The landowners' legal spokesman, former MP Sir Alfred Kaiabe, told
Radio Australia's Pacific Beat the notion that troops are being
deployed so early for election security is a smokescreen.
"The real intention of the whole exercise I think is when Esso Highlands came out to the media and told everybody including the government that they were packing up they, at the same time I'm sure, put pressure on the government to either step in or they will start packing up." he said.
He said PNG's budget forecasts and the Developmental and National Priorities Plan is based on the revenues of the PNG LNG project.
Sir Alfred stood by earlier claims that the results of a troop deployment in the Southern Highlands would be worse for the government than the Bougainville conflict.
"The consequences of this stupidity will be far reaching and I maintain that the end results of the action the government is taking, that is not beneficial. Insofar as our traditional customs and laws, values and ideals are concerned what is in the group belongs to the people who own the ground." he said.
"The real intention of the whole exercise I think is when Esso Highlands came out to the media and told everybody including the government that they were packing up they, at the same time I'm sure, put pressure on the government to either step in or they will start packing up." he said.
He said PNG's budget forecasts and the Developmental and National Priorities Plan is based on the revenues of the PNG LNG project.
Sir Alfred stood by earlier claims that the results of a troop deployment in the Southern Highlands would be worse for the government than the Bougainville conflict.
"The consequences of this stupidity will be far reaching and I maintain that the end results of the action the government is taking, that is not beneficial. Insofar as our traditional customs and laws, values and ideals are concerned what is in the group belongs to the people who own the ground." he said.
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