Papua New Guinea's Opposition Leader Arrested On Fraud Charges (moved from ATSNN)

The arrest of Papua New Guinea's oppostion leader Peter O'Neill has left the party reeling. Mr O'Neill was questioned extensively and subsequently arrested over his alleged involvement of a failed investment fund in the late 1990's. Mr O'Neill has said he will defend the charges rigorously and intends to sue the state and individual people responsible for the charges against him.



It is odd that such a high leader in world politics has been arrested over fraud matters from the 90's. I feel that something is happening in the region with both Papua and New Guinea in the news of late.

ublished: Jul 24, 2005 10:54 PM EST
Francis Ona, the charismatic leader of a bloody secessionist movement in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville, died Sunday.

ap.lancasteronline.com...

This early death of someone who was an activist along with being a leader and the release of the report into Indonsian abuses and the questioning in congress of the taking over of Papua by Indonesia is something that bears watching by the world. There seems to be a greater agenda underlying this situation and just maybe people are being moved out of the way to make way for greater forces and control in the region.

Another ex PNG leader Sir Julius Chan visits my home town here in QLD for relaxation with his family and his involvement with scandal is well recorded over the years.

Related News Links:
www.wsws.org

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
(submission) (politics) Genocide In Papua - Indonesian Military Accused Of Rape and Torture

[edit on 18-8-2005 by Mayet]

and hot on the tails of the last news item is the follwoing snippet, less than 24 hours later. For such a tiny place it is fascinating to see it in the news so much over the last few days. Something is happening, a quiet coup as such so the power of these nations returns to the USA and Australia.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is expected to fly to Port Moresby next week in a bid to resurrect Australia's stalled policing program in Papua New Guinea.

He is tipped to arrive on Tuesday night for talks on Wednesday with PNG's Foreign Minister Rabbie Namaliu over $A1 billion Enhanced Cooperation Program (ECP).

More than 100 Australian police were pulled out of Port Moresby and Bougainville in May after PNG's Supreme Court ruled that an agreement between the two governments to grant Australian officers immunity from prosecution under PNG law was in breach of PNG's 30-year-old constitution.

The Australian government has insisted such protection is needed so Australian police can carry out their job of rebuilding the rundown PNG Constabulary as an effective law enforcement agency.

But the PNG government is ruling out changes to the PNG constitution to grant Australian police immunity.

A spokesman for Downer said intense negotiations between the two sides were continuing.

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