Human Remains Sold in PNG
Posted: Mon Oct 08, 2007 12:18 pm
Hi All,
This article appeared in the POST COURIER on October 5:
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20071005/news01.htm
As I have visited the area a couple of times now, and have been thoroughly researching the battles around Buna, Gona and Sanananda - particularly MIA cases - I will endeavour investigate these claims further. Any assistance with details on such incidents, or other related news articles would be greatly appreciated.
This article appeared in the POST COURIER on October 5:
http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20071005/news01.htm
The following image also appeared with the article:Graves dug up
TRADING the skeletal remains of World War II dead has become a lucrative trade in the Northern Province.
Villagers in Sanananda, Buna, Gewoto, Waju and surrounding areas are selling the remains of fallen Australian, American and Japanese soldiers to foreigners who are allegedly entering the country on tourist visas.
The Post-Courier went on a trip to the areas concerned to carry out an investigation into the “skeletal scavengers” last week.
Sanananda villagers confirmed that a complete human skeleton was sold last month for US$ 20,000 while a plastic bags filled with bones were being sold at K70 and others at K5, K10 and K20 respectively.
Locals say they are being forced to trade the skeletal remains by foreigners who are coming into the country on tourists visas.
The locals confirmed the buyers than cremate the bones before taking them overseas.
One local said most of the buyers are tourists, but they seem to be from Australia, America and Japan.
Sanananda village Chief Albert Awai said that although a lot is being said about preserving the war relics in the country, senior public servants from national museum, tourism, commerce and Industry (named) are establishing these markets. Mr Awai said the skeletal trade has become a big industry and government authorities are failing to detect the activity.
Tourists coming to and leaving the province have to be thoroughly checked as people are being ripped off many resources and mostly, tourist operators are bringing in tourists who are not genuine into the country with the intention of buying the skeletal remains.
The locals, however, said the government must be equally blamed for their negligence and the deteriorating basic services to the rural areas in the province which is of course the most contributing factor to the whole issue.
Former Oro premier Newman Mongagi said some of these foreigners arrived in the province, booked into Lamington Hotel and other guesthouses and organised public servants and policemen to do the trade under threats and force.
Luke Doari from Mangufo village confirmed that, in the company of another youth Copland Tipe, dug and sold 53 Japanese skeletons for K100 each to an American (named) attached to a petroleum exploration company between 1997 and 1998.
Locals said this American was given a PPL licence by the National Government for exploration around the North Coast and the Collingwood Bay basin in province.
The American is believed to have told the locals that he was given K30,000 by his Japanese friends to buy as many skeletons while he was working in the area.
He said 80 to 90 per cent of the people in the rural areas in Oro are illiterate and majority support the idea of bringing money through tourism and people have seen this as an alternative way to make money.
“The longest World War full battle took place in Sanananda village and it lasted more than 53 days and as a result the area has a Japanese mass grave ... the reason why they are coming here,” Mr Mongagi said.
The Oro Provincial Administrator Monty Derari confirmed to the Post Courier that he was not aware of the activity until last month. He said he learnt about the activity when the wife of one of the local skeletal traders reported a matter involving her husband who received large sums of money from the Japanese to his office.
“Such activities are uncalled for and that because these activities were illegal, people should not temper with the dead remains,” Mr Derari said.
Mr Derari warned that if government officers were involved they should be dealt with accordingly and foreign tourists; every country has its own laws and these foreign traders forcing locals to sell the dead remains must be brought back to face the appropriate laws of PNG. However, the locals have protested saying that apart from calling on the people to stop involving in skeletal trading, the PNG Government must talk to the governments of these countries to compensate the locals or make attempts to look after their war dead.
“It is happening … we are selling the skeletal remains and if these countries reckon our areas are their biggest cemeteries than why don’t they come and look after them or take them away,” the locals said. The locals said the fact was that we did not know what this War was all about, we were only caught in the War and now their dead remains bring back memories of those years.
As I have visited the area a couple of times now, and have been thoroughly researching the battles around Buna, Gona and Sanananda - particularly MIA cases - I will endeavour investigate these claims further. Any assistance with details on such incidents, or other related news articles would be greatly appreciated.