Help Towards

“Let The Missions Help Towards Self-Government”

Rev R■ Grant, Chairman of the ethodist Overseas Mission, Papua strict, who has been in the Terri ry for 25 years, has some teresting things to say on the inuan’s role in self government this article. It is reprinted, with emission, from the “Missionary wiew”, published by the Methodist ission from Sydney.

By Rev. Ralph Grant

When will Papuan and New

uinean peoples be given self-gov

nment? One wonders if those who ess for immediate self-govern ent for these peoples are ignorant ■ existing conditions or, are they mply mischievous? Papuan mem :rs of the local council sometimes ■understand their rights and re icnsibilities as, for instance, when ey summoned a woman member I one of my church congregations id demanded her appearance be re the council to answer a charge E unseemly behaviour in church, le had laughed during the sermon, nowing the preacher, I was not irprised, for he has a strong sense : humour. I have been guilty of p same offence in his services! r[ERE are probably two to two and a half million Papuans in these two territories and the eople are not integrated, anguages divide them, for some pe hundred languages are known i exist in the land.

In many language groups there ■e several dialects; and, in many aces, Papuans are proud of their cal language and dialect and lany strive to keep it intact.

Various missions have selected ie language and made it the pguage of their major work, and ' their publications. But there wains a formidable list of ■nguages that separate tribes.

Age-old hatreds and fears also Jparate tribes. In some areas here missions have been long itablished, once warring tribes now )-operate. Elsewhere old grudges re retained.

Some tribes that have risen syond this idea of “payback”, do ot yet know mutual trust. A )rthright spirit of goodwill and ■ust is necessary.

It is interesting that Methodist eople from both Papua and New rtimea working in Port Moresby

provide evidence of a spirit of unity and, by their united efforts, they have erected a fine hall at con siderable cost to themselves.

Amongst these Papuans, the Dobuan language is an effective uniting force. The Bible has been translated into Dobuan and it is in use over a wide area and among people of many tongues.

"Inadequate"

English is being fostered as a medium of common expression, but totally inadequate efforts are being made to make it a “lingua franca”.

Progress in self-government cannot wait upon a widespread knowledge of English. It is to the credit of

the Government that certain areas, having a wider knowledge of English and some community of interest, have been chosen as guinea-pig areas for experiments in local self-government Careful instruction has been given to build up local government groups to correspond roughly to district councils in Australia.

In a given area Papuans are instructed, then an election is held.

The vote is given to all adult males.

The council then meets, and Papuan officers are elected, chair man, secretary, treasurer and others.

Under European guidance the council proceeds to consider local

ids schools and other needs. An imate is made of the costs to 25out a year’s programme of 5c Tax is levied on all istered voters at a rate deter by the councillors them yes. jften it rises to between £4 and oer head. But it is imposed by people with full know ge of what is possible financially the district. m this is experimental, and is n g used to test present Goyern nt Regulations. Ultimately these mcils will be increased until they fer the territory. The next step lid be a larger council formed im representatives from all local jncils. .. & large proportion of tne roles in Eastern Papua are turt le the present scope of local incils, but they are not un

vested.

h an effort to prepare them for ■al government, I suggested in |District Advisory Council that ■Government prepare a modified itement of the aims of a village nncil and a statement of its

wers and responsibilities, its

ostitution, its voting force and nilar matters; that missions co erate and translate it into their ngua franca” and publish it as lingual booklet. It could have yered the whole of that Admini ative area in possibly three

feuages.

Whole-hearted support was, given representatives of other missions the Advisory Council and by all tier members. Our unanimous solution was noted by the ivernment, but we were advised at the time was not ripe.

Our contention is that there is gent need for such booklets he re local self-government is given the people. It will give them mething to think about.

"Mock Elections"

Apart from helpful instruction at the Christian Church could re by forming discussion groups, id by running mock elections to miliarise the people with such ocedures, the Church must be ncerned in this new step. No uncil can function adequately dess the Christian ethic is the •sis.

A much wider understanding of e moral obligations of marriage needed; relations between family id council must be borne in mind; »wer politics must be avoided.

In my experience, a Papuan ielding power over other Papuans a harsh task-master and snerally more severe in his judg ents than a European.

A clear understanding of ewardship is needed by every mncillor and that is a definite

hristian concept.