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Kiunga land court finds Kimka Sepiyan neglected for benefits

By Adrian Mathias

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Oct. 1, 2013) –Ok Tedi Mining Ltd. (OTML) has been ordered by a provincial land court in Papua New Guinea to pay compensation to the mine-pit landowners in the Star Mountains.

The decision by the Kiunga provincial land court effectively recognises the Kimka Sepiyan sub-tribe Land Group Incorporated (KSSLGI) as the principal landowners of the Special Mining Lease of the Ok Tedi mine.

They have been neglected of benefits in terms of services, equity, business developments grants and compensation to amounting "millions of kina."

A copy of the Kiunga provincial land court decision by magistrate Frank Manue obtained by The National last Friday during a press conference at Holiday Inn, found that OTML had not filed any explanation for the delay of prosecuting the purported appeals, and so the case authorities made it very clear...

Indonesian police allegedly used unnecessary lethal force

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (Radio New Zealand International, Oct. 1, 2013) – The Human Rights Watch group has called on the Indonesian government to launch an impartial investigation into the possible use by police officers of unnecessary lethal force against rock-throwing protesters in Papua last week.

A weapons search at the central market of the town of Waghete resulted in a confrontation and a 17-year-old high school student, Alpius Mote, who was a bystander was shot dead.

Three other people were wounded.

Human Rights Watch says after the shooting, residents brandishing bows and arrows and clubs converged on the scene and pelted the police with stones.

It says crowd members also beat an army officer present.

Papuan police have not reported any injuries related to this...

MP Tiensten’s misappropriation case adjourned by judge

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Oct. 1, 2013) – In Papua New Guinea, Deputy Chief Justice Gibbs Salika will decide today whether to send a newspaper editor and reporter to prison for contempt.

He yesterday told lawyer Allan Wood, representing Post Courier editor Alexander Rheeney and reporter Isaac Nicholas, that he should explain to the court why the two should not be in prison for contempt.

His comment was in relation to an article published yesterday on page 11 of the newspaper which Salika said touched on the very issues before the court in the misappropriation case involving Pomio MP Paul Tiensten.

"It’s contemptuous of this court," Salika said.

He adjourned the case to today to allow Woods to explain why the two should not be sent to prison for contempt.

Salika is to hand down a ruling next Friday on Tiensten, who has been charged with conspiracy to defraud and...

Programs partially stopped after US government shutdown

By Cameron Miculka

HAGÅTÑA, Guam (Pacific Daily News, Oct. 2, 2013) – Hundreds of federal employees on Guam have been furloughed after the federal government partially shut down yesterday, affecting not only the employees, but also some services provided to the public.

The first shutdown in close to two decades came yesterday after the president and congressional Democrats refused to yield to Republican demands to change the nation's health care law, according to reports by The Associated Press.

With no money to pay them, federal employees deemed non-essential will be placed on furlough until a budget bill or extension of federal funding is passed.

While many federal services, such as mail delivery, will continue, several federal agencies in Guam won't be open for business.

Also, several programs have funding for several weeks to months.

The Women Infants and Children food...