Global Policy Forum

Rebel Papua New Guinea soldiers ended a week–long revolt today by agreeing to surrender their weapons, but repeated their demands that the government expel representatives of the World Bank and other foreign bodies.

Rebel leaders called off the protest after meeting with Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta, members of his Cabinet and army and police commanders to present a petition of their concerns over army reforms and international intervention in the economy. The soldiers said they would return at least 1,000 weapons and thousands of rounds of ammunition seized from military armories last week.

The rebellion was sparked by plans to halve the size of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF) to 1,900 soldiers. The austerity measure comes as the government attempts to rescue the economy, hit by years of poor management and corruption. In agreeing to turn in the stolen arms, renegade soldiers asked that the government arrange for officials from Australia, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to be shipped out of the country.

The World Bank, the IMF and Australia want the government to push through tough economic reforms in return for 406 million Australian dollars (US$200 million) in loans to dig the country out of prolonged recession.

"The IMF, the World Bank and Australia should leave Papua New Guinea immediately because they have only manipulated the destiny of the nation," said rebel spokesman Stanley Benny, reading from the soldiers' petition at today's meeting with Morauta. "Their foreign ideas have completely destroyed the nation ... and denuded the nation's vast resources under the guise of assistance," Benny added.

Morauta told the rebels the petition would be considered by the full cabinet, but he asked the soldiers to give the government time to properly analyze their response. "I am not here to argue your petition. I am here to meet you and put this incident behind us and to move forward," Morauta said. Defense Minister Kilroy Genia said that under the agreement hammered out with rebel leaders late Wednesday, illegally seized weapons would be returned to armories Thursday.

Last week 100 rebel troops raided the armory at Murray Barracks in the capital, Port Moresby. The crisis widened over the weekend as troops from two other barracks near Port Moresby joined the protest. The rebel soldiers rioted briefly on Tuesday at Murray Barracks after the prime minister failed to attend a mass meeting of troops. Troops stormed a stage and attacked officials and journalists before military police restored order.

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