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PNG parliament bids farewell to ‘father of the nation’
PORT MORESBY, March 11, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Papua New Guinea’s first prime
minister Sir Michael Somare’s coffin laid in state at a special sitting of
parliament Thursday ahead of a series of funeral services for the beloved
“father of the nation”.
Crowds lined Independence Boulevard in the capital Port Moresby, throwing
flowers onto the passing motorcade carrying the body of the “Grand Chief” as
it approached parliament.
Somare, who died of pancreatic cancer late last month aged 84, led Papua
New Guinea at independence from Australia in 1975 and was prime minister for
a total of 17 years, during three separate terms.
“Somare united our leaders, and united a thousand tribes to become a
nation called Papua New Guinea,” Chief Justice Sir Gibuma Gibbs Salika told
parliament over the coffin placed in the centre of the chamber.
“You and I are to guard with our lives our PNG national identity with
integrity and respect,” he said.
Two weeks of memorial events for Somare have come amid a surge of
coronavirus infections in the poor Pacific nation, with large crowds turning
out to honour the politician heightening concerns of a worsening outbreak.
PNG has so far officially recorded 1,741 cases of the virus and 21 deaths.
But the number of new infections has risen in the past two weeks and, due
to a low rate of testing, there are fears the virus is rapidly spreading
undetected through the population.
Earlier this week, a slew of new restrictions were announced to try to
contain the spread, including a ban on gatherings of over 50 people.
But a state funeral on Friday is likely to draw crowds and hundreds of
thousands are expected to attend services Sunday in Somare’s home town of
Wewak on the country’s east coast.
The head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of PNG, Glen
Mola, told Australia’s national broadcaster that hospitals were seeing an
uptick in positive cases and called for the large memorial events to be
cancelled.
“We can’t have massive Haus Krai’s, because that’s just a way of
propagating the infection,” Mola said, referring to traditional mourning
events.
He said several expectant mothers were testing positive to the virus daily
and urged organisers to cancel Somare’s public funeral service.
“I’m sorry Grand Chief, I’m sure you’re looking down on us… and you’re
telling us to stop, please.”
“We have to start taking notice; otherwise, there will be chaos, and
everyone will suffer very, very severely.”
BSS/AFp/MSY/1057 hrs