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The Ausrrolion Development Studies Centre Norionol Universi ry Monograph no. 2 The role of the Papua New Guinea defence force Paul Mench The role of the Papua New Guinea defence force Development Studies Centre Monograph no. 2 The role of the Papua New Guinea defence force Paul Mench Series editor E.I<.. Fisl-; The Australian National University Canberra 1975 © Paul Mench 1976 This work is copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism, or review, as permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. lnqu!ries may be made to the publisher. National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-publication entry Mench, Paul. The role of the Papua New Guinea defence force. (Development Studies Centre monograph series; no. 2). Bibi iography. ISBN 0 909 150 10 9. 1. Papua New Guinea - Armed Forces. I. Title (Series: Australian National University, Canberra. Development Studies Centre. Monograph series; no.2). 355.033095 Printed and manufactured in Australia by The Australian National University. National Library of Australia card no. and ISBN 0 909 150 10 9 The Development Studies Centre has been set up within the Australian National University to help foster and co-ordinate development studies within the University and with other Institutions. The work of the Centre is guided by an executive committee under the chairmanship of the Vice Chancellor. The Deputy Chairman is the Director of the Research School of Pacific Studies. The other members of the committee are: Professor H.W. Arndt Dr W. Kasper Dr C. Barlow Professor D.A. Low Professor J.C. Caldwell (Chairman) Mr E. C. Chapman Dr R.J. May Dr R. K. Darroch Dr T.G. McGee Dr C.T. Edwards Dr S.S. Richardson Mr E.K. Fisk Dr LT. Ruzicka Professor J. Fox Professor T.H. Silcock Mr J. L. Goldring Dr R.M. Sundrum Professor D.M. Griffin Professor Wang Gungwu Professor B. L.C. Johnson (Dep. Chairman) Dr G.W. Jones Professor A.G. Ward Contents Acknowledgments vii Introduction ix Chapter 1 The development of indigenous military forces in Papua New Guinea up to 1969 1 Chapter 2 The transfer of military power : from 1969 to the eve of independence 51 Chapter 3 The Papua New Guinea Defence Force : an organisational analysis 95 Chapter 4 Defence and security problems in Papua New Guinea 156 Chapter 5 Civil-military relations in Papua New Guinea: the future 191 Bibliography 218 v Acknowledgments I wish to express my deep gratitude to Dr B.D. Beddie , Pro fessor of Government in the Faculty of Military Studies, University of New South Wales ; I have benefited greatly from his wisdom and advice whilst undertaking this study . I have also benefited from the advice of Dr Robert O'Neill, Head , Strategic and Defence Studies Centre, Australian Nat ional University , Dr Hugh Smith , Lecturer in Government , University of New South Wales, and Dr Ulf Sundhaussen , Lecturer in Political Studies, University of Papua New Guinea. In addition I would like to record my appreciation of the assistance given to me during my research by the Commander , officers and men of the Papua New Guinea Defence Force and others in PNG and Au stralia who are unfortunately too numerous .to mention by name here. I should also like to acknowledge the assistance of the Aus tralian Military Board which , by approving my appointment as a post-graduate student in the Faculty of Military Studies at Duntroon , made this study possible. I must point out , however, that I alone remain responsible for the opinions expressed which may not necessarily represent those of the Australian Department of Defence and Armed Services, the PNG Defence Force or any other government or organisation . vii Introduction The intention of this study is to examine the development and role of ind igenous military forces in Papua New Guinea. The study is based on a diversity of sources . In 1965-66 and 1971-72 I served with the Australian Army in Papua New Guinea and these two periods provide the background for some of the views that are expressed . During the preparation of the study in 1973-74, about three months were spent in PNG conducting field research which included visits to most parts of the country and discussions with members of the Papua New Gu inea Defence Force and with PNG government officials and politicians. In addition to drawing on material contained in previously published references and Australian and PNG Government Archives, I was granted limited access to the written records of the PNG Defence Force and its forerunner, the PNG Joint Force , and was permitted to conduct two att itude surveys involving serving memb ers of the Defence Force and PNG Public Service. In spite of the sources of informat ion that were available to me there were, nonetheless , considerable problems in regard to access to other relevant material. Because the study deals with curren t events the complete public record was not open and this has en tailed reliance, in places , on published material , press reports and oral evidence. Secondly , as the study discusses defence problems and contemporary relations between the Australian and PNG governments there are matters that still remain secret . For these reasons there are imposing difficulties in attempting to present a definitive account of more recent events. An associated difficulty is the documentation of sources of information. In cases where there might be possibilities of official or personal embarrassment, were the informants identified , they have been kept anonymous . Furthermore , as this was written before Papua New Guinea became independent it is inevitable that aspects of the account are incomplete (events beyond May 1974 have not been in cluded) . Although it might have been better from the point of view of historical completeness to have undertaken the study after independence, advantages do exist in its present ix x timing . Many trends in Papua New Guinea's political and military affairs are unmistakable , if not actually irreversible and , accordingly , the study may provide a basis for the analysis of future events as well as having some predictive value. The material might also serve as a starting point for further research. 1 The study contains a number of unifying themes ; it is also written against the background of the contemporary crisis in civil-military relations and the dominant polit ical role of the military over a large part of the Third World. The principal theme of the study is the relationship of armed forces, in the past , present and future , to the Papua New Gu inean polity. The existence of armed forces in PNG , as is the case in all new states , generates problems which extend beyond a consideration of their designated , formal roles. The ex istence of the PNG Defence Force may have qu ite un intended consequences in the future and it will almost certainly exhibit complex in terrelationships with PNG 's in ternal polit ical system and its relations with other states. These in terrelat ionships are discussed in the last two chapters in terms of civil-military relations , the polit ical role of the PNG military and the implications for strategic policy and external relations. The Third World background is , at times , dealt with explicitly , especially in regard to Tropical Africa which seems to of fer useful comparisons with PNG's status as a small developing country about to gain independence. Bu t even where comparison with the Third World and Af rican states is not explicit , my approach is influenced by comparative considerations . The study attempts to identify what is special to Papua New Gu inea and what is common to the experience of other new states. Useful comparisons are identified in relation to colonial military policy , the devolution of military power, the problems of internal and external security and military polit ics. The historical account of the development of military forces in PNG from the emergence of a 'constabulary trad it ion ' to the establishment of national armed forces reveals a pattern of development in which Australian strategic imperatives have predominated. In spite of pre­ World War II in itiatives which aimed at the establishment under local ordinances of territorially-based forces on the Brit ish colonial pattern, the forces raised in PNG during 1 Re searchers should also consult P. Colebatch, 1974. xi and after World War I were in tegral units of the Australian Army and Navy , raised , commanded and paid for from Australia. This linkage between Au stralian strategic obj ectives and military expansion in PNG was again highlighted in the 1960s during the period of Confrontation with Indonesia. Only when Australia embarked on an era of rapid decolon­ isation after 1969 and the Indonesia 'threat ' was seen to recede did the nexus between Au stralian and PNG defence considerations weaken . Military policy in PNG then became increasingly directed towards the needs of an independent state. This process of the transfer of military power to PNG was also facilitated by strategic reappraisal and disengagement on the part of Au stralia. Because of PNG's proximity to Australia, the trad itional views that were held regarding PNG's strategic importance and a pattern of centralised rule from Canberra rather than a degree of colonial autonomy , military development in PNG , until very late in the day, suffered from a lack of policy direction and administrative control in PNG . The study argues that this pattern of military development, which is contrasted with British colonial practice favouring the establishment of colonial forces subj ect to local control, may have profound implicat ions for post-independence civil­ military relations.

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