Source: The National

THE report of the special agriculture and business lease (SABL) will be tabled today, although it is not to the expectation of the cabinet, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill told Parliament yesterday.

O’Neill said that he only received two of the expected three reports from the commissioners.

He said despite that the cabinet had decided to table the final report as the country had been expecting it since last year.

Source: Radio New Zealand

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has indicated he is about to table the long-awaited report by the Commission of Inquiry into the Special Agricultural Business Leases.

The government ordered the Inquiry in 2011 to investigate the SABL system which civil society groups claim has been used for a huge ’land grab’ that has seen over 5 million hectares of land swallowed up in 99 year leases, often for unsustainable logging projects.

Oxford Business Group

In line with an electoral platform that pledged to deliver more local level services and control over spending, the national government of Papua New Guinea (PNG) has introduced a budget for 2013 that transfers nearly PGK1.5bn ($623m) to provincial, district and local authorities.

By JIMMY KALEBE

The delaying of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into Special Agriculture Business Lease (SABL) has angered many landowners in Maprik District in East Sepik.

In a landowner forum held last Friday local landowners in Maprik expressed concerns that this delaying of the report may mean the government is trying to overlook this report and do away with it.

Transparency International, PNG Chapter (TIPNG) has joined the chorus of voices of concerned institutions, individuals and civil society organisations urging the PNG Government to table the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Special Purpose Agricultural Business Leases ( SABL). 

Two years ago, the PNG Government initaited an official Inquiry into dealings in customary land that allowed foreign entities and private individuals to steal an estimated 2 million hectares of customary land across the country.

Survey shows extent of sexual violence in region where 70% of men report facing no legal consequences

Source: Kate Hodal in The Guardian UK

Nearly a quarter of men in the Asia-Pacific region have admitted to committing rape at least once in their life, according to a new survey, with more than half of those respondents claiming they raped for the first time while in their teens.

Produce SABL inquiry report in organised manner

Source: The National, Monday September 9th, 2013

THE chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI) into the controversial Special Agricultural Business Leases (SABLs) denies claims of not delivering the final investigation report to the Government (The National, Aug 28). Chairman John Numapo stated that the COI report was completed and presented to the government’s chief secretary and then also said that a fellow commissioner is still finalising his report.

From Radio New Zealand International

Today in Papua New Guinea’s capital, the Melanesian Unified Front for West Papuan Self-Determination, or WUF, is to host a public forum on the West Papuan bid for membership in the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

The forum, at the Port Moresby campus of the University of PNG, is jointly arranged by the University’s West Papuan Students Association.

The MELANESIANS UNITED FRONT (MUF) is a group comprised of concerned Papua New Guineans, West Papuans and other fellow Melanesians. They have initiated the “Sorong to Samarai” campaign with the aim of reinforcing the legitimate calls by ALL Melanesians for West Papua to sit at the table of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) with its other Melanesian brothers and sisters. MUF believes that Papua New Guineans must support the unconditional inclusion of West Papua within the MSG.