Just Shaking My Head

Sometimes I just shake my head. So this morning I get a text from Olli that says that there’s a “massive fight in town” - security guards versus the PNG Defense Force. Lovely. A bit later, Annie (a girl that works in the library that hangs out in my office a lot) came up and said that it all started last night. Apparently the Commanding Officer of the Defense Force was at a dinner party at the Inter and Guard Dogs “beat him up”. (Side note: The Inter Guard Dog staff is awesome. They really do keep things under control there and I would just have to bet that some major alcohol was involved….but I digress…). Anyway, the Defense Force all got together to convoy to the main Guard Dog office to make a formal complaint. It seems that they had yet to make it as the big fight broke out in Eriku and the main office is down by the wharf. Oh… just got this email in from the Lae Chamber of Commerce:

Dear Members

Please avoid coming to Top Town this morning, as trouble may be brewing. Apparently this is a result of an incident involving a security company and the Defense Force yesterday. There are a lot of vehicles doing some sort of protest parade through town right at this moment. As soon as I have more details I will advise.

Hmm, and the latest news (via expat text messaging) is that Guard Dog vehicles are now seen being controlled by the Defense Force and armed with machine guns.  That just blows because I trust Guard Dog WAY more than any police or defense force!!  Not good... not good at all.  Guard Dog is the best security company in PNG.  When trouble brews, you call Guard Dog, not the police.

And a few minutes ago, one of my debate students came in to the office. He was showing me his hand because he got into a fight… I’m like.. WHAT??? And he explains… He was at the bus stop (the crap one by the market just on our side of Bumbu Bridge…the place where Molly’s camera tried to be snatched - or boob grabbed….). Anyway, he got off the bus and three guys got on him. They grabbed his pockets and took his phone and wallet. While he went to grab his phone, and he and the other guy were fighting for it, another man took his bush knife and went to slash his arm.  He let go of the phone with a near miss of the knife. He turned and punched the guy while the third one was fighting for his bilum. He was able to just give another punch and get away. This happens all the time here and it just amazes me that people stand around watching, doing nothing.

And one of the library staff’s sons died yesterday. 31.  He was sick (although known to have MAJOR alcohol issues) and passed out near the security building earlier this week and was treated for Malaria. He was still feeling bad and was put in Angua Hospital. All they were doing was giving him pain meds, so the family took him out and brought him to the clinic here at uni to get specialized tests (we really do have the best medical treatment here on campus). Anyway, while he was back on campus, he just passed out again and went back to the hospital and died.  As Annie says "his livers were very big and messy".  Again, this happens all the time here.... I just shake my head.