Land is our backbone and birthright

HAVE you ever wondered how the colonial explorers took our land?
Have you even thought of how many pennies they gave in exchange for those lands?
It was such a scanty arrangement that was struck upon deception.
Anyway, it is what it is as designed by the intruders, burdening us with little to no option.
But how could our past be genuinely recorded on our prehistory as it is biased is a challenge to all Papua New Guineans for the good of a robust and patriotic history to be written for our future generations.
The course of those colonial land dealings is still persistent today, affecting the rights of countless customary landowners across the country.
All the PNG government centres are based upon such arrangements that give fewer and even no rights to locals.
But the locals own the land because their land was accumulated and built over time by the flesh of their deceased ancestors.
We have seen massive influence to the very crucial part of our identity and sovereignty – our land.
Our land must not be sold without proper incentives for landowners.
If the developers and investors want your land, don’t skip everything and concentrate on the payment part of the dealing. Make thorough evaluation on the terms and conditions and the long-term benefits that will come with it.
This is where you will know which and what to begin with rather than considering the payment and forget about the rights surrounding your very own identity and backbone i.e. your land, your birthright.
PNG is moving on despite several economic constraints and political turmoil that erupted into a nationwide chaos.
We have our imports and exports progressing peacefully and that we can afford to have Australian rice on our dinner plates manufactured by the Chinese people. This is an independent state and we are existing and competing among other economic and political giants across the world.
The government is functional.
We don’t experience military coup like in Fiji and Tahiti or have other debtors seizing parts of our economic pillars such as taking over PNG Ports or Air Niugini like what has been done by China on Sri Lankan ports.
We are blissfully surfing the Pacific Ocean while serving the entire world with what we have but we must also try to contain and control their influence by not allowing them to take over what we can do with what we have.
Such manner of progression would imply our economic and political independency which will give minimal space to external influencers, mainly the east led by China and the west led by the United States of America.
We have been unleashed from our handcuffs and shackles from the colonial masterminds and now it’s our time to rise and claim what is rightfully ours.
All nationals must not offer your land for a free dime.
Your land is your backbone. It is your birthright.
Guard it well so that our future generations will appreciate what we do today.

Barr Tsine
Social Advocate