OPEN LETTER

This is an open letter on the current Greenpeace and Post Courier propaganda against the Logging Industry, Palm Oil Industry and Rimbunan Hijau Group. The Post Courier lost its number status as leading in newspaper many years ago due to its own lack creativity and extreme militancy stand against certain industries. Post Courier never took this defeat in stride, infact it has taken harden stand against its parent company Rimbunan Hijau Group and its primarily industry namely Forestry. The current high pedestal stand by Post Courier reporter John Pangatana and Greenpeace against the RH Group and the logging / palm oil project in Pomio is laughable to say least. Collin Flier the ANU Professor who first wrote the thesis on the Special Agriculture and Business lease in Papua New Guinea claimed there is a total of 5 million hectares of land was alienated under the SABL. The current RH project in Pomio in total is only about 60 hectares. Why is then RH Pomio project by Gilford Ltd is being targeted by Post Courier and Greenpeace ? We understand that there SABL Leases which are more than 500,000 hectares, 790,000 hectares owed by others on the pretext of SABL but Post Courier / Greenpeace do not target them. Is Post Courier afraid to highlighted this dubious SABL by Australian and powerful politician in Papua New Guineas. Come on PC/Greenpeace. Both of you have turn into a neo-colonization instrument. Shame on you and have lost all credibility. We understand from the media that RH has instituted legal proceeding for malicious reporting against Post Courier whom is willfully defaming the Group and continuing to defame. In order to continue with its militant defaming against the RH Group, Post Courier and Greenpeace has now created an anonymous blog to continue their illegal libelous defamation. Why ? Haven't you have enough blood in your hand already ? John Pangatana, the modern day self appointed Eco reporter claim there is no tangible benefits from the Pomio project. Well, we can understand his ignorance and affiliating with anti-development NGO like Greenpeace. A palm oil project is a 35 to 50 years years cycle project and the benefits of infrastructure, roads, medical facilities , school will be built in due time. John Pangatana, please educate yourself that , one need to clear the forest to built this infrastructure. The continues adverse front page with screaming headlines on Post Courier has the effect of creating fear and uncertainty among the people of Pomio whom majority of the landowners welcome this project. Why don't Post Courier and Greenpeace pick on non Asian business in Papua New Guinea e.g Oil and Gas, Petroleum, mining...why only pick business run by Asians in Papua New Guinea. Is Post Courier anti development, anti- commerce, anti national building, anti Asian, Anti Asian business in Papua New Guinea. Greenpeace is an NGO organization that do support any form development in any part of the world and also do not support any form of commercial activities. Post Courier in order to increase its newspaper circulation has always jump on the Greenpeace band wagon blinded and evident from John Pangatana cruise with Greenpeace in the Esperanza. The media in any country has a responsibility to maintain the greater interest of maintaining law and order. Post Courier's merciless front page twisted and false article is putting the issue of SBAL which is before the Commission of Inquiry and in the case of Gilford Ltd before the trial be media and public against the laws of Papua New Guinea. Purely calculated to do irreparable damage to the RH brand name, its thousands PNG loyal staffs and create a pariah status for RH, its national and expatriate staffs, investment and its standing as a legitimate business entity in Papua New Guinea. Why is Post Courier and Greenpeace is preempting the investigations and finding of Commission of Inquiry, in the case of Gilford Ltd the findings of the Court. The majority of the Landowners support this Pomio project and and Gilford/plus the umbrella landowner company from the start has welcome the investigation. The Company and the majority landowners has maintain from day one that all allocation process of this Pomio project has been duly complied with and in this regard, the minority landowners driven by Celcor ( another NGO lawyers that do not support any form of development in Papua New) with the support of the local and overseas NGO attempt to obtain and injunction and failed. But Post Courier and Greenpeace do not respect the Courts of Papua New Guinea and laws of Papua New Guinea. Greenpeace in breach of PNG laws sailed to Pomio on the pretext that it is sailing to Port Moresby, when the clearance is only given to sail Port Moresby only. Why is Port Courier and Greenpeace is hell bend in manipulating of the truth and driven only by the hate towards RH and National newspaper. In the last two weeks PC highlighted only the Pomio project where a genuine developer has committed to the project with multimillion dollar investment and that's the truth. There is no manipulation. The commitment can be seen in the Vision City development. Whereas the COI is respect of almost 20 odd SABL some are as big as 790,000 hectares which we understand headed by an Australian. Nevertheless, Post Courier choose not to publish the truth and continue to publish false or half truth material in the front page in vain. Come on Post Courier your articles and approach is an affront to common self and an insult to every Papua New Guinean's intelligence. Unfortunately, the National Newspaper does not have the same courage or mean spirited attitude of Post Courier to published the rebuttal continuously in the front page. Well then where does this is going to take us on this confrontational approach !!! PC and Greenpeace does not let the Commission of Inquiry do its work or the let the PNG Courts make its own findings. PC and Greenpeace does no respect the Court order that allows logging in order to commence the palm oil project. In the final analysis, whatever credibility Post Courier still has now is down the drain. Really PC, stand for the truth nor survival of the your newspaper to increase the circulation. Are we expecting another six(6) days front page on next week? The truth, integrity, media independence, unbiassedly reporting and honour no longer a virtue for a paper that seem to claim to champion this virtues. Shocking the state of PNG media has descended into !!!! In the last resort PC/Greenpeace you have now politicize the simple issue which already subject to accountability mechanism by the COI and Court. All best for the future of journalism in PNG. Best Regards, Audacity of Truth