Innocent Lives Lost In Kandep
With Frustration, I would like to post this comment on this blog regarding the fight in the Marient Constituency in Kandep, Enga Province.
So much damage has been done to properties with up to 30 plus lives lost and villages destroyed. food gardens all gone, families displaced from their dwelling place. The loss of lives is now becoming a daily thing since the election ballot papers for Kandep have reached Wabag for counting while the counting was going on. I can perfectly recall that up to 8 villages have been deserted for both rival clans. Fighter appears to be more related to the election and the ways counting was conducted and declaration done. While educated elites may like to take the more formal way of putting things to the court of disputed returns, local illiterate back at home though otherwise.
I have been watching and to date, not even one report came out in the media regarding this killings and intense battling going on at Kandep. High powered guns are being used in this fight and i am wondering if there will ever be an end to that battle. The so called leaders from all levels have gone hiding, and are pretending as if nothing is happening. With is extend of damage done, the question is, who si going to corp all the blame. is it the electoral commission for re-appointing a RO that as demanded and petitioned by all candidates to remove him from getting involving? Is it the people themselves for not having to seek legal action and putting everything to court if they felt that the election process was unfair? Can the MP declare state of emergency and sent task force to Kandep? How and when will this intense gun fight stop if nothing is done.
Please help!!
This BLOG is about KANDEP in the ENGA PROVINCE of PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Monday, August 20, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Politician’s action, statement immature says Mendi candidate
Source: The National, Tuesday 17th July, 2012
NIPA-KUTUBU candidate Pesab Jefferey Komal has condemned the actions of sitting member Philemon Embel in Mendi town last Thursday.
Komal expressed great concern at Embel’s claims at a mini-rally at the provincial offices while presenting a petition against irregularities in the progressive count of the seat.
“The sitting member claimed that he would have been leading by 25,000 votes. That is why he is saying something is wrong with the count. He is a senior statesman and these are very immature statements,” Komal said.
“If he believes he has delivered, he should be satisfied that he has done enough to be returned by the people. The people have spoken through the ballots, so just let the process go through until declarations.
“If he is unsatisfied, he can challenge after.”
Komal said it was still too early, with quality checks yet to be done and counting still incomplete.
Leading the count with 15 boxes left as of last Friday morning, Komal’s concerns were further strengthened by a clarification made by Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen last Thursday.
“Recounts are provided for only after the primary count has been completed,” Trawen said.
“Recounts cannot be considered when counting of primary votes is in progress.”
Trawen said recounts were done after quality checks had been carried out.
Claims of count irregularities have culminated in candidates trying to stop counting.
Most issues have been with polling officials, who were officially endorsed by returning officer, David Warkias
NIPA-KUTUBU candidate Pesab Jefferey Komal has condemned the actions of sitting member Philemon Embel in Mendi town last Thursday.
Komal expressed great concern at Embel’s claims at a mini-rally at the provincial offices while presenting a petition against irregularities in the progressive count of the seat.
“The sitting member claimed that he would have been leading by 25,000 votes. That is why he is saying something is wrong with the count. He is a senior statesman and these are very immature statements,” Komal said.
“If he believes he has delivered, he should be satisfied that he has done enough to be returned by the people. The people have spoken through the ballots, so just let the process go through until declarations.
“If he is unsatisfied, he can challenge after.”
Komal said it was still too early, with quality checks yet to be done and counting still incomplete.
Leading the count with 15 boxes left as of last Friday morning, Komal’s concerns were further strengthened by a clarification made by Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen last Thursday.
“Recounts are provided for only after the primary count has been completed,” Trawen said.
“Recounts cannot be considered when counting of primary votes is in progress.”
Trawen said recounts were done after quality checks had been carried out.
Claims of count irregularities have culminated in candidates trying to stop counting.
Most issues have been with polling officials, who were officially endorsed by returning officer, David Warkias
Monday, July 9, 2012
Polye condemns report
Source: Poste Courier, Monday 09 July 2012
By RAMCY WAMA
Don Pomb Polye, the leader of the Triumph Heritage Party and Minister for Finance and Treasury had nothing to do with the killing of a presiding officer in Enga.
Mr Polye said yesterday that as a leader of the people of Kandep and leader of one of the biggest political parties, he could not be involved in the murder of another person and he found the report in the Sunday Chronicles newspaper yesterday as misleading and defamatory.
“The newspaper is involved in smear campaign against me for whatever reason, only known to the editor and the reporter. The newspaper did not check the facts properly and went ahead a published a story that contained a lot of inaccuracies that has damaged my reputation as a leader,” Mr Polye told Post Courier last night
Mr Polye was responding to a report in Sunday Chronicles newspaper yesterday in which he was blamed for the killing of the presiding officer and other election related violence in Kandep and in Enga.
“I’m the leader of the people of Kandep who is currently leading one of the biggest party in government. I cannot come down and act like a mindless person to instigate all these troubles, fights, violence, or killings in my electorate and my province.
I have earn my place as a leader the hard way and not by chance, opportunity or on a golden plate. I am a leader and I cannot do such horrible things to my people,” he said.
Mr Polye said the reports in the Sunday Chronicles front page was totally false and misleading the people of Kandep, Enga and Papua New Guinea.
“The story printed on the front page of the Sunday Chronicles painted a bad picture on me, my leadership, my political career and my public life. It (story) makes me look like a careless leader, a instigator of violence and a warlord.
“The report is false and I condemned it outright. The people who have instigated the violence are now cunningly shifting blame on me through conveniently collaborating with the media. I ask the other candidates who contested against me to come out clear and tell the truth,” he said.
Mr Polye said if the newspaper had checked its facts, he would find that the people who are held in police custody over the killing are not my supporters or my people
Polye denies inciting trouble resulting in death
The National, Monday July 9th, 2012
KANDEP MP Don Polye has strongly denied that he had incited trouble resulting in the death of a presiding officer in the electorate in Enga province.
He told the media in Mt Hagen yesterday that he was not responsible for the death as reported in a newspaper yesterday.
He condemned the killing in the strongest terms and called on the police and security personnel to have those responsible arrested and charged.
Polye said three rival candidates were trying to discredit him in the media in his run for the prime ministership.
He said the candidates knew that the people had rejected them and therefore instigating problems resulting in the attacks.
Polye claimed the candidates had made certain demands to the Electoral Commission and security personnel but these were rejected. They then directed their frustration on the people.
He said the killing took the number of people killed in election-related trouble in Enga to five. Four of them were his relatives.
He said as a leader, he always talked about peace, unity and good order in the district, province and country.
Polye said it had been a public fight involving scrutineers of 60 candidates from Kandep and other people outside the gate trying to get into the counting room
He told the media in Mt Hagen yesterday that he was not responsible for the death as reported in a newspaper yesterday.
He condemned the killing in the strongest terms and called on the police and security personnel to have those responsible arrested and charged.
Polye said three rival candidates were trying to discredit him in the media in his run for the prime ministership.
He said the candidates knew that the people had rejected them and therefore instigating problems resulting in the attacks.
Polye claimed the candidates had made certain demands to the Electoral Commission and security personnel but these were rejected. They then directed their frustration on the people.
He said the killing took the number of people killed in election-related trouble in Enga to five. Four of them were his relatives.
He said as a leader, he always talked about peace, unity and good order in the district, province and country.
Polye said it had been a public fight involving scrutineers of 60 candidates from Kandep and other people outside the gate trying to get into the counting room
Officer killed, another hurt
Source: The National, Monday July 9th, 2012
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
A GENERAL election presiding officer is dead and another seriously hurt after they were attacked in Kandep district, Enga province, on Saturday.
Dead is John Kepa, 57, from Longap village. Daniel Arup, 50, from Malai village,
is in serious condition at Wabag hospital from
the bush-knife attack.
The two men are from the Wage local level government area in Kandep district.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said yesterday supporters of a party parliamentary leader attacked the two presiding officers, who were supporters of another candidate outside the gate of the counting centre at Wabag Primary School around 7am.
They had been waiting with other presiding officers to go into the counting centre.
Lakari said the two men were rushed to Wabag hospital but one died on arrival.
Lakari said this was believed to be a payback killing for another election-related killing two weeks ago when a candidate’s supporters allegedly shot a man and his wife at Wasa Bridge, in Kandep, and threw their bodies into the Lai River.
They then stabbed a young man to death in Wabag town last Monday. He said police intervened quickly and arrested the two prime suspects.
He said the suspects had been detained for questioning and their vehicle was impounded at the police station.
Lakari appealed to candidates from Kandep to control their supporters.
He said they had destroyed the image of Wabag town and Enga province with their senseless killings
Dead is John Kepa, 57, from Longap village. Daniel Arup, 50, from Malai village,
is in serious condition at Wabag hospital from
the bush-knife attack.
The two men are from the Wage local level government area in Kandep district.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said yesterday supporters of a party parliamentary leader attacked the two presiding officers, who were supporters of another candidate outside the gate of the counting centre at Wabag Primary School around 7am.
They had been waiting with other presiding officers to go into the counting centre.
Lakari said the two men were rushed to Wabag hospital but one died on arrival.
Lakari said this was believed to be a payback killing for another election-related killing two weeks ago when a candidate’s supporters allegedly shot a man and his wife at Wasa Bridge, in Kandep, and threw their bodies into the Lai River.
They then stabbed a young man to death in Wabag town last Monday. He said police intervened quickly and arrested the two prime suspects.
He said the suspects had been detained for questioning and their vehicle was impounded at the police station.
Lakari appealed to candidates from Kandep to control their supporters.
He said they had destroyed the image of Wabag town and Enga province with their senseless killings
Friday, June 29, 2012
Kandep Election Update
Source: The author via an sms from Kandep station
Update on the Polling
Network is still down in Kandep and polling is going on which started as early as 7am. Polling around Kandep station is complete and ballot boxes stored away safely by defence. Kokas 1 box was taken away by a culprit (named) and was recovered by security forces and bitten up that culprit. voting is still goign on at the moment. Those completed were Lungutenges 1& 2, Kokas 1& 2 as per sms I got now and we expect Sawi and nearbye areas to also be completed.
Enga ends voting, except in Kandep
Source: The National, Friday 29th June, 2012
By JAMES APA GUMUNO
POLLING in Enga province except Kandep was completed yesterday afternoon.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said because of the late polling in Kandep yesterday afternoon, it would continue today.
Lakari said Wapenamanda and Wabag districts were first to be completed, followed by Laiagam-Porgera.
He said Ambum had been completed and all ballot boxes were transported to the police station.
Voting in Kompiam had been completed but bad weather meant helicopters could not airlift the ballot boxes, polling officials and security personnel.
He said the helicopters would be ready this morning for the airlift.
Lakari said because of the heavy police presence in the province, polling had been conducted peacefully unlike in the past.
He said that was the result of the police pre-election awareness campaign for safe and trouble-free election.
Lakari said the cooperation of the people was overwhelming and had resulted in the peaceful polling.
He said all the ballot boxes were locked up at the police station.
He said Enga police and a section of a mobile squad 10 from Mendi would provide security for the ballot boxes.
He said the election manager would decide when to count the ballot papers.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said because of the late polling in Kandep yesterday afternoon, it would continue today.
Lakari said Wapenamanda and Wabag districts were first to be completed, followed by Laiagam-Porgera.
He said Ambum had been completed and all ballot boxes were transported to the police station.
Voting in Kompiam had been completed but bad weather meant helicopters could not airlift the ballot boxes, polling officials and security personnel.
He said the helicopters would be ready this morning for the airlift.
Lakari said because of the heavy police presence in the province, polling had been conducted peacefully unlike in the past.
He said that was the result of the police pre-election awareness campaign for safe and trouble-free election.
Lakari said the cooperation of the people was overwhelming and had resulted in the peaceful polling.
He said all the ballot boxes were locked up at the police station.
He said Enga police and a section of a mobile squad 10 from Mendi would provide security for the ballot boxes.
He said the election manager would decide when to count the ballot papers.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
PNGEC most unfair to PNG
Source: The National, Wednesday June 27th, 2012
AFTER the reports in today’s paper, nobody will be left in any doubt as to the level of preparedness of the PNG Electoral Commission for the conduct of the 2012 elections.
The preparation has been flimsy and lacklustre.
From throughout the country for the past few days, we have been receiving reports about shortage of ballot papers, lack of polling officials, non-payment of allowances for polling officials and names not being on the common roll which point an accusing finger directly at the PNGEC.
These complaints, while important, fade to insignificance compared to the fiasco that unfolded in the National Capital District yesterday.
This is the city where the PNGEC headquarters is. This is where all the planning is done and ideas tested. This is where every polling booth is accessible by road, where mobilisation of officials and polling teams ought to be operating like clockwork.
Yet, it was here in Port Moresby that the elections basically failed.
Under perfect weather conditions – a clear but overcast sky which provided excellent shelter from the normal blazing sun – the polling teams did not deploy to one electorate – Moresby Northwest.
In Moresby Northeast and Moresby South, where they did deploy, they arrived as late at 11am and were still waiting past noon for ballot papers.
In Lae, polling was deferred to today because of rain early yesterday when part of the morning and all afternoon, the weather was fine. What stopped the polling teams from deploying? Again, bad timing.
It is shocking. It is embarrassing.
The whole episode gives the lie to all the assurances the PNGEC has given the country that it is prepared to deliver free, fair and safe elections on time.
It gives credibility to the cacophony of voices immediately before the issue of writs which pressed for the elections to be deferred by a number of months in order for discrepancies in the common roll and other election preparations to be completed.
Those voices, the loudest coming from parliament, wanted elections to be deferred by up to six months.
Indeed, a motion was passed by a majority in parliament to that effect.
There was a move at the 11th hour to remove Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen but that was thwarted.
This disgraceful conduct of the PNGEC flies in the face of its staunchest defender in government, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who fought his own cabinet, his governing coalition partners and parliament to stand resolutely for elections to be delivered on time and for Trawen to remain as its head.
The conduct also puts to shame the unwavering support the PNGEC received from decent, law abiding citizens and groups both here and abroad – including the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United States – which supported elections to be delivered on the appointed date.
This newspaper supported that stance as well and we do not regret it one bit because the law does stipulate that writs for the next election must be issued not a day later than the fifth anniversary of the return of writs for the last election. That date fell due on Friday, April 27.
There had been enough manipulation of constitutional laws up to that time and we felt disinclined to support further such overtures while recognising the fact that election preparations were sloppy.
Despite this, the people have conducted themselves most honourably and that too emerged in NCD yesterday.
They slept hardly a wink on Monday night but there was hardly any disturbances in any of the suburbs – a most unusual thing for Port Moresby. They woke up early Tuesday and were walking peacefully in pairs or in family groups, not in busloads as in the past.
They enquired patiently at the polling areas and waited patiently for the polling officials and ballot papers and then returned peacefully home.
That is exemplary conduct worthy of praise.
The PNGEC has had five years to prepare for these elections. There should be no excuse for what is happening throughout the country and in NCD yesterday.
The PNGEC catch-word on its flyers and advertisements say: “Vote LPV, now that’s fair.”
Vote for a “free, fair & safe Election 2012”.
We say the organisation charged with delivering a free, fair and safe election in 2012 has been most unfair to the people of PNG.
The preparation has been flimsy and lacklustre.
From throughout the country for the past few days, we have been receiving reports about shortage of ballot papers, lack of polling officials, non-payment of allowances for polling officials and names not being on the common roll which point an accusing finger directly at the PNGEC.
These complaints, while important, fade to insignificance compared to the fiasco that unfolded in the National Capital District yesterday.
This is the city where the PNGEC headquarters is. This is where all the planning is done and ideas tested. This is where every polling booth is accessible by road, where mobilisation of officials and polling teams ought to be operating like clockwork.
Yet, it was here in Port Moresby that the elections basically failed.
Under perfect weather conditions – a clear but overcast sky which provided excellent shelter from the normal blazing sun – the polling teams did not deploy to one electorate – Moresby Northwest.
In Moresby Northeast and Moresby South, where they did deploy, they arrived as late at 11am and were still waiting past noon for ballot papers.
In Lae, polling was deferred to today because of rain early yesterday when part of the morning and all afternoon, the weather was fine. What stopped the polling teams from deploying? Again, bad timing.
It is shocking. It is embarrassing.
The whole episode gives the lie to all the assurances the PNGEC has given the country that it is prepared to deliver free, fair and safe elections on time.
It gives credibility to the cacophony of voices immediately before the issue of writs which pressed for the elections to be deferred by a number of months in order for discrepancies in the common roll and other election preparations to be completed.
Those voices, the loudest coming from parliament, wanted elections to be deferred by up to six months.
Indeed, a motion was passed by a majority in parliament to that effect.
There was a move at the 11th hour to remove Electoral Commissioner Andrew Trawen but that was thwarted.
This disgraceful conduct of the PNGEC flies in the face of its staunchest defender in government, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill who fought his own cabinet, his governing coalition partners and parliament to stand resolutely for elections to be delivered on time and for Trawen to remain as its head.
The conduct also puts to shame the unwavering support the PNGEC received from decent, law abiding citizens and groups both here and abroad – including the governments of Australia, New Zealand and the United States – which supported elections to be delivered on the appointed date.
This newspaper supported that stance as well and we do not regret it one bit because the law does stipulate that writs for the next election must be issued not a day later than the fifth anniversary of the return of writs for the last election. That date fell due on Friday, April 27.
There had been enough manipulation of constitutional laws up to that time and we felt disinclined to support further such overtures while recognising the fact that election preparations were sloppy.
Despite this, the people have conducted themselves most honourably and that too emerged in NCD yesterday.
They slept hardly a wink on Monday night but there was hardly any disturbances in any of the suburbs – a most unusual thing for Port Moresby. They woke up early Tuesday and were walking peacefully in pairs or in family groups, not in busloads as in the past.
They enquired patiently at the polling areas and waited patiently for the polling officials and ballot papers and then returned peacefully home.
That is exemplary conduct worthy of praise.
The PNGEC has had five years to prepare for these elections. There should be no excuse for what is happening throughout the country and in NCD yesterday.
The PNGEC catch-word on its flyers and advertisements say: “Vote LPV, now that’s fair.”
Vote for a “free, fair & safe Election 2012”.
We say the organisation charged with delivering a free, fair and safe election in 2012 has been most unfair to the people of PNG.
Kandep candidates want official replaced
Source: The National, Wednesday June 27th, 2012
By YVONNE HAIP
VOTING in Enga province begins today but candidates contesting the Kandep seat have threatened to stop it if the returning officer is not replaced.
Kandep open seat candidate Alfred Manase had called for the immediate removal of the district returning officer.
He said the candidates had petitioned the Electoral Commission on June 15, giving it a seven-day notice to remove the returning officer.
The candidates alleged that the returning officer was a “close friend and associate” of MP Don Polye.
He said there would not be any voting for Kandep until the returning officer was replaced.
However, security forces and election officers will be on the lookout for any disruptions to polling to ensure it was conducted peacefully.
Voting scheduled for yesterday was postponed to today because of the late arrival of security forces to the province.
The delay began after the one day polling scheduled for each highlands province was extended in Southern Highlands and Hela from Saturday to Sunday, and parts of Hela to Monday.
Polling was slowed because of the delay in deploying security personnel and election officials to remote parts of the provinces due to bad weather.
Security forces began moving to Enga yesterday, with a few leaving this morning.
The Enga bus stop in Mt Hagen was packed with commuters trying to catch a ride back to their province so they could vote.
Many were stranded because there were not enough buses as most had been hired by the Electoral Commission.
Rural and urban settlers living in Western Highlands province were seen travelling to Enga on vehicles chartered by candidates who wanted them to vote for them
VOTING in Enga province begins today but candidates contesting the Kandep seat have threatened to stop it if the returning officer is not replaced.
Kandep open seat candidate Alfred Manase had called for the immediate removal of the district returning officer.
He said the candidates had petitioned the Electoral Commission on June 15, giving it a seven-day notice to remove the returning officer.
The candidates alleged that the returning officer was a “close friend and associate” of MP Don Polye.
He said there would not be any voting for Kandep until the returning officer was replaced.
However, security forces and election officers will be on the lookout for any disruptions to polling to ensure it was conducted peacefully.
Voting scheduled for yesterday was postponed to today because of the late arrival of security forces to the province.
The delay began after the one day polling scheduled for each highlands province was extended in Southern Highlands and Hela from Saturday to Sunday, and parts of Hela to Monday.
Polling was slowed because of the delay in deploying security personnel and election officials to remote parts of the provinces due to bad weather.
Security forces began moving to Enga yesterday, with a few leaving this morning.
The Enga bus stop in Mt Hagen was packed with commuters trying to catch a ride back to their province so they could vote.
Many were stranded because there were not enough buses as most had been hired by the Electoral Commission.
Rural and urban settlers living in Western Highlands province were seen travelling to Enga on vehicles chartered by candidates who wanted them to vote for them
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