PNG Crisis - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz Catholic News New Zealand Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:51:25 +0000 en-NZ hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cathnews.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/cropped-cathnewsfavicon-32x32.jpg PNG Crisis - CathNews New Zealand https://cathnews.co.nz 32 32 70145804 Archbishop Ribat asks Michael Somare to resign https://cathnews.co.nz/2011/12/23/archbishop-ribat-asks-michael-somare-to-resign/ Thu, 22 Dec 2011 18:30:48 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=18667

Archbishop Ribat, The Catholic Archbishop of Papua New Guinea, has called on Michael Somare to resign from politics so as to avoid a repeat of last week's political tension. Archbishop Ribat says while the Catholic Church recognises that the Supreme Court ruled Sir Michael Somare be reinstated, it wants him to end the fight to Read more

Archbishop Ribat asks Michael Somare to resign... Read more]]> Archbishop Ribat, The Catholic Archbishop of Papua New Guinea, has called on Michael Somare to resign from politics so as to avoid a repeat of last week's political tension. Archbishop Ribat says while the Catholic Church recognises that the Supreme Court ruled Sir Michael Somare be reinstated, it wants him to end the fight to get back into office.

"In all respect to him, we want him to resign," Archbishop Ribat said.

A constitutional law expert says Mr O'Neill has breached the constitution despite winning the support of the governor-general and a majority of MPs to end a week-long political crisis.

Dr Tony Regan, from the Australian National University, says Sir Michael does have a case under PNG's constitution. Yet even if Sir Michael wins, it is unlikely to get him back into office.

Source

Archbishop Ribat asks Michael Somare to resign]]> 18667 Church leader says coalition solution to PNG impasse has broad support http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=65101 Mon, 19 Dec 2011 18:30:41 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=18472 The Catholic Archbishop of Papua New Guinea says there is broad support for the churches' call for a grand coalition to run the country until next year's elections as a way to resolve the PNG impasse. The churches suggested the grand coalition on last Thursday as the two groups claiming they have the right to run Read more

Church leader says coalition solution to PNG impasse has broad support... Read more]]> The Catholic Archbishop of Papua New Guinea says there is broad support for the churches' call for a grand coalition to run the country until next year's elections as a way to resolve the PNG impasse.

The churches suggested the grand coalition on last Thursday as the two groups claiming they have the right to run the government remain at loggerheads.

Archbishop John Ribat says they envisage all politicians working together with no opposition.

Church leader says coalition solution to PNG impasse has broad support]]> 18472 PNG Crisis - Churches call on leaders to talk https://cathnews.co.nz/2011/12/16/png-crisis-churches-suggest-another-way/ Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:30:48 +0000 http://cathnews.co.nz/?p=18260

Papua New Guinea church leaders called on Thursday for a "grand coalition" to end the PNG crisis. Such a coalition would be a "Melanesian way" of solving what appears to be an intractable crisis with both Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his opponent Peter O'Neill refusing to back down. "If they are to release Read more

PNG Crisis - Churches call on leaders to talk... Read more]]> Papua New Guinea church leaders called on Thursday for a "grand coalition" to end the PNG crisis.

Such a coalition would be a "Melanesian way" of solving what appears to be an intractable crisis with both Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare and his opponent Peter O'Neill refusing to back down.

"If they are to release the tension they must come together and either form a grand coalition or negotiate a solution. The Melanesian way is to sit down and work out your differences," said Port Moresby's Catholic Archbishop John Ribat.

"If this situation is prolonged I believe we will not avoid it (violence). There are some opportunists out there that want to capitalise on the situation," Ribat told Reuters.

Church leaders from a number of other denominations have united to call for an end to the tensions. They want the two sides to put aside their differences and form a government of national unity.

Anglican archbishop, Peter Ramsten, says churches will help to facilitate a meeting between the two men.

Paster Joseph Walters form the Assembiles Of God said the best christmas present for Papua New Guineans would be peace and good will.

But Radio Australia PNG correspondent Liam Fox has reported on twitter that Mr O'Neill has rejected the churches call for unity, saying Mr Somare is no longer an MP.

Paul Barker of the Institute of National Affairs (INA) has also suggested that a solution to the PNG Crisis could be found by agreeing on "some sort of caretaker unity government until the elections."

"I mean the elections are just around the corner. The priority should be to try and prepare for the elections and give the voters an opportunity to make their own selection". he said

Barker said he had been told the O'Neill faction was willing to engage and compromise, but the Somare side was less enthusiastic.

The two rival attorneys-general have agreed to meet to try to resolve the PNG crisis.

INA is a privately funded, non-profit policy research institute, or "think tank" based in Port Moresby.

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