Sir Michael Somare ... Will Papua New Guineans remember him as the man who helped them pull up their canoe? Photo: Pacific Scoop

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Ben Bohane in Port Vila

Papua New Guinea’s power struggle appears locked in political combat, with an old Sepik strongman trying to claw back power from a new generation Highlander who made a pre-emptive raid on parliamentary numbers to secure the riches of electoral incumbency.

In classic Melanesian fashion, both are upping the ante with payback moves that are starting to spiral dangerously. Politics in Papua New Guinea does not always follow the niceties of process and protocol. Power is rarely given – it is taken.

A circuit breaker is required but who can do it? PNG has no Council of Chiefs, or a President, or a high profile religious leader. Read more »

Surrendered ... Colonel Yaura Sasa and his mutineers "seized control" of the PNG military this morning but backed down by tonight. Photo: ABC clip

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the PMC news desk

A renegade retired colonel who claimed to have seized control of Papua New Guinea’s military today in a bid to restore court-ordered Sir Michael Somare’s prime ministership has surrendered tonight in the country’s political crisis.

Military sources said Colonel Yaura Sasa’s mutineers had surrendered, according to the blog of prominent journalist Malum Nalu.

This was confirmed by former PNG Defence Force officer Reg Renagi. Read more »

An earlier report on the crisis by Australia Network News.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By PMC news desk

Papua New Guinea’s political power struggle has taken a fresh twist with the country’s governor-general saying he had made a mistake in reinstaing Sir Michael Somare as prime minister and would instead recognise his rival Peter O’Neill’s claim to the position, Al Jazeera reports.

The two men have been vying for the post since August when Somare was removed from office while receiving medical treatment in Singapore in a parliamentary vote orchestrated by O’Neill.

Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio originally backed Somare after the Supreme Court ruled he had been illegally removed from office. Read more »

Defiant court ousted "prime minister" Peter O'Nell says crisis is over. Photo: Post-Courier

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Junior Ukaha and Jeffrey Elapa in Port Moresby

Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga has “stood down” the Port Moresby-based armed robbery response unit commanded by his rival Fred Yakasa as officials loyal to Peter O’Neill moved to consolidate the court-ousted “prime minister’s” hold on power in Papua New Guinea.

Kulunga disarmed the elite force, saying it was necessary to “maintain a good public perception” of the constabulary.

A Supreme Court split ruling declared O’Neill’s four-month prime ministership unconstitutional a week ago and ruled that former prime minister Sir Michael Somare should be reinstated. Read more »

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the PMC news desk

Peter O’Neill, who insists today he is still Papua New Guinea’s prime minister after a resounding 69-0 parliamentary vote, has taken to media marketing to push his case.

He booked a newspaper advertisement declaring his argument why he should stay on as the country’s political leader.

But as former Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare, 75, consolidated his alternative government following Monday’s Supreme Court split decision reinstating him, tension was mounting in the political tug-of-war. Read more »

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd and "ousted" PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill meet at the High Commission residence in Port Moresby during September. Photo: Australian govt

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Rowan Callick, Asia-Pacific editor of The Australian

Papua New Guinea plunged into a constitutional crisis yesterday as Peter O’Neill, rejecting a Supreme Court ruling that removed him as prime minister, occupied the government benches in Parliament and broke though a police barricade at the Governor-General’s residence.

Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd said PNG had entered uncharted waters since Monday’s Supreme Court split ruling that reinstated Michael Somare and prompted armed police to stand guard at the vice-regal residence in Port Moresby .

About 60 MPs loyal to O’Neill stormed past the police at the gates of Government House yesterday and insisted on a meeting with Governor-General Michael Oglio. Read more »

Former PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare: Reinstated by the Supreme Court in a split ruling but PM Peter O'Neill stays put. Photo: ABC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By the PMC news desk

Papua New Guinea’s “The Chief”, Sir Michael Somare, has been reinstated as the nation’s top leader amid confusion over two prime ministers after the Supreme Court declared the election of Peter O’Neill four months ago unconstitutional.

The court ruled 3-2 in favor of Somare as the nation tensely awaited the verdict yesterday.

However, incumbent Prime Minister Peter O’Neill insists he is still the national leader. He has also tried to get sworn in. Read more »

Forner PNG Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare ... now ousted from his East Sepik seat. Photo: ABC

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Michael Russell Asagoni in Port Moresby

Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare was unceremoniously dumped from office in another dramatic move in Papua New Guinea’s Parliament yesterday afternoon.

This was the result of Speaker, Jeffrey Nape, declaring Sir Michael’s East Sepik regional seat, vacant.

Nape informed Parliament that he had written to the former Prime Minister in the morning, advising that he cease to hold office immediately. Read more »

Peter O'Neill ... voted in as Papua New Guinea's new prime minister.

Pacific Scoop:
Report – By Malum Nalu in Port Moresby

Peter O’Neill was elected the new Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea today, being voted in by an overwhelming majority of 74-24.

He was this afternoon transported to Government House in Waigani to be sworn in by the Governor-General, Sir Michael Ogio.

O’Neill was nominated by Opposition Leader Belden Namah, when Parliament resumed at 2pm today, and seconded by sacked Petroleum Minister William Duma. Read more »

Fiji's Voreqe Bainimarama: Kava ... and a Melanesian slap in the face for Australia. Photo: Graham Davis/Grubsheet

Pacific Scoop:
Analysis – By Graham Davis

Australia’s impotence in influencing events in its own backyard is being demonstrated in dramatic fashion this week as the Fijian dictator, Voreque “Frank” Bainimarama, fulfils his long-held ambition to assume the chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group.

All of the other Melanesian leaders – from Papua New Guinea, the Solomons, Vanuatu plus the Kanak FLNKS from New Caledonia – are joining Bainimarama for the MSG summit in Suva on Thursday.

It’s also being attended by official representatives from Indonesia, East Timor and – strangely – the European Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, which has no Pacific interest whatsoever in the normal course of events but is also about to deliver its own slap in the face to Australia. But more on that later. Read more »