's idea is to move into Bougainville's centre, which
they have not been able to do. They did land a small force at the
village of Manetai, which is only about 16 kilometres from Arawa.
They are holding there and that is all they can do.


``We were rather disappointed because the fighting took place
during the weeks that Mr Wingti came to power. As soon as he came
to power, the Bougainville Interim Government's first act was to
call for a cease-fire ...''

Havini described this situation as ``frightening'' on two counts.
``It could be that the PNG military is gaining more power over
the government and, secondly, Mr Wingti is continuing with the
line of the Namaliu government, and ... just agreeing to whatever
the military wants to do on Bougainville.''

Despite these setbacks, Havini told Green Left that the Interim
Government will continue to promote dialogue.

Bougainville representative Mike Forster attended the UN
Subcommission on the Prevention and Protection of Minorities in
Geneva on August 10.

In a speech to the subcommittee, Forster said a cease-fire would
be the first step towards implementing the fundamental rights and
freedoms of Bougainvilleans. He outlined the lack of medical
supplies due to the blockade of the island by PNG. This has
resulted in a rapidly increasing infant mortality rate and
mothers dying during childbirth.

Forster told the subcommittee that Australia is implicated in the
suffering of the Bougainvillean people by the decision to donate
the additional helicopter gunship. Australia is also training
special units of the PNGDF. He called on the UN to send a fact
finding mission to Bougainville.

**********

Radio Bougainville returns

The voice of independent Bougainville, Radio Free Bougainville,
returned to the airwaves on August 9 after an absence of nearly
three weeks.

RFB was forced off the air by mechanical problems with its
transmitting equipment. Parts from Australia were smuggled
through the PNG-imposed blockade, and radio technicians in Arawa
repaired the equipment.

The station's frequency has been changed from 3.880 MHz to 3.870
MHz to give listeners, particularly in New Zealand, clearer
reception.
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU