On the campaign trail with Sir

Former senior broadcast journalist MULAI ROBBY recalls a campaign run with Sir Michael Somare

PEOPLE from Northern (Oro), Milne Bay and Western filled up the indoor complex of the Sir John Guise Stadium and many more gathered outside and followed proceedings on the big television screen.
The night was theirs to pay their last respects to the late Grand Chief, Right Honorable, Sir Michael Thomas Somare.
On their behalf their leaders passed their condolences and appreciation to the family, relatives and people of East Sepik for giving the Grand Chief to become the founding father of Papua New Guinea.
Sharing their memorable moments with the late Grand Chief, the speakers praised the leader who led the country to independence and kept it united.
Speakers became emotional at times when reminiscing special moments of their encounters with the late Grand Chief.
When the night ended, I came away thinking about some of my own encounters with the Grand Chief. He was Mr Michael Thomas Somare, MP, when I first met him.
Some speakers told of how humble Grand Chief was by not jumping up and down in excitement and giving himself a pat on the back over his achievements. I recalled a notable deed in the early days of Parliament and when he was Prime Minister. He saw to it that many national leaders were knighted – from the head of state – before him. When I met him in 1982, he was still called Mr Michael Somare, MP.

I learnt about Somare from others
I first heard of his name in 1972 from the mouth of people and teachers from the school I was attending, Alotau (Cameron) High School. It was after the elections for yet another House of Assembly for the Territory of Papua and New Guinea.
He was the talk of our town. People were saying that a New Guinea member had been chosen as Chief Minister of the Territory over their member for Alotau then, John Guise. Back at school a teacher explained the process of forming government in the House of the Assembly and political groupings had resulted in Somare being chosen as Chief Minister.
Towards the end of 1972 the Executive Council of the Assembly came to Alotau for its meeting. That was the time I saw Somare for the first time. The second time I saw the Chief Minister and then Prime Minister was in 1975 during the Independence celebrations. The third time I saw Somare was he received people from Central, who had marched to his office at Waigani and petitioned his Government over various issues including land in the National Capital District. I was a student then and doing practical work with NBC, I tagged along with my mentor to cover the event.
When the Prime Minister responded to the people some of their leaders had continuously interjected. Somare stopped and said “while you were raising your points I stood quietly and heard you clearly. It’s now your turn to be quiet and listen carefully because your people need to know.” To me there is a lesson in that quote.
Through the ensuing turn of events Somare was leader in the Opposition in 1982.

Travelling the Sepik with the chief
I was working at the National Broadcasting Commission’s Radio East Sepik station in Wewak. I was only a junior reporter at that time. The station manager then, late Luke Umbo, called me into his office one morning and told me that Port Moresby had given me an assignment to cover the Opposition and Pangu Pati leader’s campaign trail in East and West Sepik. My assignment commenced that same day for two weeks.
I was excited. Just few weeks back I covered the Prime Minister Julius Chan’s official visit to Wewak, and now I was to cover the campaign trail of the Opposition Leader. This is an assignment normally taken up by senior reporters.
However here is my chance after a long time to meet Michael Thomas Somare in person. Not only that, but to cover the campaign trail of this very high profile politician, was really something to be excited about.
Somare walked down from his house across the road to the radio station to record his campaign talk while I was sent packing my tools of the trade – notebooks, biros, extra reel-to-reel recording tapes, batteries, accommodation warrants and a little petty cash for emergencies. Next came the big Nigra tape recorder. All set and ready to go. ( Inset pic.)
My brief was simple. At odd times we would camp out on location, otherwise we would always return to Wewak every evening.
Umbo introduced me to Somare after his recording. As we shook hands, he looked at me and said, “Samarai, after two weeks in the Sepik hinterland eating nangu, you will like Sepik and would not want to leave.” I only smiled.
Next on the agenda was for Somare to go to the provincial electoral office to nominate. A large gathering of people, mostly dressed in traditional costumes, was waiting for him. I witnessed that Somare did not put any money for his nomination fee. Instead people representing all open electorates in the province contributed money for his fee. After the formalities, they carried him outside and told him that they wanted him to return to Parliament and become Prime Minister again.
Also contesting the East Sepik Regional seat in that election were a former soldier, in as an independent candidate, and a former prominent public servant registered by a two-year-old political party. Other older parties, by mutual understanding, did not put up candidates.
That afternoon we set out to Murik Lakes to commence the campaign trail. The travel itinerary consisted of land and air transport and the campaign trail covered the length and breadth of the two Sepik provinces.
The trail took us through the Sepik plains, mountains, the coastlines and the islands. From Wewak to Murik Lakes, Karawari to Pagwi, Ambunti to Nuku, Amanab to Bewani , Vanimo, Lumi to Aitape, Tarawai and Vokeo islands.
Somare was campaigning for the East Speak Provincial seat. He was also supporting his party candidates in the two Sepik provinces. He confided with his campaign managers that he was being challenged by strong candidates and they should be more diligent in their preparations. They were to ensure that people gather in central places for him to address and appeal for their votes.
His main appeal was for the people to give him “one more chance” to represent them in Parliament to seek help to develop the province. Many a time people would tell him to this time give them pork meat and enough of bones when he kills a pig. This is of course against the common norms of a traditional leader in Papua New Guinea, including Sana.
The advance campaign party had done its job well as every place the Somare went people were waiting in large numbers with refreshments. Every place visited he received warm reception. Feasting would always follow speeches. On the side people would be dancing in his honour.
People from many remote areas for the first time saw and met Somare in person. In one village was in Yangoru /Sausia Open electorate people saw and met their leader for the first time. After addressing them, they assured him that he would get their votes regardless. But they were honored by his visit.
Travelling to Maprik, he briefly stopped at Passam National High School and urged the students to concentrate on their studies. At Bainik Agriculture College, he told the students that land was important to people and they would be the ones to help people make good use of their land. Papua New Guinea had gained political independence but they, the students, would help in the economic growth of the country
The afternoon saw Somare and his campaign team stop at Maprik government station, place another legendary Sepik leader, Sir Pita Lus, insisted was the true capital of Sepik because of its central location.
Maprik Hotel was serving chicken and vegetables for dinner. Somare, our driver Markus, and I shared a table. Following the leader I used my hands to eat while the ever respectful driver used knife and fork to eat. But the bones in the chicken leg proved a task too difficult for Markus to finish his meal on time
Somare was amused and asked” Markus, mama maritim waitman? “Nogat ya,” Markus replied.
“Em, bihainim mitupela Samarai, lusim naif na pok, usim han na kaikai. Ol pipel wet ausait.” That was another side of the leader, who was prepared to wait for and on a simple person.

People gave cash and promised their votes
At Pagwi, a large gathering of people was waiting to receive him. As the leader was half carried and half walked by the escort party to the dais he kept looking around as if expecting to see somebody or something. In the helicopter out and down the river he explained he was looking for Clement, a member of his staff, who had the camera then to take pictures for the papers. A journalist’s instinct he had still.
From the places visited, people acted on their own accord individually contributed money, mostly in small changes, towards supporting the leader’s campaign expenses. I personally witnessed an elderly woman who gave two 20 toea coins. Presenting the money each speaker would say to the effect that their votes now were for the future Sepik.
On the other hand I had not seen any cash distributed to people by the leader nor by his campaign managers to offset costs for food, entertainment or otherwise.
On the way to Drekikir one afternoon, we met an open electorate candidate with his campaign troupe. The leader was from an opposing political party. Somare invited the leader and his supporters to share lunch of some sago supplied by people from a village we had just left.
Returning to Wewak town one afternoon we stopped at Saksak settlement. Someone mentioned that a young girl was in a critical condition and fighting for her life. The young girl was in mid-stages of pregnancy. But the problem was she had high blood pressure. Doctors at the hospital saw the only way to save her was to terminate the baby. But the act of abortion had been outlawed and criminalised in Papua New Guinea. On the other hand the girl came from a family with a very strong Christian values.
Told of this, Somare was moved and he went to spend time with the family. Back in the vehicle he commented to the effect that maybe the law needed revisiting to include options especially were life was threatened.
At Timbunke village after spending a night at Kaminimbi, along the river people set out a long platform filled with cooked food. Because I had a heavy breakfast at the Riverside Lodge, I only ate a piece of sweet potato and took to betel nut. The leader was observing and told Clement to travel on down the River to Angoram and nearby places to alert the people of the next day’s programme.
“We are returning to Wewak for the chopper to return to base in Goroka. And too, another day out here, Samarai might die of hunger. He is not eating sago. And I do not have enough to fill up a “coconut dish” for John,” Mr. Somare said. Late John Noel, was then member for Kiriwina/Goodenough (my electorate in Milne Bay) and was Deputy Opposition leader then.
On Vokeo Island Somare conducted his campaign on the rocky beach courtesy of a storm which had hit the island few days earlier.
Tarawai Island was the last place out of Wewak before moving to areas around the Pprovincial town. Returning from Tarawai, in a chopper piloted by a Papua New Guinean captain, we had a shakeup. A gust of wind blew into the chopper through an open window on the side of the leader cauing the chopper to rock violently, and it was thrown it on its right side. It took the pilot some scary moments to upright the ship and hold it steady. And it took even longer to come back to Boram Airport.

Commending a confident pilot
Before disembarking the pilot apologised for the mishap. Somare assured him that it was alright and that everybody was safe on the ground. But for the passengers, it was not alright as the incident had almost brought the end of the world to them. They were repeatedly thanking divine intervention they were still alive.
Even hours later when we were sitting under the leader’s house in Wewak we could not touch refreshments laid before us. We were too shaken up by the incident. I for one forgot about filing stories for local and national radios news. Even the campaign programme for that afternoon didn’t get any mention at all.
But the leader, calm as he was, was all praise for the national pilot. To him the pilot was a role model for PNG citizens.
Somare said, “I saw the pilot did not panic. I was watching him holding the steering stick with both hands. I saw he was confident. That is what Papua New Guinea needs. Confident young people holding their young country with both hands and taking it forward.”
It came to pass, the Sepik people returned Somare to Parliament by thrice the total votes collected by his nearest rival and he became Prime Minister once more. And his “one more time” appeal for votes returned him to Parliament many more times after. Thus in his time he became the longest serving member of Parliament in the Commonwealth Group of Nations without a break.
For me, two weeks spent with the leader gave me a better understanding of the man he was. And I continued to report some of his visionary ideas he had mentioned in his election campaign so long ago.
To the Somare family my sincere condolences. To the Grand Chief, Rt Hon Sir Michael Thomas Somare, may your soul rest in eternal peace. Kaiyoni.

About the Author;
Former broadcastjournalist.
Former Chief Editor NBC Radio and TV News
International Media Awardee – JEAA, 2011.(Journalists Education Association of Australia).