" The Power of the Opposition of Papua New Guinea Indeed no Ordinary Blessing "
How do opposition political parties benefit in achieving democracy? There are many answers to this question, each with its own implications for how governance takes shape in specific social, political, and economic contexts. The nation building debate in PNG has tended to focus on the conduct of the ruling government and the non-governmental sector. Limited attention has been paid to the conduct of the opposition political parties, particularly their role in forging “participatory governance.” The purpose of this Massage is fourfold: to bring this issue to the forefront of our national debate, spur dialogue, transform the interface between the ruling and opposition party, and help consolidate multiparty democracy.
Essentially, I argue that to make considerable progress toward an inclusive democracy in Papua New Guinea , we must surmount economic, political and social cleavages that have entrenched a dominant-party system and subjected opposition parties to subservient roles.
Implications
If societies like ours that have high participation rates among the opposition make accelerated progress toward democracy, they are not necessarily easy to create or to sustain over the long-term. This article was written to initiate dialogue about how to create climates where functioning opposition parties can enhance transition toward democracy. Here, I will now make an attempt to discuss reasons why the opposition party has of late been historically ineffective.
The ineffectiveness of the opposition party has not exclusively being the product of external forces, rather its own fragmentation. All too frequently, the divided opposition group or party have been unable to achieve cohesion and resulted to the inability to form coalitions. In such a climate, and given the overwhelming need to overcome Peter O'Neil and his Party. "maybe those before them with no power, many wondered whether the opposition parties played any role than legitimizing the dictatorial tendencies of the ruling party. Some may even argue that this is a form of blaming the victim, but I do not believe that this is the case.
An authentic democracy is one where the ruling party has an effective opposition.
Especially in a transitional democracy such as where all conditions are fragile including national security, ethnic divisions, surging poverty, and increasing illiteracy, the lack of a robust opposition only endangers democracy. We cannot transform the nature of politics in our nation when the opposition party evolve around individual personalities. In the absence of structures within the opposition to assure adherence to competitive political processes, they render themselves feeble and fragmented, and devoid of value to the Liberian people whose votes they wooed during the last elections. Until we can establish vigorous multiethnic parties that cut across the parochial divisions and have consistent and predictable internal electoral practices, we are still crawling toward sustainable democracy.
The first step is to build capacity for internal democracy (competitiveness and good governance) within their respective organizations. Aspiring opposition leaders must submit themselves to the rank and file of their organizations to decide who to choose to represent them in national elections. Another important point is that for so long, the standard bearers of various parties (both the ruling and opposition parties) have often demonstrated a mistaken perception that once a standard bearer of a party you are a perpetual leader of the party. We have to do away with this flawed tradition and elect a party Chairman who can administer the organizational leadership of the party.
Public trust in the opposition party is low, perhaps not because of their doing, but because of the missteps and misdeeds of some previous opposition leaders. In essence, if opposition leaders allow themselves to be marginalized, they risk the conclusions, that they are ill-equipped to govern. The more such sentiments become widespread; it portends ominous implications for democracy. It might erode enthusiasm about democratic participation among ordinary citizens and reinforce patterns that normalized dictatorial tendencies and traditions in the past.
Gud Pela Evening True ol man Na Meri belong PNG !
Kofi Assan,
AKA Mangi Tari .
Political Activist for Hela Province , Mangi Tari Blog
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