JOELSON MAODINA ANERE

This is a revised and updated version of my forth-coming presentation at the 2019 PNG Impact Conference from the 3rd - 4th December, 2019, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

This Conference will be held at the University of Papua New Guinea main campus in Port Moresby.

This paper will cover the Bougainville Civil War and importantly,
the humanitarian diplomacy response aspects towards the conflict by the Government of Papua New Guinea.

This research paper will be of utmost benefit to future researchers
in interested in the humanitarian diplomacy field either as development practitioners, policy makers, politicians, research students, military leaders and decision maker's in addressing the need for gender equality programming in the humanitarian diplomacy response for women, girls, men, and boy's before, during, and After the Bougainville Civil War.

The reasons for pursuing this particular research topic and the
research questions is due to the lack of a comprehensive gender programming analysis in the humanitarian diplomacy response before, during and after the Bougainville Civil War.

Our diverse cultures and languages may be our strength in terms of culture, belief systems and world views, but in essence, it is our source of identity problems and political coherence. So, how do we integrate all that into a one coherent system of thought, language and communication? Through Tok Pisin, English or Motu? As it is now, English is the official medium of communication. Tok Pisin is both a social and official language in parliament and daily life, while Motu remains purely a social language. The three languages were adopted at independence day as the official languages of Papua New Guinea yet only one becomes the official language of education, justice system, business and foreign relations-English. Not because of its universality, but because we have come to accept it as such at post-independence. Look across our neighbor; Indonesia has its own language-Bahasa, China-Cantonese or Mandarin Chinese and the Japanese language for Japan. What I am saying here is that unless we have a national language of our own, our identity and comprehension of issues we learn about in a foreign language will remain elitist as long as time permits. In other words, we remain subservient in our own land because we speak in a foreign tongue while the bulk of the population speak different languages and dialects. This affects literacy levels and promotes illiteracy-the very basis of segregation between the poor and the rich, educated and the illiterate is forever widening-all because we cannot communicate in One Language. Unity is strengthened by language-and that language once it is well structured and taught, it becomes the medium of instruction and business. In this regard, I am propagating the idea that Papua New Guinea needs an official language policy. We may have to do away with English and use either Motu or Tok Pisin as the official language. The sooner we do this, the better it is for PNG to become more coherent and integrated as a united country. Furthermore, it will eliminate language and cultural divisions which have become the basis of conflicts.

In this Conference Paper which I presented on at the 2019 PNG Update Conference. I went to great lengths to explain the following:

The PNG National Public Service Male Advocacy Network (PNG PS MAN) is one of the few uniquely home-grown initiatives of the Government of Papua New Guinea in 2013 as outlined in the 2013 KOKODA COMMITMENTS agreed to by Central Government Agencies and Line Agencies at the Kokoda Motel, Sogeri, outside Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The PNG Public Service Male Advocacy Network was the initiative of the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) under the able leadership of former Acting Secretary Mr. John Kali, with funding from the Government of Papua New Guinea and co-financing support from the Australian Government funded Economic and Public Sector Program (EPSP).

The Department of Personnel Management was particularly keen in enforcing Section 55 of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea, “calling for equality of citizens in all areas of social, economic, and political development irrespective of race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, color, creed, religion or sex“. 

The Department of Personnel Management proceeded to launch the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy or GESI in 2013 at the Parliament State function room.

The GESI Policy was developed in support of a number of National policies and priorities as well as international agreements including the National Constitution; the Vision 2050; numerous National policies which support gender equity; the Public Service Code of Business Ethics and Conduct as well as International commitments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and others that concern gender equity, social inclusion and development.

The GESI Policy of 2013 infused renewed spirit, enthusiasm, and energy to enforcing Section 55 of the Constitution of PNG and re-affirmed the strong stand by former Acting Secretary, Mr. John M. Kali, OBE of the Department of Personnel Management that “the PNG National Public Service is committed to encourage and support the principles of ‘equality‘ in every aspect of the Public Service work place”.

The then Minister for Public Service, Hon. Dr. Sir Puka Temu KBE CMG MP, and Former Acting Secretary, Mr. John M. Kali, OBE including the Former Minister Counselor of AusAID, Mr. James Hall (prior to its incorporation into the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - now known as “Australian AID DFAT“), witnessed the launching in the company of other fellow representatives of various Multilateral, Bilateral, and UN Bodies including the first pioneer thirty male advocates of the PNG National Public Service Male Advocacy Network or MAN.

The objective of the project is to continue the implementation and mainstreaming of the National Public Service GESI policy into public sector workplaces (at national provincial and district levels) and into service delivery both internally (within the public Service) and externally shaping services provided to the community. This is guided by a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Matrix.

Seven years on since preparations began in 2012 for the Launching of the GESI Policy of 2013 and the KOKODA COMMITMENTS of 2013, the benefits of these policies have yet to be realized and felt equally across the entire Public Service machinery.

This is despite partial evidence of the establishment of Gender focal points in designated in-line positions in the PNG National Public Service.

This is recorded in the Department of Personnel Management sponsored National Executive Council Decision Number 172 NG/2012.

Lately, there has been a clash of dreams in the eyes of the Bird of Paradise – particularly on the discourse on wanting to become “vibrant country”. This refers to the need for a “new want” or a “new need” that the Bird of Paradise so passionately desire to achieve and that is to become a middle income country by the year, 2050, as per the Vision 2050. This echoes in East Asia too, in fact; East Asian countries are each striving to become a “vibrant country.”

In other words, they are unsatisfied with their current status and positions. The meaning of “normal country” may hold different answers for each of them: reunification, democratization, abolishing constitutional limitations, or national rejuvenation and restoration or Vision 2050.

Papua New Guinea is also experiencing a clash of dreams, that is, on the one hand between its cultures (i.e. its carvings) and religious fundamentalist Christians in the country, and on the other, the ever changing global competitive market environment introducing product values. This is transparent throughout the Asia-Pacific Region as a whole. However, the varying contents of these (Asia- Pacific) countries’ dreams could further lead to a clash of other dreams in a competitive environment enhanced by APEC. In particular, a real danger of a clash of dreams may include one party blaming the other for being an obstacle in the path to its search for greatness or past glory. Many political problems in East Asia are represented by territorial disputes, such as those between China and Japan and between South Korea and Japan. Tensions can also be generated by words and actions over historical symbols, such as the recent controversy over Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. The fundamental source of these conflicts, however, is a clash of national dreams based on historical beliefs, values that signify identity to-date.

The PNG National Public Service Male Advocacy Network (PNG PS MAN) is one of the few uniquely home-grown initiatives of the Government of Papua New Guinea in 2013 as outlined in the 2013 KOKODA COMMITMENTS agreed to by Central Government Agencies and Line Agencies at the Kokoda Motel, Sogeri, outside Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea.

The PNG Public Service Male Advocacy Network was the initiative of the Department of Personnel Management (DPM) under the able leadership of former Acting Secretary Mr. John Kali, with funding from the Government of Papua New Guinea and co-finacning support from the Australian Government funded Economic and Public Sector Program (EPSP).

The Department of Personnel Management was particularly keen in enforcing Section 55 of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea, “calling for equality of citizens in all areas of social, economic, and political development irrespective of race, tribe, place of origin, political opinion, colour, creed, religion or sex“. 

The Department of Personnel Management proceeded to launch the Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy or GESI in 2013 at the Parliament State function room.

The GESI Policy was developed in support of a number of National policies and priorities as well as international agreements including the National Constitution; the Vision 2050; numerous National policies which support gender equity; the Public Service Code of Business Ethics and Conduct as well as International commitments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and others that concern gender equity, social inclusion and development.

The GESI Policy of 2013 infused renewed spirit, enthusiasm, and energy to enforcing Section 55 of the Constitution of PNG and re-affirmed the strong stand by former Acting Secretary, Mr. John M. Kali, OBE of the Department of Personnel Managment that “the PNG National Public Service is committed to encourage and support the principles of ‘equality‘ in every aspect of the Public Service work place”.

The then Minister for Public Service, Hon. Dr. Sir Puka Temu KBE CMG MP, and Former Acting Secretary, Mr. John M. Kali, OBE including the Former Minister Counsellor of AusAID, Mr. James Hall (prior to its incorporation into the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade - now known as “Australian AID DFAT“), witnessed the launching in the company of other fellow representatives of various Multilateral, Bilateral, and UN Bodies including the first pioneer thirty male advocates of the PNG National Public Service Male Advocacy Network or MAN.

The objective of the project is to continue the implementation and mainstreaming of the National Public Service GESI policy into public sector workplaces (at national provincial and district levels) and into service delivery both internally (within the public Service) and externally shaping services provided to the community. This is guided by a Gnder Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) Matrix.
Seven years on since preparations began in 2012 for the Launching of the GESI Policy of 2013 and the KOKODA COMMITMENTS of 2013, the benefits of these policies have yet to be realized and felt equally across the entire Public Service machinery.

This is despite partial evidence of the establishment of Gender focal points in designated in-line positions in the PNG National Public Service. This is recorded in the Department of Personnel Management sponsored National Exective Council Decision Number 172 NG/2012.
The implementation of the KOKODA COMMITMENTS and the GESI POLICY of 2013 can not be successful without the support of all agencies of Government - Central Agencies, Line Agencies, State-Owned Enterprises, and Provincial Governments.

This still doesn’t answer the key question: “Who do we blame for the lack of IMPACT and success of these Policies 43 years after independence and Why??? “