Papuans Deny Duress

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32347, 13 July 1970, Page 15

Papuans Deny Duress

(N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright) PORT MORESBY, July 12.

Southern highland leaders in Papua-New Guinea today denied a report that some of their people had been threatened with imprisonment if they did not go to the district headquarters of Mendi last Wednesday to greet the Australian Prime Minister (Mr John Gorton).

About 20,000 persons, some of whom had walked for days, gave Mr Gorton a spectacular traditional welcome at Mendi when he arrived there as part of his week-long tour of the Territory.

The Papua-New Guinea “Post-Courier” later reported that people from the Nipa area had said they did not want to go to Mendi, but had been threatened with imprisonment if they did not make the trip. Members of other tribes had said they thought they were going to Mendi only for a dance, the newspaper said.

The annual conference of the Southern Highlands District Councils said in a statement today: “Everyone who came to Mendi came of their own volition Jo support their spokesmen.” Nobody in the district wanted to hasten selfgovernment and independence, the statement said. “We all came to help our spokesmen state this to Mr Gorton. “We have often heard of the Prime Minister from Can-

berra, but had never seen him. “When we heard he was coming to Mendi the people all decided to come in large numbers to show we supported our spokesmen when they spoke against selfgovernment and independence. “If not many people had come up, the word of our spokesmen might not have meant much. “We are not afraid of walking long distances when it is such an important matter. “We would like to ask about the 150,000 who did not come here. Have they been gaoled? Of course not. Nothing has been done. “We are not bush pigs, to be pulled, like this man (“Post-Courier" reporter) says. We did not want coastal gatherings to be larger than us.”