| PAPUA NEW GUINEA Independent State of Papua New Guinea Papuaniugini Joined United Nations: 10 October 1975 Human Rights as assured by their constitution Click here Updated 05/24/10 |
| CAPITAL |
| POPULATION |
| CHIEF OF STATE |
| SELECTION PROCESS |
Port Moresby
6,064,515 (July 2010 est.)
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Queen since 6 February 1952
Queen since 6 February 1952
Monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National
Executive Council
Next scheduled election: None
Executive Council
Next scheduled election: None
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT
SELECTION PROCESS
Sir Michael Somare
Prime Minister since 2 August 2002
Prime Minister since 2 August 2002
Following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or
the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime
minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister
appointed by prime minister; elections: last held from 30 June to
10 July 2007;
Next to be held: June 2012
the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime
minister by the governor general; deputy prime minister
appointed by prime minister; elections: last held from 30 June to
10 July 2007;
Next to be held: June 2012
| DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS |
| ETHNIC GROUPS |
Melanesian, Papuan, Negrito, Micronesian, Polynesian
| RELIGIONS |
Roman Catholic 22%, Lutheran 16%, Presbyterian/Methodist/London Missionary Society 8%, Anglican 5%, Evangelical
Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
Alliance 4%, Seventh-Day Adventist 1%, other Protestant 10%, indigenous beliefs 34%
| GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE |
Constitutional parliamentary democracy with 20 provinces. Legal system is based on English common law
Executive: - The monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime
minister by the governor general
Legislative: Unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected
from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012
Judicial: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
Services Commission)
Executive: - The monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed by the National Executive Council; following
legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or the leader of the majority coalition usually is appointed prime
minister by the governor general
Legislative: Unicameral National Parliament - sometimes referred to as the House of Assembly (109 seats, 89 elected
from open electorates and 20 from provincial electorates; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held from 30 June to 10 July 2007; next to be held in June 2012
Judicial: Supreme Court (the chief justice is appointed by the governor general on the proposal of the National Executive
Council after consultation with the minister responsible for justice; other judges are appointed by the Judicial and Legal
Services Commission)
| LANGUAGES |
Melanesian Pidgin serves as the lingua franca, English spoken by 1%-2%, Motu spoken in Papua region
note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
note: 820 indigenous languages spoken (over one-tenth of the world's total)
| BRIEF HISTORY |
Archeological evidence indicates that humans arrived on New Guinea at least 60,000 years ago, probably by sea from
Southeast Asia during an ice age period when the sea was lower and distances between islands shorter. Although the
first arrivals were hunters and gatherers, early evidence shows that people managed the forest environment to provide
food. There are indications that gardening was being practiced at the same time that agriculture was developing in
Mesopotamia and Egypt. Complex mulches, crop rotations and tillages are used in rotation on terraces with complex
irrigation systems. Some authorities believe that New Guinea gardeners invented crop rotation well before western
Europeans. When Europeans first arrived, inhabitants of New Guinea and nearby islands--while still relying on bone,
wood, and stone tools--had a productive agricultural system. They traded along the coast, where products mainly were
pottery, shell ornaments, and foodstuffs, and in the interior, where forest products were exchanged for shells and other
sea products. The first Europeans to sight New Guinea were probably the Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailing in
the South Pacific in the early part of the 16th century. In 1526-27, Don Jorge de Meneses/Menezes accidentally came
upon the principal island and is credited with naming it Papua, a Malay word for the frizzled quality of Melanesian hair.
The term New Guinea was applied to the island in 1545 by a Spaniard, Yñigo Ortiz de Retez, because of a fancied
resemblance between the islands' inhabitants and those found on the African Guinea coast. Although European
navigators visited the islands and explored their coastlines for the next 170 years, little was known of the inhabitants by
Europeans until the late 19th century, when Nicholai Miklukho-Maklai spent several years living among native tribes
and described their way of life in a comprehensive treatise. In 1883, the Colony of Queensland purported to annex the
southern half of eastern New Guinea. On November 6, 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over the southern
coast of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. The protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed outright on
September 4, 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902.
Following the passage of the Papua Act, 1905, British New Guinea became the Territory of Papua, and formal
Australian administration began in 1906, although Papua remained de jure a British possession until the independence
of Papua New Guinea in 1975. Papua was administered under the Papua Act until it was invaded by the Empire of
Japan in 1941, and civil administration suspended. During the Pacific War, Papua was governed by an Australian
military administration from Port Moresby, where General Douglas MacArthur occasionally made his headquarters.
With Europe's growing desire for coconut oil, Godeffroy's of Hamburg, the largest trading firm in the Pacific, began
trading for copra in the New Guinea Islands. In 1884, the German Empire formally took possession of the northeast
quarter of the island and put its administration in the hands of a chartered trading company formed for the purpose, the
Neu Guinea Kompanie. In the charter granted to this company by the German Imperial Government in May of 1885, it
was given the power to exercise sovereign rights over the territory and other "unoccupied" lands in the name of the
government, and the ability to "negotiate" directly with the native inhabitants. Relationships with foreign powers were
retained as the preserve of the German government. The Neu Guinea Kompanie paid for the local governmental
institutions directly, in return for the concessions which had been awarded to it. In 1899, the German imperial
government assumed direct control of the territory, thereafter known as German New Guinea. In 1914, Australian
troops occupied German New Guinea, and it remained under Australian military control through World War I, until
1921. The Commonwealth of Australia assumed a mandate from the League of Nations for governing the former
German territory of New Guinea in 1920. It was administered under this mandate until the Japanese invasion in
December 1941 brought about the suspension of Australian civil administration. Much of the Territory of New Guinea,
including the islands of Bougainville and New Britain, was occupied by Japanese forces until recaptured. Following the
surrender of the Japanese in 1945, civil administration of Papua as well as New Guinea was restored, and under the
Papua New Guinea Provisional Administration Act, (1945-46, Papua and New Guinea were combined in an
administrative union. The Papua and New Guinea Act of 1949 formally approved the placing of New Guinea under the
international trusteeship system and confirmed the administrative union of New Guinea and Papua under the title of The
Territory of Papua and New Guinea. The act provided for a Legislative Council (established in 1951), a judicial
organization, a public service, and a system of local government. A House of Assembly replaced the Legislative
Council in 1963, and the first House of Assembly opened on June 8, 1964. In 1972, the name of the territory was
changed to Papua New Guinea. Elections in 1972 resulted in the formation of a ministry headed by Chief Minister
Michael Somare, who pledged to lead the country to self-government and then to independence. Papua New Guinea
became self-governing on December 1, 1973 and achieved independence on September 16, 1975. A nine-year
secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville claimed some 20,000 lives. The rebellion began in early 1989, active
hostilities ended with a truce in October 1997 and a permanent ceasefire was signed in April 1998. A peace agreement
between the Government and ex-combatants was signed in August 2001. Relations with Australia have continued to
show signs of strain. While on a state visit in March of 2005, Prime Minister Somare was asked to submit to a security
check and remove his shoes upon arriving at the airport in Brisbane. Despite demands from the PNG government that
Australia apologize, the latter refused.
Sources: Wikipedia: History of Papua New Guinea
Southeast Asia during an ice age period when the sea was lower and distances between islands shorter. Although the
first arrivals were hunters and gatherers, early evidence shows that people managed the forest environment to provide
food. There are indications that gardening was being practiced at the same time that agriculture was developing in
Mesopotamia and Egypt. Complex mulches, crop rotations and tillages are used in rotation on terraces with complex
irrigation systems. Some authorities believe that New Guinea gardeners invented crop rotation well before western
Europeans. When Europeans first arrived, inhabitants of New Guinea and nearby islands--while still relying on bone,
wood, and stone tools--had a productive agricultural system. They traded along the coast, where products mainly were
pottery, shell ornaments, and foodstuffs, and in the interior, where forest products were exchanged for shells and other
sea products. The first Europeans to sight New Guinea were probably the Portuguese and Spanish navigators sailing in
the South Pacific in the early part of the 16th century. In 1526-27, Don Jorge de Meneses/Menezes accidentally came
upon the principal island and is credited with naming it Papua, a Malay word for the frizzled quality of Melanesian hair.
The term New Guinea was applied to the island in 1545 by a Spaniard, Yñigo Ortiz de Retez, because of a fancied
resemblance between the islands' inhabitants and those found on the African Guinea coast. Although European
navigators visited the islands and explored their coastlines for the next 170 years, little was known of the inhabitants by
Europeans until the late 19th century, when Nicholai Miklukho-Maklai spent several years living among native tribes
and described their way of life in a comprehensive treatise. In 1883, the Colony of Queensland purported to annex the
southern half of eastern New Guinea. On November 6, 1884, a British protectorate was proclaimed over the southern
coast of New Guinea and its adjacent islands. The protectorate, called British New Guinea, was annexed outright on
September 4, 1888. The possession was placed under the authority of the Commonwealth of Australia in 1902.
Following the passage of the Papua Act, 1905, British New Guinea became the Territory of Papua, and formal
Australian administration began in 1906, although Papua remained de jure a British possession until the independence
of Papua New Guinea in 1975. Papua was administered under the Papua Act until it was invaded by the Empire of
Japan in 1941, and civil administration suspended. During the Pacific War, Papua was governed by an Australian
military administration from Port Moresby, where General Douglas MacArthur occasionally made his headquarters.
With Europe's growing desire for coconut oil, Godeffroy's of Hamburg, the largest trading firm in the Pacific, began
trading for copra in the New Guinea Islands. In 1884, the German Empire formally took possession of the northeast
quarter of the island and put its administration in the hands of a chartered trading company formed for the purpose, the
Neu Guinea Kompanie. In the charter granted to this company by the German Imperial Government in May of 1885, it
was given the power to exercise sovereign rights over the territory and other "unoccupied" lands in the name of the
government, and the ability to "negotiate" directly with the native inhabitants. Relationships with foreign powers were
retained as the preserve of the German government. The Neu Guinea Kompanie paid for the local governmental
institutions directly, in return for the concessions which had been awarded to it. In 1899, the German imperial
government assumed direct control of the territory, thereafter known as German New Guinea. In 1914, Australian
troops occupied German New Guinea, and it remained under Australian military control through World War I, until
1921. The Commonwealth of Australia assumed a mandate from the League of Nations for governing the former
German territory of New Guinea in 1920. It was administered under this mandate until the Japanese invasion in
December 1941 brought about the suspension of Australian civil administration. Much of the Territory of New Guinea,
including the islands of Bougainville and New Britain, was occupied by Japanese forces until recaptured. Following the
surrender of the Japanese in 1945, civil administration of Papua as well as New Guinea was restored, and under the
Papua New Guinea Provisional Administration Act, (1945-46, Papua and New Guinea were combined in an
administrative union. The Papua and New Guinea Act of 1949 formally approved the placing of New Guinea under the
international trusteeship system and confirmed the administrative union of New Guinea and Papua under the title of The
Territory of Papua and New Guinea. The act provided for a Legislative Council (established in 1951), a judicial
organization, a public service, and a system of local government. A House of Assembly replaced the Legislative
Council in 1963, and the first House of Assembly opened on June 8, 1964. In 1972, the name of the territory was
changed to Papua New Guinea. Elections in 1972 resulted in the formation of a ministry headed by Chief Minister
Michael Somare, who pledged to lead the country to self-government and then to independence. Papua New Guinea
became self-governing on December 1, 1973 and achieved independence on September 16, 1975. A nine-year
secessionist revolt on the island of Bougainville claimed some 20,000 lives. The rebellion began in early 1989, active
hostilities ended with a truce in October 1997 and a permanent ceasefire was signed in April 1998. A peace agreement
between the Government and ex-combatants was signed in August 2001. Relations with Australia have continued to
show signs of strain. While on a state visit in March of 2005, Prime Minister Somare was asked to submit to a security
check and remove his shoes upon arriving at the airport in Brisbane. Despite demands from the PNG government that
Australia apologize, the latter refused.
Sources: Wikipedia: History of Papua New Guinea
| ECONOMIC OVERVIEW |
The governments of Papua New Guinea are characterized by weak political parties and highly unstable parliamentary
coalitions. The prime minister, elected by Parliament, chooses the other members of the cabinet. Since independence in
1975, members have been elected by the first past the post system, with winners frequently gaining less than 15% of
the vote. Electoral reforms in 2001 introduced the Limited Preferential Vote system (LPV), a modified version of
Alternative vote. The first general election to use LPV will be held in 2007. Parliament introduced reforms in June 1995
to change the provincial government system, with regional (at-large) members of Parliament becoming provincial
governors, while retaining their national seats in Parliament.
The last national election was held in June 2007. Michael Somare was reelected Prime Minister, a position he also held
in the country's first parliament after independence. Somare has held power since 2002, where he won in a
violence-marred polling. Supplementary elections were held in Southern Highlands province in June 2003 after record
levels of electoral fraud and intimidation during the 2002 polls.
A study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, entitled "Strengthening our neighbour: Australia and the future of
Papua New Guinea" and published in December 2004 found that PNG's weak government and policing has allowed
organized crime gangs to relocate from Southeast Asia in recent years.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Papua New Guinea
coalitions. The prime minister, elected by Parliament, chooses the other members of the cabinet. Since independence in
1975, members have been elected by the first past the post system, with winners frequently gaining less than 15% of
the vote. Electoral reforms in 2001 introduced the Limited Preferential Vote system (LPV), a modified version of
Alternative vote. The first general election to use LPV will be held in 2007. Parliament introduced reforms in June 1995
to change the provincial government system, with regional (at-large) members of Parliament becoming provincial
governors, while retaining their national seats in Parliament.
The last national election was held in June 2007. Michael Somare was reelected Prime Minister, a position he also held
in the country's first parliament after independence. Somare has held power since 2002, where he won in a
violence-marred polling. Supplementary elections were held in Southern Highlands province in June 2003 after record
levels of electoral fraud and intimidation during the 2002 polls.
A study by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, entitled "Strengthening our neighbour: Australia and the future of
Papua New Guinea" and published in December 2004 found that PNG's weak government and policing has allowed
organized crime gangs to relocate from Southeast Asia in recent years.
Source: Wikipedia: Politics of Papua New Guinea
| POLITICAL CLIMATE |
Papua New Guinea is richly endowed with natural resources, but exploitation has been hampered by rugged terrain and
the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population.
Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. A consortium led by
a major American oil company plans to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters
of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility that could begin
exporting in 2013 or 2014; the largest investment project in the country's history, it received a green light in December
2009 and has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple Papua New Guinea's export revenue. The
government faces the challenge of ensuring transparency and accountability for revenues flowing from this and other
large LNG projects. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in
power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government has brought stability to the
national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as
elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government, including providing physical security for foreign
investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by
privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other
socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including an HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the highest infection rate in
all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. The global financial crisis had little
impact because of continued high demand for Papua New Guinea's commodities exports.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Papua New Guinea)
the high cost of developing infrastructure. Agriculture provides a subsistence livelihood for 85% of the population.
Mineral deposits, including copper, gold, and oil, account for nearly two-thirds of export earnings. A consortium led by
a major American oil company plans to begin the commercialization of the country's estimated 227 billion cubic meters
of natural gas reserves through the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facility that could begin
exporting in 2013 or 2014; the largest investment project in the country's history, it received a green light in December
2009 and has the potential to double GDP in the near-term and triple Papua New Guinea's export revenue. The
government faces the challenge of ensuring transparency and accountability for revenues flowing from this and other
large LNG projects. The government of Prime Minister SOMARE has expended much of its energy remaining in
power. He was the first prime minister ever to serve a full five-year term. The government has brought stability to the
national budget, largely through expenditure control; however, it relaxed spending constraints in 2006 and 2007 as
elections approached. Numerous challenges still face the government, including providing physical security for foreign
investors, regaining investor confidence, restoring integrity to state institutions, promoting economic efficiency by
privatizing moribund state institutions, and balancing relations with Australia, its former colonial ruler. Other
socio-cultural challenges could upend the economy including an HIV/AIDS epidemic, with the highest infection rate in
all of East Asia and the Pacific, and chronic law and order and land tenure issues. The global financial crisis had little
impact because of continued high demand for Papua New Guinea's commodities exports.
Source: CIA World Factbook (select Papua New Guinea)
| INTERNATIONAL DISPUTES |
Relies on assistance from Australia to keep out illegal cross-border activities from primarily Indonesia, including goods
smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
smuggling, illegal narcotics trafficking, and squatters and secessionists
| REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) |
Refugees (country of origin): 10,177 (Indonesia) (2007)
| ILLICIT DRUGS |
Major consumer of cannabis.
| HUMAN RIGHTS STATEMENTS, ANALYSIS AND CRITIQUES |
2009 Human Rights Report: Papua New Guinea
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Papua New Guinea is a constitutional, federal, multiparty, parliamentary democracy with a population of approximately 6.3 million and
more than 800 indigenous tribes. The most recent general elections, held in 2007, were marred by bribery, voter intimidation, and
influence peddling. A coalition government, led by Prime Minister Michael Somare, was formed following the elections. While civilian
authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which elements of the security
forces acted independently.
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, but there were serious problems in some areas. Human rights
abuses included:
Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
2009 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices
March 11, 2010
Papua New Guinea is a constitutional, federal, multiparty, parliamentary democracy with a population of approximately 6.3 million and
more than 800 indigenous tribes. The most recent general elections, held in 2007, were marred by bribery, voter intimidation, and
influence peddling. A coalition government, led by Prime Minister Michael Somare, was formed following the elections. While civilian
authorities generally maintained effective control of the security forces, there were some instances in which elements of the security
forces acted independently.
The government generally respected the human rights of its citizens, but there were serious problems in some areas. Human rights
abuses included:
- arbitrary or unlawful killings by police,
- police abuse of detainees,
- poor prison conditions,
- police corruption and impunity,
- lengthy pretrial detention,
- infringement of citizens' privacy rights,
- government corruption,
- violence and discrimination against women and children,
- discrimination against persons with disabilities,
- intertribal violence,
- violence against ethnic Asians,
- ineffective enforcement of labor laws.
February 26, 2004
Observations: Papua New Guinea. 26/02/2004.
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Thirty-fifth session
REVIEW OF REPORTS OF STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Observations: Papua New Guinea
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the initial report, frank and well-documented by the State party, as well as the detailed written replies to
its list of issues (CRC/C/Q/PNG/1), but regrets the presentation lateness of the latter. The Committee also welcomes the high level of
the delegation and the constructive dialogue it has had with her, and the positive reactions she has expressed the face of suggestions
and recommendations made during the discussion.
B. Positive aspects
3. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the law on juvenile courts in 2003 and the establishment of the first juvenile court in the
capital, Port Moresby.
4. The Committee welcomes the amendments to the Penal Code and the Evidence Act, adopted in 2002 and entered into force in
2003, which have strengthened the legal framework for protecting children against sexual abuse.
D. Key topics of concern and recommendations
1. Measures of implementation
Legislation
8. The Committee, while noting the State party has recently embarked on a programme of reviewing the legislation and that the
Supervisory Committee on the Rights of the Child has identified some 20 laws do not conform to the Convention on the Rights of the
child, is concerned that the completion of this program does not enjoy the necessary priority.
9. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures in accordance with the timetable for completing the
programme of reviewing the legislation and to ensure full compliance of national legislation and customary law the principles and
provisions of the Convention and the effective implementation of this programme.
Click here to read more »
Observations: Papua New Guinea. 26/02/2004.
COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
Thirty-fifth session
REVIEW OF REPORTS OF STATES PARTIES UNDER ARTICLE 44 OF THE CONVENTION
Observations: Papua New Guinea
A. Introduction
2. The Committee welcomes the initial report, frank and well-documented by the State party, as well as the detailed written replies to
its list of issues (CRC/C/Q/PNG/1), but regrets the presentation lateness of the latter. The Committee also welcomes the high level of
the delegation and the constructive dialogue it has had with her, and the positive reactions she has expressed the face of suggestions
and recommendations made during the discussion.
B. Positive aspects
3. The Committee welcomes the adoption of the law on juvenile courts in 2003 and the establishment of the first juvenile court in the
capital, Port Moresby.
4. The Committee welcomes the amendments to the Penal Code and the Evidence Act, adopted in 2002 and entered into force in
2003, which have strengthened the legal framework for protecting children against sexual abuse.
D. Key topics of concern and recommendations
1. Measures of implementation
Legislation
8. The Committee, while noting the State party has recently embarked on a programme of reviewing the legislation and that the
Supervisory Committee on the Rights of the Child has identified some 20 laws do not conform to the Convention on the Rights of the
child, is concerned that the completion of this program does not enjoy the necessary priority.
9. The Committee recommends that the State party take all necessary measures in accordance with the timetable for completing the
programme of reviewing the legislation and to ensure full compliance of national legislation and customary law the principles and
provisions of the Convention and the effective implementation of this programme.
Click here to read more »
Freedom In The World Report 2009
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 3
Status: Partly Free
Ratings Change
Papua New Guinea’s political rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to the government’s failure to address increasingly
widespread instances of corruption and official abuse of power.
Overview
Several high-ranking public officials in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were implicated in corruption scandals during 2008, including
Prime Minister Michael Somare, who faced accusations of involvement in the disappearance of $30 million in assistance from
Taiwan. There was little progress during the year on reducing the country’s widespread crime and violence. In June, Bougainville’s
president, John Kabui, died of a suspected heart attack, and by-elections held at the end of the year resulted in Kabui’s replacement
by James Tanis. The country’s first increase in the official minimum wage in 22 years took effect in December.
A major source of controversy for Somare has been his alleged involvement in enabling Julian Moti, an Australian citizen of Fijian
origin, to escape to the Solomon Islands; Moti was wanted in Australia for alleged sex crimes with a minor in Vanuatu in 1997 and
was arrested in PNG in September 2006. While waiting for extradition to Australia, Moti landed in the Solomon Islands in a PNG
military plane in October 2006 and assumed his appointment as the attorney general. Widespread public criticism pressured the
PNG defense minister to create a special inquiry board in December 2006, although Somare tried to end the investigation
throughout 2007 and dismissed his defense minister. Somare then made himself the acting defense minister, entitling him to receive
the board’s formal report, which he barred from public release. A leaked copy indicated that one of the report’s recommendations
was the prosecution of Somare for allegedly assisting in Moti’s escape. Somare asked a court to nullify the report, although the
court rejected this request and Somare subsequently appealed the ruling. By the end of 2008, an Ombudsman Commission’s
investigation into the Moti affair still had to complete its work as Somare fought to terminate any investigation into his personal
finances.
Kabui died suddenly in June of a suspected heart attack, and a by-election to select a new president was held between November
29 and December 12, 2008. Heavily armed roadblocks stopped residents of some regions from voting, and many voters were
unable to cast their ballots because their names were missing from the electoral rolls. On December 28, James Tanis, vice president
of Kabui’s Bougainville People’s Congress, was elected president; he received 2,000 votes more than the second highest polling
candidate, Sam Akoitai, a former national government cabinet minister. The victory of Tanis, aged 43, reflected a generational shift
in the country’s leadership.
Logging and other forms of natural-resource exploitation have spurred economic growth in recent years, but poverty remains
widespread. The country suffers from widespread illiteracy and a shortage of trained teachers. In September 2008, however, the
government promised to invest $280 million to expand and improve schools.
In recent years, the government has tightened controls on illegal migrants from Indonesia’s Papua Province to avoid aggravating
already strained relations with Jakarta. Many Papuans come to PNG to escape the Indonesian military and police or to trade.
Click here to read more »
Political Rights Score: 4
Civil Liberties Score: 3
Status: Partly Free
Ratings Change
Papua New Guinea’s political rights rating declined from 3 to 4 due to the government’s failure to address increasingly
widespread instances of corruption and official abuse of power.
Overview
Several high-ranking public officials in Papua New Guinea (PNG) were implicated in corruption scandals during 2008, including
Prime Minister Michael Somare, who faced accusations of involvement in the disappearance of $30 million in assistance from
Taiwan. There was little progress during the year on reducing the country’s widespread crime and violence. In June, Bougainville’s
president, John Kabui, died of a suspected heart attack, and by-elections held at the end of the year resulted in Kabui’s replacement
by James Tanis. The country’s first increase in the official minimum wage in 22 years took effect in December.
A major source of controversy for Somare has been his alleged involvement in enabling Julian Moti, an Australian citizen of Fijian
origin, to escape to the Solomon Islands; Moti was wanted in Australia for alleged sex crimes with a minor in Vanuatu in 1997 and
was arrested in PNG in September 2006. While waiting for extradition to Australia, Moti landed in the Solomon Islands in a PNG
military plane in October 2006 and assumed his appointment as the attorney general. Widespread public criticism pressured the
PNG defense minister to create a special inquiry board in December 2006, although Somare tried to end the investigation
throughout 2007 and dismissed his defense minister. Somare then made himself the acting defense minister, entitling him to receive
the board’s formal report, which he barred from public release. A leaked copy indicated that one of the report’s recommendations
was the prosecution of Somare for allegedly assisting in Moti’s escape. Somare asked a court to nullify the report, although the
court rejected this request and Somare subsequently appealed the ruling. By the end of 2008, an Ombudsman Commission’s
investigation into the Moti affair still had to complete its work as Somare fought to terminate any investigation into his personal
finances.
Kabui died suddenly in June of a suspected heart attack, and a by-election to select a new president was held between November
29 and December 12, 2008. Heavily armed roadblocks stopped residents of some regions from voting, and many voters were
unable to cast their ballots because their names were missing from the electoral rolls. On December 28, James Tanis, vice president
of Kabui’s Bougainville People’s Congress, was elected president; he received 2,000 votes more than the second highest polling
candidate, Sam Akoitai, a former national government cabinet minister. The victory of Tanis, aged 43, reflected a generational shift
in the country’s leadership.
Logging and other forms of natural-resource exploitation have spurred economic growth in recent years, but poverty remains
widespread. The country suffers from widespread illiteracy and a shortage of trained teachers. In September 2008, however, the
government promised to invest $280 million to expand and improve schools.
In recent years, the government has tightened controls on illegal migrants from Indonesia’s Papua Province to avoid aggravating
already strained relations with Jakarta. Many Papuans come to PNG to escape the Indonesian military and police or to trade.
Click here to read more »
Papua New Guinea: Investigation into police conduct in Porgera must be impartial
4 February 2010
Amnesty International today questioned the impartiality of a proposed police investigation into alleged forced evictions near the
Porgera gold mine following media reports that the Police Commissioner dismissed allegations of police misconduct.
"It is essential that such an investigation be transparent, effective, impartial and independent, and the results clearly based on the
evidence," said Shanta Martin, Amnesty International's mining and human rights specialist. "It should not be launched by the police
with a predetermined objective of clearing the police of misconduct."
On 4 February 2010, Papua New Guinea’s Police Commissioner, Gari Baki, was reported in the media to have said that he might
order a police investigation so as to refute claims that people in Porgera were the victims of police violence. He reportedly dismissed
evidence of illegal evictions of people living near the Porgera gold mine and police violence as "fabricated".
Background
On 2 February 2010, Amnesty International launched its report, Undermining Rights: Forced evictions and police brutality around the
Porgera gold mine, Papua New Guinea, which documents police violence and the forced eviction by police of families living alongside
the Porgera gold mine.
Amnesty International also has concerns regarding ongoing support to the police by companies involved in the mine after the
companies became aware of police misconduct in the area. The mine is 95% owned and operated by subsidiaries of the largest gold
mining company in the world, Canadian-based Barrick Gold Corporation, as part of the Porgera Joint Venture.
Click here to read more »
4 February 2010
Amnesty International today questioned the impartiality of a proposed police investigation into alleged forced evictions near the
Porgera gold mine following media reports that the Police Commissioner dismissed allegations of police misconduct.
"It is essential that such an investigation be transparent, effective, impartial and independent, and the results clearly based on the
evidence," said Shanta Martin, Amnesty International's mining and human rights specialist. "It should not be launched by the police
with a predetermined objective of clearing the police of misconduct."
On 4 February 2010, Papua New Guinea’s Police Commissioner, Gari Baki, was reported in the media to have said that he might
order a police investigation so as to refute claims that people in Porgera were the victims of police violence. He reportedly dismissed
evidence of illegal evictions of people living near the Porgera gold mine and police violence as "fabricated".
Background
On 2 February 2010, Amnesty International launched its report, Undermining Rights: Forced evictions and police brutality around the
Porgera gold mine, Papua New Guinea, which documents police violence and the forced eviction by police of families living alongside
the Porgera gold mine.
Amnesty International also has concerns regarding ongoing support to the police by companies involved in the mine after the
companies became aware of police misconduct in the area. The mine is 95% owned and operated by subsidiaries of the largest gold
mining company in the world, Canadian-based Barrick Gold Corporation, as part of the Porgera Joint Venture.
Click here to read more »
Papua New Guinea: Don’t Regress on Death Penalty
Resist Calls to Restart Executions
July 14, 2009
(New York) - The Papua New Guinea government should abolish the death penalty instead of putting it back into effect, Human
Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint letter to Dr. Allan Marat, justice minister and attorney general. In the letter,
dated July 10, the two human rights organizations criticized statements by Papua New Guinea government officials calling for steps
that would enable it to carry out executions.
Recent violent crimes including the alleged killings of four children by their mother led to statements by officials that they were
considering reinstating executions. Marat told journalists recently that his office was drawing up regulations necessary to conduct
executions. Papua New Guinea has not carried out an execution since 1954, despite Parliament's reintroduction of the death penalty
for willful murder in 1991.
"Restarting executions would be a huge step backward for Papua New Guinea that would move the country away from the
prevailing trend of world opinion and practice," said Zama Coursen-Neff, deputy director of the Children's Rights Division at
Human Rights Watch. "Papua New Guinea should strengthen its criminal justice system, but there's no evidence that the death
penalty actually deters crimes more than other punishments."
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch oppose the death penalty in all cases as a violation of fundamental rights - the right
to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. The organizations called on Papua New
Guinea to abolish the death penalty and to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights. The organizations also called on the government to strengthen its judicial system so that those convicted of crimes face just
penalties that comply with international standards.
"The death penalty is a violation of the right to life and Papua New Guinea would damage its credibility by re introducing it," said
Amnesty International's Pacific researcher Apolosi Bose. "Instead, Papua New Guinea should uphold the guarantees of the right to
life and freedom from cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment found in its own constitution and international legal commitments."
The death penalty has been legally abolished by 94 countries, and only a small minority of countries - 25 in 2008 - continues to
carry out executions.
Click here to read more »
Resist Calls to Restart Executions
July 14, 2009
(New York) - The Papua New Guinea government should abolish the death penalty instead of putting it back into effect, Human
Rights Watch and Amnesty International said in a joint letter to Dr. Allan Marat, justice minister and attorney general. In the letter,
dated July 10, the two human rights organizations criticized statements by Papua New Guinea government officials calling for steps
that would enable it to carry out executions.
Recent violent crimes including the alleged killings of four children by their mother led to statements by officials that they were
considering reinstating executions. Marat told journalists recently that his office was drawing up regulations necessary to conduct
executions. Papua New Guinea has not carried out an execution since 1954, despite Parliament's reintroduction of the death penalty
for willful murder in 1991.
"Restarting executions would be a huge step backward for Papua New Guinea that would move the country away from the
prevailing trend of world opinion and practice," said Zama Coursen-Neff, deputy director of the Children's Rights Division at
Human Rights Watch. "Papua New Guinea should strengthen its criminal justice system, but there's no evidence that the death
penalty actually deters crimes more than other punishments."
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch oppose the death penalty in all cases as a violation of fundamental rights - the right
to life and the right not to be subjected to cruel, inhuman, and degrading punishment. The organizations called on Papua New
Guinea to abolish the death penalty and to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights. The organizations also called on the government to strengthen its judicial system so that those convicted of crimes face just
penalties that comply with international standards.
"The death penalty is a violation of the right to life and Papua New Guinea would damage its credibility by re introducing it," said
Amnesty International's Pacific researcher Apolosi Bose. "Instead, Papua New Guinea should uphold the guarantees of the right to
life and freedom from cruel, inhumane, and degrading treatment found in its own constitution and international legal commitments."
The death penalty has been legally abolished by 94 countries, and only a small minority of countries - 25 in 2008 - continues to
carry out executions.
Click here to read more »
PAPUA NEW GUINEA STATEMENT TO THE 64™th SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
BY HON. SAMUEL T. ABAL, MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration
New York, NY
29 September 2009
Mr. President
When God distributed the peoples of the world everywhere, He put Papua New Guinea, a small country of 6.5million people,
wedged in between the South Pacific and the South East Asia. It has been a privilege which has allowed us to appreciate the
peaceful and colorful people of the Pacific as well as the dynamic nations of South East Asia.
We may not be a large country or a country of economic or military power, but in our own way and from our own standpoint, we
have a right to contribute to the world among other nations to collectively approach issues and problems and to 'speak out' whether
in support or in disagreement.
Very recently, we celebrated the 34th Anniversary of our Independence on the 16th of September 2009. But an important
achievement for us was the fact that by the grace of God, we have had an unbroken constitutional democracy for all those 34
years.
Our current Prime Minister the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has been in Parliament for 41 years. He is the founding Prime
Minister who was ousted through Parliamentary constitutional vote and returned three times as Prime Minister. The current term
being his fourth.
I am mentioning this because Papua New Guinea is contributing to democracy in the world and that through a democratic form of
Government, a nation of over 800 languages and people though diverse can find a way towards harmony and political acceptance
of each other.
We are proud of this achievement but we are also mindful of the many critical challenges which lie ahead of us as we develop and
progress. Many of these are challenges that no individual country whether large or small can handle on its own.
Papua New Guinea firmly believes that strengthening international peace and security is fundamental to achieving
human development, progress and prosperity
Click here to read more »
BY HON. SAMUEL T. ABAL, MP
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration
New York, NY
29 September 2009
Mr. President
When God distributed the peoples of the world everywhere, He put Papua New Guinea, a small country of 6.5million people,
wedged in between the South Pacific and the South East Asia. It has been a privilege which has allowed us to appreciate the
peaceful and colorful people of the Pacific as well as the dynamic nations of South East Asia.
We may not be a large country or a country of economic or military power, but in our own way and from our own standpoint, we
have a right to contribute to the world among other nations to collectively approach issues and problems and to 'speak out' whether
in support or in disagreement.
Very recently, we celebrated the 34th Anniversary of our Independence on the 16th of September 2009. But an important
achievement for us was the fact that by the grace of God, we have had an unbroken constitutional democracy for all those 34
years.
Our current Prime Minister the Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has been in Parliament for 41 years. He is the founding Prime
Minister who was ousted through Parliamentary constitutional vote and returned three times as Prime Minister. The current term
being his fourth.
I am mentioning this because Papua New Guinea is contributing to democracy in the world and that through a democratic form of
Government, a nation of over 800 languages and people though diverse can find a way towards harmony and political acceptance
of each other.
We are proud of this achievement but we are also mindful of the many critical challenges which lie ahead of us as we develop and
progress. Many of these are challenges that no individual country whether large or small can handle on its own.
Papua New Guinea firmly believes that strengthening international peace and security is fundamental to achieving
human development, progress and prosperity
Click here to read more »
Papua New Guinea report highlights illegality of Moti arrest
By Patrick O’Connor
13 March 2010
The Papua New Guinean parliament has released a report by the Ombudsman Commission into the events of September–October
2006, beginning with the arrest of the then pending Solomon Islands’ attorney general, Julian Moti, at the behest of Australian
Federal Police (AFP). The ombudsman concluded that the “initial arrest and detention of Moti was unlawful and in breach of the
Extradition Act”. The finding is further confirmation of the illegal and provocative character of the protracted witch-hunt waged by
the Australian government against the international and constitutional lawyer.
The 70-page Ombudsman Commission report has sparked a furore in PNG over its recommendation that Prime Minister Michael
Somare be investigated and potentially charged with criminal offences relating to Moti’s flight from the country to the Solomons
eleven days after he was arrested. In response, Somare and his fellow ministers passed a parliamentary resolution last Wednesday
formally rejecting the ombudsman’s report. The prime minister denied any wrongdoing, accused Chief Ombudsman Chronox
Manek of having “ulterior motives”, and insisted that the events of September–October 2006 saw PNG “unwittingly drawn into the
Moti issue by agents of another government trying to carry out a political plan contrived by their government to discredit Moti”.
On September 29, 2006, the lawyer was arrested—on the orders of AFP agents in the Pacific-wide Transnational Crime Unit—
while he was in a PNG airport transit lounge, en route to the Solomon Islands to take up the post of attorney general. Canberra
sought Moti’s extradition on the highly dubious basis of Australia’s extra-territorial child sex tourism laws. The AFP revived
statutory rape allegations that were levelled against Moti in 1997–1998 but dismissed by a Vanuatu court after Australia’s High
Commissioner in Honiara, Patrick Cole, encouraged an Australian investigation. Internal documents released last year demonstrate
that Cole hoped that this would bolster his efforts to prevent Moti being appointed the Solomons’ attorney general. Australian
diplomatic officials regarded him as a serious threat to the Australian-led intervention force, the Regional Assistance Mission to
Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which took over key aspects of the country’s administration in 2003.
Moti was initially arrested without a warrant; moreover, efforts to extradite him proceeded on the basis of expired legislation. After
being granted bail by a Port Moresby court, Moti accepted an offer of political asylum from the Solomon Islands. On October 10,
he was flown in a PNG military plane to the Solomons, sparking a diplomatic clash that lasted more than a year. Solomon Islands
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was subjected to a sustained regime change campaign by Canberra. Moti was finally extracted
from the Solomons and arrested in Australia in December 2007, after Sogavare was ousted. Last December the Queensland
Supreme Court finally threw out the charges after finding that the attempted prosecution was an abuse of judicial process. (See
“Australian government frame-up of Julian Moti collapses as court throws out charges”)
Click here to read more »
By Patrick O’Connor
13 March 2010
The Papua New Guinean parliament has released a report by the Ombudsman Commission into the events of September–October
2006, beginning with the arrest of the then pending Solomon Islands’ attorney general, Julian Moti, at the behest of Australian
Federal Police (AFP). The ombudsman concluded that the “initial arrest and detention of Moti was unlawful and in breach of the
Extradition Act”. The finding is further confirmation of the illegal and provocative character of the protracted witch-hunt waged by
the Australian government against the international and constitutional lawyer.
The 70-page Ombudsman Commission report has sparked a furore in PNG over its recommendation that Prime Minister Michael
Somare be investigated and potentially charged with criminal offences relating to Moti’s flight from the country to the Solomons
eleven days after he was arrested. In response, Somare and his fellow ministers passed a parliamentary resolution last Wednesday
formally rejecting the ombudsman’s report. The prime minister denied any wrongdoing, accused Chief Ombudsman Chronox
Manek of having “ulterior motives”, and insisted that the events of September–October 2006 saw PNG “unwittingly drawn into the
Moti issue by agents of another government trying to carry out a political plan contrived by their government to discredit Moti”.
On September 29, 2006, the lawyer was arrested—on the orders of AFP agents in the Pacific-wide Transnational Crime Unit—
while he was in a PNG airport transit lounge, en route to the Solomon Islands to take up the post of attorney general. Canberra
sought Moti’s extradition on the highly dubious basis of Australia’s extra-territorial child sex tourism laws. The AFP revived
statutory rape allegations that were levelled against Moti in 1997–1998 but dismissed by a Vanuatu court after Australia’s High
Commissioner in Honiara, Patrick Cole, encouraged an Australian investigation. Internal documents released last year demonstrate
that Cole hoped that this would bolster his efforts to prevent Moti being appointed the Solomons’ attorney general. Australian
diplomatic officials regarded him as a serious threat to the Australian-led intervention force, the Regional Assistance Mission to
Solomon Islands (RAMSI), which took over key aspects of the country’s administration in 2003.
Moti was initially arrested without a warrant; moreover, efforts to extradite him proceeded on the basis of expired legislation. After
being granted bail by a Port Moresby court, Moti accepted an offer of political asylum from the Solomon Islands. On October 10,
he was flown in a PNG military plane to the Solomons, sparking a diplomatic clash that lasted more than a year. Solomon Islands
Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare was subjected to a sustained regime change campaign by Canberra. Moti was finally extracted
from the Solomons and arrested in Australia in December 2007, after Sogavare was ousted. Last December the Queensland
Supreme Court finally threw out the charges after finding that the attempted prosecution was an abuse of judicial process. (See
“Australian government frame-up of Julian Moti collapses as court throws out charges”)
Click here to read more »
Impacted Communities Confront Barrick Gold at Annual General Meeting
April 28, 2010
Indigenous representatives from Papua New Guinea and Chile traveled to Canada this week to speak at Barrick Gold’s annual
shareholders meeting.
At Barrick’s Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea, complaints include house burnings, forced displacement, and a food security
crisis caused by the mine’s expanding waste dumps. At Barrick’s Pascua Lama project on the border of Chile and Argentina,
Barrick failed to consult the Diaguita Huascoaltinos Indigenous community, who hold title to the land of the proposed mine, as well
as other areas that Barrick is exploring.
“Barrick has made it impossible for us to live on our traditional land. It is contaminated, unhealthy, we have no land left to grow our
food and we are constantly targeted by the mine security,” explained Mark Ekepa, the chairman of the Porgera Landowners
Association. “We want to be resettled as a community, but Barrick refuses to negotiate with us.”
Representatives from the Diaguita Huascoaltinos also delivered a strong message to Barrick’s shareholders.
“We will not allow Barrick to destroy our land and our culture. We will not allow you to appropriate the legacy left by tour
ancestors. Today, we come here to order the closure of Pascua Lama,” reads an official statement delivered by three
representatives from the community. Their statement continues, “shareholders, if you continue to mine in our lands, you will
remain complicit in the pollution and destruction of our culture and you will be enriched in return for the death of our people.”
The Diaguita Huascoaltinos have two lawsuits against Barrick within Chile, and a lawsuit against the Chilean state within the Inter-
American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Within the IACHR, their claim states that the government violated the Diaguita’s
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and did not consider comments submitted by their community in the Environmental
Assessment Process of the mine. The claim also states that Barrick’s claim to land on and near the Pascua Lama project on the
border of Chile and Argentina relies on a series of fraudulent land claims to collectively held-Diaguita Huascoaltinos land.
The delegation from Papua New Guinea, which includes the Chairman and the Secretary of the Porgera Landowners Association
and two representatives from the Akali Tange Association, comes to Canada on the heels of the release of an Amnesty International
report detailing forced evictions and house burnings near Barrick’s Porgera Mine.
Click here to read more »
April 28, 2010
Indigenous representatives from Papua New Guinea and Chile traveled to Canada this week to speak at Barrick Gold’s annual
shareholders meeting.
At Barrick’s Porgera mine in Papua New Guinea, complaints include house burnings, forced displacement, and a food security
crisis caused by the mine’s expanding waste dumps. At Barrick’s Pascua Lama project on the border of Chile and Argentina,
Barrick failed to consult the Diaguita Huascoaltinos Indigenous community, who hold title to the land of the proposed mine, as well
as other areas that Barrick is exploring.
“Barrick has made it impossible for us to live on our traditional land. It is contaminated, unhealthy, we have no land left to grow our
food and we are constantly targeted by the mine security,” explained Mark Ekepa, the chairman of the Porgera Landowners
Association. “We want to be resettled as a community, but Barrick refuses to negotiate with us.”
Representatives from the Diaguita Huascoaltinos also delivered a strong message to Barrick’s shareholders.
“We will not allow Barrick to destroy our land and our culture. We will not allow you to appropriate the legacy left by tour
ancestors. Today, we come here to order the closure of Pascua Lama,” reads an official statement delivered by three
representatives from the community. Their statement continues, “shareholders, if you continue to mine in our lands, you will
remain complicit in the pollution and destruction of our culture and you will be enriched in return for the death of our people.”
The Diaguita Huascoaltinos have two lawsuits against Barrick within Chile, and a lawsuit against the Chilean state within the Inter-
American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Within the IACHR, their claim states that the government violated the Diaguita’s
Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and did not consider comments submitted by their community in the Environmental
Assessment Process of the mine. The claim also states that Barrick’s claim to land on and near the Pascua Lama project on the
border of Chile and Argentina relies on a series of fraudulent land claims to collectively held-Diaguita Huascoaltinos land.
The delegation from Papua New Guinea, which includes the Chairman and the Secretary of the Porgera Landowners Association
and two representatives from the Akali Tange Association, comes to Canada on the heels of the release of an Amnesty International
report detailing forced evictions and house burnings near Barrick’s Porgera Mine.
Click here to read more »
Represented by
Sir Paulius Matane
Governor General since 29 June 2004
Sir Paulius Matane
Governor General since 29 June 2004
Puka Temu
Deputy Prime Minister since 29 August 2007
Deputy Prime Minister since 29 August 2007
Click on map for larger view
Click on flag for Country Report
| TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS |
Current situation: Papua New Guinea is a country of destination for women and children from Malaysia, the
Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of
women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well
Tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework does not contain elements of
crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic procedure to
identify victims of trafficking; the government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has
not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)
Philippines, Thailand, and China trafficked for the purpose of commercial sexual exploitation; internal trafficking of
women and children for the purposes of sexual exploitation and involuntary domestic servitude occurs as well
Tier rating: Tier 3 - Papua New Guinea does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of
trafficking and is not making significant efforts to do so; the current legal framework does not contain elements of
crimes that characterize trafficking; the government lacks victim protection services or a systematic procedure to
identify victims of trafficking; the government did not prosecute anyone in 2007 for trafficking; Papua New Guinea has
not ratified the 2000 UN TIP Protocol (2008)