Comments

I agree with the alternatives suggested in this article. Just to highlight on the last point on mercenaries here. It is a lucrative income generating activity for someone who bets his life to serve the interest of others. Many of the actual fights currently are orchestrated or implemented by this hire group. It will be a very effective measure if hire men or mercenaries are targeted to lay down arms with other lucrative opportunities. And it is not a job young men would like to engage but because of the economic situations they engage in such activities. Generally tribal conflicts will only deescalate when many indigenous peacebuilding activities or alternatives are initiated at the local level by the local leaders within the tribal communities.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you for your interest! You can learn more in our research note on this topic which you can find here. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175410

I wish to know more about this subject.

Pukpuk indeed. Was the choice of name deliberately prescient? And Michael Main has spotted the bull elephant in the room.

This Pukpuk Treaty is being decided by those persons favorable towards Australia. Despite our best efforts in negotiating this Treaty The "Yes Master" mentality of the colonial era doesn’t seem to leave us yet. What we fail to see as intellectuals is that if this Treaty goes through, it will just be another Boomerang that is swung to us and will float back to the thrower. Everything we anticipate to benefit from will be just 10% PNG and 90% Australia. It will not only bind the military but also the economy making PNG vulnerable to Australia's whims and controls. PNG economy is gaining slowly and our leaders need to be careful. Where is the look North Policy, Friends to all and Enemies to None to name a few policies. Australia is going to put us at a disadvantage by locking us in and eventually use this Treaty as a tool to prevent other countries like China and its friends to trade with us rendering PNG Economy to Australias control. Why does PNG not start thinking on its own and try doing something smart?

If you understand PNG Tok PISIN, PukPuk means crocodile; interestingly, the Treaty was called that.

This is a terrific article Michael. If Australia wants such close integration with PNGDF then surely its first priority must be to concentrate on PNG's internal security requirements. If Australia wants a reliable security partner in our region then it must be based on the social stability and prosperity of the PNG state and its people. To our peril we consistently overlook just how serious this situation has become.

Thanks Professor well explained. The depreciation of PNG Currency has affected ordinary Papua New Guineas. It needs to be improved.

I think the idea for the treaty here is for the benefits of the Australians. Seeing Chinese involvement in PNG economic development, Australia and its partners, New Zealand and the US, are concerned that PNG might sign a defence deal with China (which, they already raised concerns about China trying to influence small island nations in the Pacific). Treaty is the only way forward for Australia to stop PNG to sign a defence treaty with China because the PNG NRL leverage was not working for Australia so the defence deal is strategic enough.

Thanks all, I will find time to respond to some of the points raised. It’s good to see senior public servants, ambassadors and defence leaders raise similar points, in particular Ambassador Kalinoe, former PNG defence force commanders Peter Ilau and Jerry Singirok. See links below: Amb Kalinoe: https://www.postcourier.com.pg/kalinoe-pukpuk-defence-treaty-needs-clear-alignment-with-foreign-policy/ Retired PNGDF commanders Jerry Singirok and Peter Ilau: https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/pacificbeat/png-defence-treaty-with-australia-could-breach-constitution/105787138