United we must stand

PAPUA New Guinea belongs to the eight million-plus people.
No specific group of people owns the resources and other habitats in PNG.
Complexities of this nation have been handled by our colonial leaders just to unite every one of us.
From the Highlands to the coast, we have been united as one people, one nation, one country and God bless us all.
Therefore, the wealth of this nation has to be distributed equally among eight million people.
Entire populace has to be subjected under one mother law of PNG. No one is above or below our mother law so same law must apply to everyone.
Our unity must supersede the divisional factors emerging in our societies.
Our identity of being patriotic Papua New Guineans has to be maintained.
PNG’s unique identity is reflected by our complex geographical locations, barriers in language, customs, traditions, norms and beliefs.
Highlanders must stand tall to defend those from the coast and vice-versa. Without both parties, PNG should have not been granted independence in 1975.
The colonial leaders of both parties have fought in one spirit and gained independence on a golden plate for us to enjoy the privileges.
Young generation of this country must not differentiate anyone.
Politics, domestic problems, ethnic clashes and regionalism must not stand on our way to separate us.
These are the human factors that stagnate the progress of humanitarian development.
Wherever we maybe, we have to feel free as a genuine Papua New Guineans.
Nobody has to be dictated to, threatened or separated from their own soil, for goodness sake.
A few weeks ago, Enga gained its autonomy after Bougainville and New Ireland is still pushing for it.
Why are these provinces separated from PNG?
Are they mature enough in both infrastructure and human resource development? Are we serving the political interest or people’s interest?
Enga and New Ireland are hosting Porgera gold mine and Lihir gold mine respectively.
Bougainville will soon resume Panguna gold and copper mine.
Morobe will fight for autonomy before it signs the MoA for Wafi-Golpu mine operation.
Southern Highlands and Hela will follow the same track with PNG LNG project under their belts.
Things will go out of end in near future just because of this autonomy, my friends.
Autonomy is the self-government of a province.
Every resource within the province belongs to that particular province. PNG government will only control military and political powers on behalf of these provinces by law.
My concern is: what will happen to the provinces that used to get support from the revenue generated by these resource-rich provinces? How are we going to run this country with limited resources and overgrown debts?
PNG must not be sub-divided for the love of material things.
United we stand tall, divided we fall, don’t separate our people when we are not mature.
Our country is our heart beat, only our death will separate us from this beautiful country, PNG.

Gibson Lambea Mai
Maiya village
Pangia
Southern Highlands