Political Reviews

The Region in Review: International Issues and Events, 2017 nic maclellan

Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, 2017 volker boege, mathias chauchat, alumita durutalo, joseph daniel foukona, budi hernawan, michael leach, james stiefvater

The Contemporary Pacic, Volume 30, Number 2, 461–547 © 2018 by University of Hawai‘i Press

461 political reviews • melanesia 519 and the Everyday Representation of Time, indonesia/topics/immunization/MR Belonging, and Death. The Asia Pacific _CAMPAIGN/en/ [accessed 16 Feb 2018] Journal of Anthropology 12 (4): 327–347. Tabloid Jubi. 2017a. Kasus Deiyai bukan wabah, tapi musibah. 18 July. http:// tabloidjubi.com/artikel-7863-kasus-deiyai Papua New Guinea -bukan-wabah-tapi-musibah.html The year 2017 had the potential to [accessed 16 Feb 2018] bring great changes to the Independent ———. 2017b. Kepengurusan baru, State of Papua New Guinea. Much Solpap gulirkan 10 rekomendasi untuk of the political news was dominated pendampingan Pedagang Asli Papua. by stories regarding the general 7 May. http://tabloidjubi.com/artikel-6026 election and the discontinuation of -kepengurusan-baru-solpap-gulirkan-10 Australia’s offshore refugee deten- -rekomendasi-untuk-pendampingan tion and processing­ center, hosted on -pedagang-asli-papua.html [accessed the island of Manus. Other notable 16 Feb 2018] events affecting the nation included ———. 2017c. Solpap tolak rencana changes in leaders outside of the jual daging sapi di Pasar Mama-Mama. election, ­economic challenges, and 19 March. http://tabloidjubi.com/artikel the ­conclusion of the long-standing -4697-solpap-tolak-rencana-jual-daging controversy over the arrest warrant -sapi-di-pasar-mamamama.html [accessed 20 March 2018] of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. At the conclusion of a year that brought Taylor, Susan, and Wilda Asmarini. 2017. numerous changes, much has stayed Union to Press for Freeport Mine Worker the same. Rights on Indonesia Visit. Reuters, 3 Aug. The beginning of the year saw https://www.reuters.com/article/us-freeport -mcmoran-indonesia-labor/union-to-press an early overturn of leadership as -for-freeport-mine-worker-rights-on two knights having the same first -indonesia-visit-idUSKBN1AI2SO name ended their time in leader- [accessed 16 Feb 2018] ship. ­Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio passed away in February after walhi Papua, Pusaka Foundation, Jerat Papua, kpkc Sinode gki di Tanah Papua, a long struggle with issues of health. skpkc Fransiskan Papua, and skp KAMe Ogio was in the final week of his Merauke. 2017. Catatan Akhir Tahun six-year term as the queen’s viceregal 2017: Perampasan Tanah, Kekerasan dan representative and, as his term was Deforestasi di Papua. Jakarta. http:// coming to a close, Parliament had pusaka.or.id/assets//2018/01/Laporan already appointed Bob Dadae to fill -Bersama-Catatan-Akhir-Tahun-2017 the ­position. Dadae had served as a -Vrs.pdf [accessed 1 March 2018] member of Parliament (mp) for the who, World Health Organization. 2018. Kabwum electorate in Morobe Prov- Measles Fact Sheet. Reviewed January. ince for the previous fifteen years and http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/ assumed the role on 28 February. He fs286/en/ [accessed 16 Feb 2018] was subsequently knighted in London. who Indonesia. 2017. Measles Rubella Dadae’s appointment could be seen as Immunization Campaign in Java Island on a reward of sorts for crossing the floor Aug–Sept 2017. http://www.searo.who.int/ from the government led by then- 520 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018)

Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare to retirement, though. Prior to retirement the O’Neill-led opposition in 2011. ceremonies, supporters of the depart- Although he initially indicated that ing governor for East Sepik Province he would step away from politics turned up at the provincial assembly in 2012, Grand Chief Sir Michael “to demand their payments for vari- Somare finalized his political legacy ous projects, activities and for their in April as he stepped away from loyalty and unwavering support for a career that spanned more than Sir Michael during his distinguished fifty years in public service. Somare political career” (Fito 2017). started as a teacher and government The election cycle officially interpreter in the early 1960s before launched on 20 April, the first polling being elected to the House Assembly stations were to open on 26 July, and in 1968. He is noted for an unbroken the writs were to be returned on or span of forty-nine years in legislative before 24 July. Campaigning for the service and is best remembered for 111 parliamentary seats (89 members serving as prime minister at the time and 22 governors) was underway of independence in 1975. Somare-led immediately in April, as parliamen- governments covered a total of seven- tarians returned to their electorates teen years across three terms: 1975– to jockey for voters’ favor and party 80, 1982–85, and 2002–11 (Johnstone leaders retreated to their various 2011). His departure comes after he camps to determine policies, entice was ignominiously removed from the defections, and calculate ways to gain prime minister’s role in 2011 while numerical ascendency for the next receiving medical treatment in Singa- five years. pore for an extended period of time. This was a particularly polariz- Somare was never quite able to regain ing election as rhetoric was mostly his political stature after the constitu- directed for or against the incumbent tional crisis that ensued, during which government, led by Prime Minister both Somare and O’Neill were recog- O’Neill and the People’s National nized as legitimate prime minister by Congress (pnc). The pnc set up base various groups within government. in Alotau while their leading chal- The retirement of Sir Michael, the lengers, a coalition of the National longest-serving politician by far, marks Alliance Party and the historic Pangu a changing of the guard in PNG poli- Party, established a camp in Kokopo. tics as the country celebrated its 42nd The National Alliance and Pangu anniversary of independence. Somare’s coalition sought the support of dis- departure was met in Parliament satisfied parliamentarians and found with the stately fanfare that would it in members of Triumph Heritage be expected for a man that is often Empowerment Party, PNG Consti- hailed as the “Father of the Nation.” tutional Democratic Party, People’s After inspecting an honor guard, he Progress Party (ppp), PNG National was presented with songs, cultural Party, and other independents. This dances, and speeches by leaders in loose coalition became known as sim- the public and private sector (Zarriga ply the Alliance. While policies among 2017). Not all were pleased with his members varied, they all upheld the political reviews • melanesia 521 explicit goal to replace the government caused by the construction of new led by O’Neill and the pnc (Blades buildings by foreigners (The National 2017). 2017a). Similarly, Don Polye went Notable among these dissatisfied so far as to promise the people of the candidates was former Prime Minis- Autonomous Region of Bougainville ter Sir Mekere Morauta, a National that, if elected, his government would Alliance member and staunch O’Neill recognize their independence (The critic, as well as Patrick Pruaitch and National 2017b)—a refutation of the Don Polye, former cabinet members pnc’s stance that the 2019 referendum in O’Neill’s government. Standing to on independence would be nonbind- represent the Port Moresby North- ing (The Economist 2017). Mekere west electorate, Morauta came out Morauta’s vocal opposition to Peter of retirement as a result of several O’Neill also continued as Morauta very public spats between himself and called O’Neill out for not agreeing to O’Neill. Morauta had levied a strong public, televised debates (PNG Post- critique against the financial ­policies Courier 2017). and performance of the economy The campaign period was mostly under pnc leadership, while O’Neill peaceful although there were instances criticized Morauta’s management of of concern in some areas, including the nonprofit PNG Sustainable Devel- several deaths as violence erupted opment Program Limited. Pruaitch, between crowds. Prime Minister member for Aitape-Lumi, joined the O’Neill was not exempt from opposi- opposition after O’Neill relieved tion, as a pnc rally he was attending him of his portfolio in charge of the in Hela Province was interrupted by treasury in May, following Pruaitch’s a hostile crowd. O’Neill and the pnc announcement that the PNG economy also copped strong criticism from had “fallen off a cliff” (emtv Online student activists at the University 2017). Representing the Kandep of Papua New Guinea (upng) for electorate in Enga Province, Polye was their use of the social media hashtag also a former minister of the treasury #pnc4png. The upng objectors for O’Neill and had been similarly claimed that this digital campaign dismissed in 2014 after criticizing the slogan was an appropriation of their government’s decision and legality protest motto #upng4png (Kaiku of methods used to secure a loan of 2017), a movement that strongly 3 billion kina (us$951 million) from criticized pnc government policies and the Union Bank of Switzerland (ubs) was met with lethal force as police (Pokiton 2017). shot protestors attempting to march The Alliance campaign strategies on Parliament House in June 2016. sought to undermine unpopular pnc Despite these difficulties, pnc party policies. Kavieng mp Ben Micah, a ppp candidates, including O’Neill, touted member, promised that as prime minis- their many successes while in control ter he would cancel the 2018 meetings of government, citing a 92 percent of the Asia Pacific Economic Council success rate in achieving goals outlined (apec) in Port Moresby due to dam- by the party in the Alotau Accord age of iconic Indigenous cultural sites (Kenneth 2017a). 522 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018)

A unique feature of this election place looking for their names on the was the scheduling of only a single day list after being turned away from the for casting votes at many polling sites. same station at which they had cast This was a first for elections in PNG ballots for years. As a result, Winduo and appeared to many familiar with declared, “the 2017 general election elections in the country, including this in Port Moresby was indeed very author, to pose significant logistical disorganised, disruptive, and failed to challenges for both electoral officials live up to the expectation observed in and voters. Areas where the single- previous general elections” (Winduo day ballot were to be used included 2017). This was not the first time that the seven provinces in the highlands, the common voting roll has been a as well as those of East New Britain, barrier to a free and fair election, with Morobe, Madang, and Port Moresby’s previous observer groups expressing National Capital District (Kenneth the need to update and maintain the 2017c). Indeed, the locations with rolls and the Electoral Commission’s one-day polling did come up against several promises to do so. The need such barriers and, in most cases, for these changes was highlighted polls were deferred at least once. In again by the Commonwealth Observ- O’Neill’s Ialibu-Pangia electorate in ers’ Group, which declared that the the Southern Highlands province, body was “very disappointed” with polls were pushed back until Sunday, the failure to improve the integrity of leading opponents to question the the rolls after previous recommenda- legitimacy and legality of a vote taking tions (Pacific Islands Report 2017a) place on the day considered holy to and led the group to reiterate the need most Christian denominations (Kero to “review and strengthen the voter and Tien 2017). registration and electoral roll” in their Other challenges manifesting them- final report (Commonwealth Observ- selves in the 2017 General Election ers Group 2017, 21). included the distribution of insuffi- In Port Moresby, an election work- cient ballot papers to polling locations ers’ strike over nonpayment of wages at state-run tertiary learning institu- further complicated the ­balloting tions; accusations of as many as three ­process. Shortcomings of the roll, hundred thousand “ghost voters” (a ­election deferrals due to the unpre- claim denied by the Electoral Commis- paredness of officials, and strikes not sion) (rnz 2017a); reports of double only inconvenienced voters but also voting; and some instances of violence cost employers. Many businesses and intimidation, especially toward allowed time off to their employees or women, at balloting sites. Perhaps the even closed for the entire day to allow largest challenge to the polling process them to vote, resulting in loss of sales; was the high level of inaccuracy of the one Port Moresby business claimed common roll of voters. Social media a net loss of some 200,000 kina platforms were filled with accounts of (us$61,000) (Pacific Islands Report voters being turned away from polling 2017b). places. Many, like Steven Winduo, In an election that pitted leaders went from polling place to polling mostly for or against the pnc and political reviews • melanesia 523 its policies, researcher Michael Mell invited the pnc to form a government. projected that only approximately 50 While the move was premature—and percent of parliamentarians would Alliance leaders duly protested—the be returned to their seats (Ovasuru pnc did eventually round out the 2017). Predictions for a high turnover numbers to form a government. Peter of serving politicians were correct, O’Neill was elected prime minister, and many high-profile figures who sixty to forty-six. The pnc only gar- could have been considered shoe-ins nered a net total of twenty-nine seats, to win reelection were turned back by and the balance of the votes came their constituencies. These included from successful candidates belonging pnc strongman and Speaker Theo to other parties, such as Governor for ­Zurenuoc of Finschafen, who was the National Capital District Powes replaced by Pangu’s Renbo Paita, Parkop of the Social Democratic Party the youngest parliamentarian of this and Mt Hagen’s William Duma of the session at thirty years of age. So dis- United Resources Party. The pnc also traught were Zurenuoc supporters that gained support from several candi- the electoral returns officer felt the dates who had campaigned on plat- need to seek protective police custody forms staunchly opposed to O’Neill’s (rnz 2017b). Both the opposition policies. Many of them joined his and the government lost seats belong- headquarters at Alotau or crossed ing to long-standing and prominent the floor shortly after the first sitting figures in Parliament. These included of Parliament in July. This number the aforementioned members of the included Bulolo mp Sam Basil, the Alliance ppp member Ben Micah of Pangu Party head and a strong figure Kavieng and Don Polye from Kandep in the Alliance who had vowed to take in Enga, as well as O’Neill’s Deputy leadership away from O’Neill. Eleven Prime Minister Leo Dion of East New Pangu Party members joined Basil Britain. O’Neill used these results to in the defection. This included Chris deflect claims of vote rigging by oppo- Yer Nangoi of the Sumkar electorate nents, stating that they proved that the and Moriape Kavori of Lufa, Eastern elections were “a true reflection of the Highlands Province. Basil, Nangoi, people’s choices” (Nalu 2017). and Kavori were each rewarded with While much of the focus during the roles in the prime minister’s cabinet campaign period was on pnc policies as a result (Kero 2017). Although and the removal or retention of that O’Neill’s pnc-led coalition govern- party and its leaders, the 2017 election ment has a clear majority this term, was far from a two-horse race, with a these results have also created a much total of twenty-one parties represented stronger and possibly emboldened at the conclusion of the balloting. opposition for this term, which will After the polls closed, Alliance leaders clearly present challenges to the fur- felt they might have the potential to thering of current policies in a Parlia- garner the requisite numbers to form a ment in which fluctuating allegiances government, but despite twenty of the are not uncommon. writs not having been declared, Elec- While the electoral commission toral Commissioner Patilias Gamato expected some 4,068 candidates to 524 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) stand for election, only 3,332 of them Regional candidate Fred Konga on finalized their registration (Kenneth 25 August. Konga and associates 2017b). Of this number, 167 were were traveling along the Poreporena women, with all provinces except Freeway in Port Moresby when their West New Britain fielding at least one vehicle was attacked by unknown female candidate. Among the women assailants and Konga was executed. to stand for election was Pangu Party Deaths as a result of fights between candidate Dulciana Somare, the candidate supporters are unfortunate daughter of the previously mentioned but do occur with some regularity in Sir Michael Somare. While her father Papua New Guinea; ­however, assas- gave her his unconditional support sinations such as this are virtually and encouraged all voters to back unknown. female candidates, when the final The logistical challenges of PNG results were read, none of the women elections are unenviable and require a had been elected to Parliament. The great amount of effort and resources. exclusion of female candidates could While the election cycle of 2017 did see a resurgence in calls for special see several instances of irregularities, seats for women, but this had not violence, strikes, and even some out- eventuated by the year’s end. right corruption, to declare it a failure The process of manually tabulating would elide the numerous successes ballots under the current Limited Pref- of the thousands of election workers erential Voting (lpv) system currently deployed to some 10,800 polling sta- in place is a lengthy affair, one that tions across the country. The efforts was not helped by electoral worker of these workers and the millions of strikes in some areas such as Port peaceable voters should be applauded, Moresby or by violence, seen in the but the glaring shortcomings of the provinces of Enga, Western Highlands, voter rolls and registration process, and Southern Highlands. Numerous nondelivery of ballots, bribery, and disruptions to counting in the race for outright fraud similarly cannot be governor of the latter province delayed ignored. The Electoral Commission the final declaration of the victor, has once again promised to address ­William Powi of pnc, until Septem- shortcomings of the common roll ber—well after Parliament had been going forward, but the problem has seated. been noted by citizens, international Unfortunately, several people died, and domestic observer groups, and many were injured, and property was even the Electoral Commission itself damaged or destroyed as a result of for years with no significant improve- election-related violence in various ment. Security concerns, particularly locales, most in disputes that occurred in montane regions, also necessitate during the counting process. Exact fig- upgrades in electoral planning for ures of those killed or injured in elec- future ballots in order to preserve lives tion or tabulation events are difficult and ensure an atmosphere in which a to extrapolate. One anomaly to occur truly free and fair election can occur. after the election proceedings had con- The inefficient methods of manual lpv cluded was the assassination of Jiwaka counting are also in need of an update, political reviews • melanesia 525 but such a change may prove ­difficult, Acting as a voice for the detainees as many are suspicious of new tech- and communicating their plight to nologies in such a critical setting and the world, Kurdish Iranian journalist vote counters often enjoy financial Behrouz Boochani has been keep- rewards for their efforts. ing the international public abreast While the General Election cap- of the views of the asylum seekers. tured headlines for the several months Boochani’s use of social media plat- of its cycle, the refugee detention forms, especially WhatsApp, allowed center on Manus has remained a him to partner with New York Times controversial point in politics for journalist Megan Specia in a power- several years. The detention center ful rebuttal of Trump’s initial decision indirectly came into the international to renege on the Obama-era deal to spotlight as dispute over the fate resettle in the United States 1,250 of refugees housed there led newly refugees who had been seeking asylum elected businessman-turned-politician in Australia. After calling the arrange- Donald Trump, now the US president, ment “a dumb deal” in a Twitter post, to allegedly hang up the telephone on the US president subsequently agreed Australian Prime Minister ­Malcolm to honor the plan (Specia 2017). Turnbull. The highly publicized phone In April, officials from the US call became heated after their discus- Department of Homeland Security sion turned to the deal signed by documented and interviewed the asy- former President Barack Obama that lum seekers, and by November about would see asylum seekers given refuge 50 had been resettled in the United in the United States. States. By the end of the year, some Declared unconstitutional and 600 remained at the camp, despite ordered to close by the PNG Supreme its closure and inhumane conditions. Court in 2015, the refugee detention Afraid to move to temporary housing was scheduled to close on 31 July. in the provincial capital Lorengau, the The site has been controversial both detainees continued to hold out hope in Australia and Papua New Guinea for resettlement in the United States or since its inception, and the primary Australia (Goldman and Cave 2017). perception of it from both detainees Eventually approximately 300 of the and the general public was one of detainees were moved to the new site chaos and confusion. More than once at East Lorengau, while 200 others during the year, Australian authorities were slated to be sent to the United offered large sums of money to asylum States shortly. seekers who would agree to return to Confusion regarding the legal status their respective points of origin or to of the refugees and the camp itself resettle in Cambodia, Nauru, or Papua was not the only issue regarding the New Guinea. These efforts to reduce Manus detention center to rise to the the total number of asylum seekers fore. At least two riots erupted at the through agreed-to repatriation were camp, ostensibly over the quality of coupled with the forced deportation food. The riots were not solely caused of several individuals whose refugee by the asylum seekers; in one instance, status was rejected. reports laid blame on Australian 526 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) guards (rnz 2017c). On a separate slowdown has not been the only chal- occasion, drunken officers from lenge to face the oil and gas industry, the PNG Defence Force rampaged since oil production has declined as oil through the facility. Detainees also fields mature (Osborne, Harden, and complained of threats and intimida- Roy 2017). Challenges in the natural tion from locals and used social media resource sector were matched by chal- outlets to release videos showing men, lenges from the natural environment apparently drunk locals, issuing death as a severe drought has been affecting threats in Tok Pisin (Palin 2017). local agriculture. Said drought has Specific information about the status, also been a causal factor for the rise of affairs, and well-being of the would-be local inflation over 6 percent. Despite migrants is challenging to find. Exact these financial woes, the supple- numbers of those remaining at the mentary budget filed by the O’Neill new island encampment and informa- government in September seeks to tion about when they will be relocated reduce the fiscal debt but does so “on and to which destinations are parts of unchanged fiscal and monetary poli- the Manus saga that are still evolving. cies” (imf 2017). Early in the year a spat over inter- Deputy Prime Minister and Min- national trade with Fiji did not help ister for Treasury Charles Abel has the country’s economic outlook as the spoken boldly about the need for Fijian government banned imports of improvements to the financial man- certain PNG-made brands including agement of the country. Whether bully beef, rice, and biscuits. The PNG his leadership is able to bring that trade minister at the time, Richard about remains to be seen. This is Maru, dubbed Fiji “a dishonourable especially salient as the economic country” and threatened to respond boom that ­correlated with the con- in kind. Fiji’s leadership indicated struction phases of the lng project concerns over biosecurity issues, but and the excitement surrounding the Trade Minister Faiyaz Koya eventually first shipments of the export also did reopened the free trade agreement that not play out, as many had hoped, has governed the relationship since the into improvement and real develop- 1990s (rnz 2017d). ment, especially for citizens in rural For the third consecutive year, areas. Analysts at the Lowy Institute Papua New Guinea faced economic observed, “Papua New Guinea failed challenges, especially in comparison to achieve any of the Millennium with the strong growth experienced Development Goals and it is cur- since the beginning of the various rently ranked a lowly 154 out of 188 projects to extract liquefied natural countries on the UN Human Develop- gas (lng) that produced noticeable ment Index” (Osborne, Harden, and shifts in the economy during their Roy 2017). Despite these challenges, construction phases. The completion Australian High Commissioner to of these projects is one of the largest PNG Bruce Davis voiced his country’s factors affecting the trend of slower confidence in Papua New Guinea’s growth, which is projected to be less economic outlook, noting that “two- than 3 percent (imf 2017). The lng way trade is worth around k14 bil- political reviews • melanesia 527 lion with about 64 percent of trade built roads in Port Moresby became exported from Papua New Guinea to traffic hazards during times of rain as Australia” (Vari 2017). a result of floods caused by poor plan- Several government departments ning and construction. These problems failed to pay rent or utility bills on arise as rural residents regularly point time, leading to disruption of services. out the disparity between funds allo- In February, Government House, Par- cated and projects underway in Port liament House, Police Headquarters, Moresby in comparison with their and the main health center all had areas. Expenditures and construction their power disconnected. The state- in preparation for apec meetings in owned power company PNG Power 2018 have further exacerbated these reported that the national govern- concerns. Some previously criticized ment owed them a combined total infrastructure proved beneficial this of over a$11 million across several year as facilities built for the 2015 departments at the end of 2016. In Pacific Games were used to host three that same month, the United Nations matches of the Rugby League World suspended voting privileges for Papua Cup. The national team, the PNG New Guinea, as it had failed to pay Kumuls, won all three of their matches annual dues. This came as a prison in at the National Football Stadium in Mt Hagen had food service disrupted Port Moresby, beating representative because the contractor had not been sides from Wales, Ireland, and the paid, and New Zealand officials com- United States. plained of debts to contractors from Issues with payment of debts and their country (Tlozek 2017). In May, infrastructure may not be directly the government of the Autonomous related to the country’s economic Region of Bougainville threatened to struggles, but such occurrences do not take the PNG National Government build confidence in the competence, to court, as they had not received over vision, or efficiency of state bureau- us$250 million in budgetary allow- cracies and their respective leader- ances. The month of June saw staff at ship, as well as the overall leadership the PNG Embassy to the United States of the state. The high turnover of in Washington dc locked out due to parliamentary representatives at the nonpayment of rent, and several gov- 2017 election may partially stem from ernment offices in Port Moresby were both the persistence of such problems similarly barred from facilities for the and politicians’ repeated promises to same reason in August. change them. Issues with infrastructure also Since its earliest days, the Indepen- raised the ire of the general public. dent State of Papua New Guinea has Blackouts have always been com- allowed its citizens to maintain citizen- mon across Papua New Guinea, and ship in only one country. In 2016, this these complaints were magnified as policy was reversed by constitutional the Ramu power station experienced amendments and the passage of the major disruptions in service that Citizenship Act. These changes were affected areas from Madang and Lae implemented in March and April of to the highlands. Meanwhile, newly 2017 as applications were opened to 528 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) people from eligible countries to apply versy surrounding the legality of that for PNG citizenship. This was seen as 2014 arrest ­warrant appears to have good news by both the large PNG resi- been settled in mid-December 2017, dent expatriate community and Papua at least for now. Originally upheld New Guineans residing overseas. The by the Supreme Court, the warrant group that likely benefits most from was deemed to be defective based on this change in policy, however, are the a technicality by a different panel of thousands of West Papuans who have three justices of that same body. An been living in Papua New Guinea as in-depth analysis of this decision is refugees, some of whom have been justified due to concerns over previ- in the country for as long as forty ous rulings, the type of precedent set, years. In April, 1,114 West Papuans arguments for ruling it defective, and residing at the East Awin camp near the lack of opposition, but that is Kiunga were granted naturalization in beyond the scope of this review. But it two ceremonies in as many days (Sii is notable that “the Court’s ­ruling did 2017). More than a hundred other not exonerate O’Neill of the allega- West Papuans were reported to have tions of corruption. It only said that received dual citizenship in Papua the warrant issued was defective, New Guinea in 2017. While several leaving the substantive allegations West Papuans had forfeited their offi- still open to scrutiny” (Kama 2017). cial status as citizens­ of Indonesia over It will not be surprising if this issue is the years, the monetary cost required raised again in the future. However, to complete the process was beyond the government’s official disbanding the means of most of the refugees, of the anticorruption watchdog group most of whom still live in camps or Taskforce Sweep and the failure to settlements, many in rural areas. This introduce a new independent com- makes the government’s decision to mission leaves little room for effective waive fees for the West Papuan com- investigation or prosecution of corrup- munity especially significant. tion, abuses of power, or misconduct The 2014 loan secured by the at the highest levels. O’Neill government from the United Besides the previously mentioned Bank of Switzerland to buy shares passing of Governor-General Sir in the natural resource exploration Michael Ogio, the year 2017 also saw company Oil Search Ltd also received several important figures in the politi- attention this year. The government’s cal and business communities pass decision to sell the shares in 2017 away. Notable deaths included those at a considerable loss was nearly as of Janet Sape (58), women’s advocate, unpopular as the choice to secure the businesswoman, former gubernato- loan. Attached to that controversy rial candidate for Port Moresby, and was the June 2014 arrest warrant PNG netball representative; radio on suspicion of corruption that host and broadcast journalist Roger was issued for Prime Minister Peter Hau‘ofa (73); Ezekiel Anisi mp for O’Neill. After years of legal battles Ambunti-Dreikikir Open in East Sepik and numerous court decisions and Province, who was the youngest-ever appeals, the long-standing contro- member of Parliament (29); PNG political reviews • melanesia 529 flag designer Susan Karike Huhume Guinea. 29 Dec. https://www.imf.org/en/ (60); former Chief Migration Officer News/Articles/2017/12/29/pr17523-imf Mataio Rabura (63); former Electoral -executive-board-concludes-2017-article Commissioner Sir Andrew Trawen -iv-consultation-with-papua-new-guinea [accessed Jan ] (61); and newspaper editor Rosalyn 4 2018 Albaniel Evara (41), likely a victim of Johnstone, Ian. 2011. Interview with Chief gender-based violence. Sir Michael Somare. New Flags Flying. rnz, 5 Aug. http://www.radionz.co.nz/ james stiefvater collections/u/new-flags-flying/nff-png/ michael-somare [accessed 5 Jan 2018] References Kaiku, Patrick. 2017. Facebook post, 28 May. https://www.facebook.com/ Blades, Johnny. 2017. Goal of ­Removing karabuspalau [accessed 20 Dec 2017] O’Neill Galvanizes New PNG ­Alliance. Radio New Zealand International, 31 July. Kama, Bal. 2017. When the Police Try to http://www.pireport.org/articles/2017/ Arrest the Prime Minister. The Interpreter, 07/31/goal-removing-oneill-galvanizes 22 Dec. https://www.lowyinstitute.org/ -new-png-alliance [accessed 20 Jan 2018] the-interpreter/when-police-try-and-arrest -prime-minister [accessed 27 Dec 2017] Commonwealth Observers Group. 2017. Final Report: Papua New Guinea National Kenneth, Gorethy. 2017a. PNG Prime Election, June–July 2017. London: Minister Says His Government Has ­Commonwealth Secretariat. http:// “Achieved 92 Per Cent of Its Priorities.” thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/ PNG Post-Courier, 28 March. http://www inline/PNG%20COG%20Report .pireport.org/articles/2017/03/27/png %20FINAL.pdf [accessed 10 Jan 2018] -prime-minister-says-his-government-has -achieved-92-cent-its-priorities [accessed emtv Online. 2017. Pruaitch Relieved of 14 Jan 2018] Treasury Portfolio. 11 May. http://www .emtv.com.pg/pruaitch-relieved-of-treasury ———. 2017b. As Nomination Period -portfolio/ [accessed 5 Feb 2018] Closes, Fewer Candidates than Expected Contest PNG Elections. PNG Post-­ Fito, Gabriel. 2017. Unrest in PNG’s Courier, 28 April. http://www.pireport.org/ Wewak as Sir Michael Somare Prepares articles/2017/04/27/nomination-period to Leave Politics. PNG Post-Courier, -closes-fewer-candidates-expected-contest 29 March. http://www.pireport.org/ -png-elections [accessed 5 Feb 2018] articles/2017/03/28/unrest-pngs-wewak -sir-michael-somare-prepares-leave ———. 2017c. One-Day Polling. PNG -politics [accessed 5 Jan 2018] Post-Courier, 7 June. https://postcourier .com.pg/one-day-polling/ [accessed 5 Feb Goldman, Russell, and Damien Cave. 2018] 2017. What Is Happening on Manus Island? The Detainee Crisis Explained. Kero, Gynnie. 2017. Basil Joins ­Cabinet. New York Times, 2 Nov. https://www The National, 16 Oct. https://www .nytimes.com/2017/11/02/world/australia/ .thenational.com.pg/basil-joins-cabinet/ manus-island-refugees.html [accessed [accessed 8 Feb 2018] Feb ] 8 2018 Kero, Gynnie, and Damies Tien. 2017. imf, International Monetary Fund. 2017. PNG Prime Minister Has Early Vote imf Executive Board Concludes 2017 Lead; Competitor Challenging Legality Article IV Consultation with Papua New of Sunday Poll. The National, 12 July. 530 the contemporary pacific • 30:2 (2018) http://www.pireport.org/articles/2017/ 3 April. http://www.looppng.com/png 07/11/png-prime-minister-has-early-vote -news/polye%E2%80%99s-ubs-loan-case -lead-competitor-challenging-legality -pending-instructions-55875 [accessed -sunday [accessed 15 Jan 2018] 5 Feb 2018] Nalu, Malum. 2017. Results “Good.” PNG Post-Courier. 2017. pm’s [sic] The National, 19 July. https://www Refuses to Debate Publicly. 13 July. .thenational.com.pg/results-good/ https://postcourier.com.pg/pms-refuses [accessed 8 Feb 2018] -debate-publicly/ [accessed 6 Feb 2018] Osborne, David, Robert Harden, and rnz, Radio New Zealand. 2017a. PNG Christopher Hoy. 2017. Economic Electoral Chief Rejects “Ghost Voters” ­Analysis of Papua New Guinea. In Papua Claim. 24 July. http://www.radionz.co.nz/ New Guinea: 7 Snapshots of a Nation. international/pacific-news/335679/png Lowy Institute, 6 Dec. http://interactives -electoral-chief-rejects-ghost-voters-claim .lowyinstitute.org/publications/PNGin2017 [accessed 6 Feb 2018] /png-in-2017-economics.html [accessed 2 Feb 2018] ———. 2017b. PNG Returning Officer Seeks Refuge after Upset Election Result. Ovasuru, Paeope. 2017. On Eve of PNG 20 July. http://www.radionz.co.nz/ Election; Poll Shows Incumbent ­Leaders international/pacific-news/335507/png Likely to Return. PNG Post-Courier, -returning-officer-seeks-refuge-after-upset 23 June. http://www.pireport.org/articles/ -election-result [accessed 25 Jan 2018] 2017/06/22/eve-png-election-poll-shows -incumbent-leaders-likely-return ———. 2017c. Guards Transferred from [accessed 20 Jan 2018] Nauru Incited Manus Riot—Refugee. 14 April. https://www.radionz.co.nz/ Pacific Islands Report. 2017a. Common- international/pacific-news/328828/guards wealth Observer Group “Very Disap- -transferred-from-nauru-incited-manus pointed” in PNG’s Electoral Roll. PNG -riot-refugee [accessed 8 Feb 2018] Post-Courier, 11 July. http://www.pireport .org/articles/2017/07/10/commonwealth ———. 2017d. Fiji to Allow PNG Food -observer-group-very-disappointed-pngs Imports that Sparked Trade Stoush. -electoral-roll [accessed 12 Jan 2018] 24 March. http://www.radionz.co.nz/ international/pacific-news/327413/fiji ———. 2017b. Chaos in PNG Capital: -to-allow-png-food-imports-that-sparked Election Officials Arrested; Voters Turned -trade-stoush [accessed 9 Feb 2018] Away; Poll Postponed. PNG Post-­Courier, 28 June. http://www.pireport.org/articles/ Sii, Tony. 2017. 403 West Papuans Get 2017/06/27/chaos-png-capital-election Citizenships. PNG Post-Courier, 11 April. -officials-arrested-voters-turned-away-poll https://postcourier.com.pg/403-west -postponed [accessed 5 Feb 2018] -papuans-get-citizenships/ [accessed 13 Feb 2018] Palin, Megan. 2017. Manus Island Mess: “You’re dead meat . . . I will kill you.” Specia, Megan. 2017. How Texts from News.com.au, 11 Dec. http://www.news a “Hell Prison” in the Pacific Led to a .com.au/world/asia/manus-island-mess ­Powerful Video Diary. New York Times, -youre-dead-meat-i-will-kill-you/news 13 Feb. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/ -story/f77ac187b863aba13fd4ae19e440 02/13/insider/manus-island-refugee f2a9 [accessed 8 Feb 2018] -australia.html [accessed 3 Jan 2018] Pokiton, Sally. 2017. Polye’s ubs Loan The Economist. 2017. Votes Loom on the Case Pending Instructions. PNG Loop, Future of New Caledonia and Bougain- political reviews • melanesia 531 ville. 6 April. https://www.economist.com/ early in the year, revealing that the news/asia/21720327-first-pacific-island country was experiencing cash flow -may-choose-stay-part-france-second problems due to financial mismanage- -could-split-papua [accessed 6 Feb 2018] ment (Aatai 2017a). It was alleged by The National. 2017a. Micah Vows to former Prime Minister Gordon Darcy Cancel apec. 31 May. https://www Lilo that the government’s reserve .thenational.com.pg/micah-vows-cancel had been reduced within two years -apec/ [accessed 6 Feb 2018] from si$1.5 billion to si$150 million ———. 2017b Polye Pledges to Help (si$100 = us$12.63). As a result, the B’ville Gain Independence. 19 May. government had to borrow to pay its https://www.thenational.com.pg/polye bills and settle other financial com- -pledges-help-bville-gain-independence/ mitments (sibc 2017b). Minister of [accessed 6 Feb 2018] Finance Snyder Rini assured the gen- Tlozek, Erik. 2017. Papua New Guinea eral public that government finances Loses UN Vote over Unpaid Annual Con- were stable and under control. This tributions. abc News (Australia), 23 Feb. was contrary to the government’s http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-02-24/ actual financial performance through- papua-new-guinea-loses-un-vote-over out the year because the government -unpaid-contributions/8298486 continued to delay the payment of [accessed 13 Feb 2018] bills and meeting its financial com- Vari, Mathew. 2017. Australia Confident mitments. For example, the Solomon in PNG Economy. PNG Post-Courier, Islands Government (sig)–sponsored 28 March. https://postcourier.com.pg/ students studying inside the country at australia-confident-in-png-economy/ Solomon Islands National University [accessed 15 Jan 2018] and at regional tertiary institutions Winduo, Steven. 2017. Is the Notion of such as the University of the South Citizenry at Stake? The National, 7 July. Pacific continued to experience delays https://www.thenational.com.pg/notion in the payment of their allowances -citizenry-stake/ [accessed 6 Feb 2018] (sfb 2017c; Abana 2017). The Solo- Zarriga, Miriam. 2017. Despite Wet mon Islands Broadcasting Corporation Weather, Port Moresby Turns out to Fare- (sibc), the country’s national broad- well Sir Michael Somare. The National, caster, took drastic measures to ensure 13 April. http://www.pireport.org/articles/ that it continued to operate, despite 2017/04/12/despite-wet-weather-port the government’s cash flow problem -moresby-turns-out-farewell-sir-michael (Runa 2017). -somare [accessed Jan ] 4 2018 Apart from the country’s financial situation, the decisions of the Demo- cratic Coalition for Change Govern- ment (dccg) on a number of political Solomon Islands issues were questionable. One of the The year 2017 has been one of intense government’s decisions was to pur- political maneuvering in Solomon chase a fixed-term estate title held by Islands, which had impacts on the Levers Solomon Limited and acquire functionality of the state appara- 20 percent shares in Russell Islands tus. This started with media reports Plantation Estate Limited. The deci-