Asia-Pacific Network: 11 July 1997
MERCENARIES: OPPOSITION ATTACKS SINGIROK OUSTING
Just four days before the declaration of official results of the Papua New Guinea's 1997 general election, former military commander Jerry Singirok has been quietly dumped from the armed forces. The outgoing Opposition has launched a bitter attack on the Chan government for "taking revenge" against Singirok and new military chief Brigadier-General Leo Nuia is again under fire.
By DAVID ROBIE in Port Moresby
OPPOSITION Leader Roy Yaki has launched a bitter attack on the outgoing Chan government for quietly dumping mercenary whistleblower Jerry Singirok from the Papua New Guinea Defence Force, warning this move could trigger further unrest in the military.
He said the decision, made public in the latest National Gazette, would "add salt to the wounds" of the PNGDF. He described it as another reckless decision.
Yaki blamed the leadership of defeated Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan and his deputy Chris Haiveta for the slump in army morale and discipline.
"Out of their desire to take revenge, these two men adding fuel to the fire - which isn't the way to restore normalcy and order to the rank and file," Yaki said.
"All that is facing the army now is very low morale and the breakdown in discipline, the financial crisis in the department and the demoralising situation as far as the Bougainville crisis is concerned," he said.
Yaki said in a short time the government had changed commanders four times, destroying the army's image and the reputation and careers.
He called on the government to seek reconciliation and rehabilitation in the PNGDF>
Singirok also attacked the "hasty" government action against him, saying he had been vindicated over the Sandline mercenary crisis because many of the leaders responsible for the scandal had been voted out of office in the election.
"The actions by this cabinet to terminate my commission after having revoked my appointment as the commander of the PNGDF without giving me reasons is unjust," Singirok said.
"This violates all principles of natural justice."
A week ago Singirok was ordered by the National Court to vacate Flagstaff House, official residence of the military commander at Murray Barracks headquarters, with one day's notice after a judge lifted an injunction.
Singirok, who has served the army for 20 years, said he was not yet ready to leave the force. He wanted to continue serving until reaching the retirement age of 55.
"I am not a criminal - I acted in the interest of the nation," he added.
Meanwhile, the Independent newspaper has reported allegations that new military chief Brigadier-General Leo Nuia, dubbed the "butcher" of Bougainville, has been appointed in violation of military rules.
The paper cited an unnamed senior public servant saying that as a retrenched officer, and under the Public Service Commission Act, any public servant retrenched by the government could not be reinstated until after three three years.
General Nuia was retrenched along with 55 other soldiers in April 1996. he has been waging a court battle against the government's decision ever since.
"If the government decides to get him back, the normal procedure then would be to reinstate him, then he should be given substantive rank of a colonel, and then promoted him to brigadier-general and appoint him commander," said the source.
"They broke all the rules. He was never sworn in until Wednesday [July 9] - everything was done backwards," the senior public servant alleged to the Independent.
However, chief-of-staff Colonel Jack Tuat denied the allegations, adding that "in any case it was a political decision by the government of the day".
The Independent also reported allegations that General Nuia had re-enlisted 14 soldiers dismissed from the PNGDF for serious disciplinary charges, nine of whom were also alleged to have been engaged by a controversial security company belonging t Prime Minister Chan's family.
Singirok called on judicial authorities to investigate - especially as the Chan family's security company, Network International Security Services, was alleged to be involved in the Sandline crisis.
David Robie is a New Zealand author and journalist. He is currently at the University of Papua New Guinea.
