Thirteen years on, and the National Government continues to deny PNGDF ex-servicemen, their housing and hardship entitlements.
The 1,360-member group fronted up at the EMTV office to appeal to the O’Neill Dion Government to give a definite answer on the status of their dues.
The leaders said following the Morauta Haus attack in 2012, all paper work had been completed and submitted to concerned authorities; however, their efforts have hit a brick wall once again.
These men were part of the 1,360 soldiers, who were forcefully removed from the army, following 2001’s downsizing exercise.
They were part of the Bougainville crisis contingent.
85 have passed away, and their fight has been taken up by their families.
In 2012, the ex-servicemen marched in protest to Morauta Haus in frustration over outstanding entitlements.
Yesterday, they told EMTV News that since that day, they have followed directives issued by the Defense Council and Chief Secretary Sir Manasupe Zurenuoc, to legalize their claims.
They have completed all paper work; but nothing has happened since.
They said they have met with the Defense Council and are now awaiting a response from the Chief Secretary and the National Executive Council.
So far, they have received other allowance such as resettlement allowance, hardship and housing have yet to be honored.
Each ex-serviceman is owed K50 thousand each for housing and K10 thousand for hardship.
It is understood that the downsizing exercise, was a deal between the Australian and PNG governments.
PNG was to remove the soldiers, and Australia was to pay them their entitlements.
However, this issue has been postponed since 2001.
Many joined the army with Grade 6 education and since the downsizing exercise; it has been difficult to find a decent job to fund for their families.
Whilst, the bark is being passed around from Morauta Haus to the PNGDF headquarters and so forth, over a thousand families are struggling to make ends meet whilst waiting for these entitlements.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=uE7L2eP4Z54%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque%26showinfo%3D0%26showsearch%3D0%26rel%3D0
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