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PNGDF soldiers to Miriung 9 s assassination

By Sam Vulum

Recent findings of a coroner’s

inquest involving the Papua New

Guinea Defence Force soldiers in the assassination of Bougainville Transitional Government Premier Theodore Miriung have dealt another blow to an already depressed force - still reeling from the damning revelations of the Kangu massacre report.

The findings of the inquest, led by retired Sri Lankan Judge Thirunavukkarasu Suntheralingam, have thrown into despair the efforts of the force in trying to reclaim lost pride and respect, and restore confidence in an administra tion marked by widespread deterioration of self-discipline and morale among ser vicemen. This was clearly evident in the recent sacking of 19 soldiers who refused to take up duties in the Bougainville oper ations.

The force’s commander, Brigadier- General Jerry Singirok, had initiated a major shake-up of the force, which includ

ed sweeping changes to senior positions,

several involving majors being promoted

to lieutenant colonels. He said the changes were necessary to ensure discipline and enable a better management of the force.

He followed through with the introduction of pay increases and allowances for ser vicemen.

But a senior defence force official con firmed claims by Defence Minister Mathaias Ijape that the soldiers implicated in the plot were not interviewed by the coroner. Ijape said that although defence officials on the ground in Bougainville were willing to be interviewed, they were ignored.

Judge Suntheralingam was appointed

by Commonwealth Secretary-General

Chief Emeka Anyaoku following a request

by PNG Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan for an independent inquiry into the assas sination He arrived in PNG on November 11 and heard evidence in Port Moresby and in Buka. He revealed that security force personnel based at Tonu were involved in the assassination of Miriung on October 12. Before flying out of the country on December 1, Judge Suntheralingam told reporters that about eight men were involved in the assassina tion at Kapena village in Siwai, south west Bougainville. Most of them, he said, were members of the security forces and a resistance unit based at nearby Tonu, two of whom actually fired the shot which killed the premier as he sat with his fami ly at dinner.

But the judge said he could not estab lish from the available evidence whether the assassination was ordered by military superiors or was a unilateral initiative of the security forces and/or resistance on the ground. “From my analysis of the evi dence made available, I am certain that certain members of that unit and a few members of the resistance that normally work with the army unit were responsible for the killing,” he said.

They included the “people who actual ly fired the shots - it would appear to be two persons, and the rest of the persons who aided or supported them after the event - from what has been made avail able now we have five or seven others”.

The judge said he based his findings on evidence gathered by the police Criminal Investigation Division and on testimony of witnesses, including seven or eight Kapena villagers, who gave evidence in either Port Moresby or Buka.

“I would not say it’s the entire evi dence that the CID has uncovered. I would say the suspects are ... members of the defence force. “That’s all I can say. Even though there are names that have come up, I don’t think it is proper for me to mention the names.” He said the investigations had

not been completed. “There are a few names that we would like to know that are not available to use,” he said.

“CID investigators themselves are very keen on going to the village, but the situation on the ground is not that favourable for anyone to move in. In fact, from what I know, the CID has made a request for that particular unit to be moved out but so far nothing has been done.” He said there was some intimida tion, citing the way witnesses looked around nervously and the fact that those who had given evidence in Port Moresby refused to speak to him in Buka. The coroner said that a “fairly important wit ness” from the resistance movement in the Konga area, who was summoned by the police, had been whisked away from Buka on the way to Port Moresby.

“On his way to the plane,” the judge said, “there was one of those helicopters which is managed by the army - they got him in and had him flown out.”

Judge Sutheralingam confirmed earlier reported allegations that an ambulance used by the security forces had been sight ed at the time of the assassination and there was evidence tying the weapons used to the armed forces. Commander of the defence force soldiers on Bougainville Lieutenant-Colonel Tokam Kanene decribed the findings as one-sided and unprofessional. He also rejected claims by the judge that soldiers had intimidated witnesses into not giving evidence.

“I’m questioning the whole integrity of the inquiry. They’ve just interviewed peo ple from one side. They haven’t done jus

tice to the security force,” he was quoted as saying in a newspaper report.

Reacting to the findings. Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan said the courts would now have the responsibility of ensuring that justice be done.

“It is in everyone’s interests that jus tice be done, be seen to be done, and be done quickly. And this extends to the defence force personnel and the one resis tance fighter who are alleged to have been involved,” Sir Julius said.

Meanwhile, the defence force is left with a lot of convincing work to do to dis pel any suggestions that the defence administration had failed miserably in keeping the men on the ground in tag at the time of the assassination, especially after its initial public denial about any involvement in the killing.

None other than those in the force know the real problems which may have contributed immensely to the Kangu mas sacre and the Miriung assassination.

A highly placed source within the force, who claimed to have had enough of the current administration, had called for the suspension of relief of commanders at various levels to allow for an independent inquiry into the force. He alleged the cur rent defence hierarchy was corrupt and inefficient. He said it was rife with nepo tism and glory seekers in the highest brackets of power in the force. He said this had resulted in the complete break down of discipline, which was reflected in the Kangu massacre, Miriung’s assassina tion and the constant involvement of ser vicemen in criminal activities. Among

other concerns, the source, a captain, was highly critical of the imposition of Operation High Speed II which, he said, was a repetition of the failed Operation High Speed I in 1994 in Panguna. He said the KlO million (SUS 7.4 million) allocat ed for the operation was a complete waste of public money, which was squandered in only two weeks.

The captain also raised serious doubts about Defence Minister Mathaias Ijape’s plan to spend KlOO million (SUS74.I mil lion) on arsenal for the force. “We don’t need ground support aircraft, tanks, artilleries, missile-fitted choppers, frigates, armoured troop-carrying vehicles and the fancy staff to fight the BRA. All we need is to beef up our existing units, weapons, uniforms, ammunition, medical supplies to boost our morale and fighting spirit to go into battle,” he said.

The captain said he was also aware that the proposed KlOO million to be used to purchase the weapons, would be divert ed to the raising of the Third Battalion in the Goldie River Barracks at the end of 1996 - the mass repatriation of stores, personnel and families from Goldie in Port Moresby to Igam Barracks in Lae.

“The money will also be used for more salary hikes for the commander to be pro moted to major-general, three lieutenant colonels to brigadier-generals and lieu tenant colonels to colonels,” he said.

Meanwhile Miriung’s successor, Gerard Sinato, has appealed to the securi ty forces, resistance and rebel forces to remain calm to avoid repercussions aris ing from the coroner’s findings. ■