1997

12th June 1997
Church Tackles Political Corruption in PNG
Candidates standing for election in this month's national elections in Papua New Guinea are facing higher public scrutiny than ever before - thanks in part to a year-long civic education program backed by Caritas Australia.

PNG's Catholic Commission for Justice, Peace and Development (CCJPD) has highlighted the risks of political corruption, intimidation and nepotism and the need for responsible voting, in a national civic education campaign conducted in villages across the country.
The education campaign, endorsed by the PNG Catholic Bishops and financially supported by Caritas Australia and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), is one of a number of initiatives to encourage responsible voting, developed after a series of corruption crises in PNG.

National Director of Caritas Australia, Mr Tom Story, said the civic education campaign was aimed at people in rural areas where illiteracy was high.

"People in remote areas of PNG - up to 85 per cent of the population - do not have access to the media and are often deprived of impartial information about the political system," Mr Story said.

"The Church's civic education campaign has no party political agenda but is stressing the need to reject the practices of vote buying, physical intimidation and tribal alliances which have been used by unscrupulous candidates in previous PNG elections."

The Catholic Bishops of PNG issued a statement in April, declaring that the 1997 elections would be crucial for PNG's survival and future development.

"If we continue to vote in leaders who are self-centred, irresponsible and unaccountable, then we must accept the consequences of our vote," the Bishops' statement said.

"What has changed since the previous election? Sadly, despite passionate election promises from numerous politicians, we are still faced with a rapidly deteriorating health care system, a struggling education reform, a disillusioned public service, a growing law and order problem, rampant youth unemployment and a gradual breakdown in the social and moral fabric of our society.

"We believe that unless this election brings a fundamental change in the attitude and performance of political leaders, then PNG is headed for more troubled times. We want this election to bring harmony and prosperity."

As part of the civic education program, Catholic dioceses and parishes all over PNG - youth groups, Catholic Women's Federation groups, religious orders, Catholic Education Offices and schools - are involved in disseminating information on voting and elections. The campaign makes use of posters, and booklets and newspaper inserts in English, Tok Pisin (Pidgin) and Motu languages and provincial radio programs broadcast in a number of local languages.

Since December, CCJPD has had to reprint its booklets twice, to keep up with public demand. The PNG Electoral Commission has provided funding support to the CCJPD program for billboards and newspaper inserts.

PNG's national elections start this Saturday (June 14) and continue until June 28.

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