Comments on: Cops battle cultists in the Papua New Guinea highlands http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/ Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:48:03 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Pacific Empire » Blog Archive » Cursed by riches: Melanesian resource wars http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/comment-page-1/#comment-21284 Pacific Empire » Blog Archive » Cursed by riches: Melanesian resource wars Mon, 13 Aug 2007 02:09:10 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/#comment-21284 [...] In an increasingly interconnected world with high commodity prices, and as high-powered weapons continue to proliferate in Oceania, we will undoubtedly see more wars over resources in the region. Transnational crime, mercenaries, PMCs and militant cults could all gain money and power from a new resource war - the losers would be the ordinary people and local landowners of Melanesia, and the impoverished states which depend on resource exports to pay the bills. These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...] [...] In an increasingly interconnected world with high commodity prices, and as high-powered weapons continue to proliferate in Oceania, we will undoubtedly see more wars over resources in the region. Transnational crime, mercenaries, PMCs and militant cults could all gain money and power from a new resource war – the losers would be the ordinary people and local landowners of Melanesia, and the impoverished states which depend on resource exports to pay the bills. These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

]]> By: Phil http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/comment-page-1/#comment-9703 Phil Sun, 13 May 2007 07:46:07 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/#comment-9703 A fascinating post - thanks for sending the link. Dealing with large amounts of foreign revenue tends to be problematic in developing countries. It seems that the government doesn't always respect the rights of landowners. I get the impression that in PNG, as in other Pacific cultures, ties to the land are strong and the land itself has great cultural significance. Mine-owners and the Kokoda Track Authority should have more consideration for land-owners to avoid generating grievances. The war in Bougainville is an extreme example of what can happen when land is taken and abused without the consent of the owners. Also, the description of the Kokoda battle was stirring. I don't know much about Kokoda, but it certainly seems like an incredible story. Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow! A fascinating post – thanks for sending the link. Dealing with large amounts of foreign revenue tends to be problematic in developing countries. It seems that the government doesn’t always respect the rights of landowners. I get the impression that in PNG, as in other Pacific cultures, ties to the land are strong and the land itself has great cultural significance.

Mine-owners and the Kokoda Track Authority should have more consideration for land-owners to avoid generating grievances. The war in Bougainville is an extreme example of what can happen when land is taken and abused without the consent of the owners.

Also, the description of the Kokoda battle was stirring. I don’t know much about Kokoda, but it certainly seems like an incredible story.

Anyway, I’ll see you tomorrow!

]]> By: strategist http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/comment-page-1/#comment-9694 strategist Sun, 13 May 2007 05:20:52 +0000 http://pacificempire.org.nz/2007/05/13/cops-battle-cultists-in-the-papua-new-guinea-highlands/#comment-9694 Good post Phil. Re. the kiaps - I've wondered for some time how effective they really were, as opposed to the mythology. PNG is a big rugged land, and the patrol officers were few in number. An Australian blog, Woolly Days, has an interesting perspective on this issue in relation to tourism on the Kokoda Trail. Here's the url - you have to scroll down to find it, as there's no separate webpage for the post. http://nebuchadnezzarwoollyd.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html Good post Phil. Re. the kiaps – I’ve wondered for some time how effective they really were, as opposed to the mythology. PNG is a big rugged land, and the patrol officers were few in number.

An Australian blog, Woolly Days, has an interesting perspective on this issue in relation to tourism on the Kokoda Trail. Here’s the url – you have to scroll down to find it, as there’s no separate webpage for the post.

http://nebuchadnezzarwoollyd.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html

]]>