Indian Female Peace Keepers Show the Way in Liberia

Better alternatives to the Enhanched Co-operation Programme

If Papua New Guinea feels, that it needs policing support especially during the upcoming elections, there are better options than bringing in the Australian Federal Police (AFP) who does not have a good record performing off shore duties, as in the case of the RAMSI programme in the Solomon Islands and their own internal security programme called the "Intervention" in the Northern Territory.

Are there better alternatives to the ECP for Papua New Guinea? 

Yes there is. Perhaps the one that is catching the most attention at the moment are Regiments of female peacekeepers. The success of using Female Peacekeepers, as the New York Times reports:  

"...the United Nations is intensifying efforts to recruit women for peacekeeping missions that seek to mend what war has wrought.

The theory — which has evolved since pioneering female peacekeepers started participating in U.N. missions in the Balkans in the 1990s — is that women employ distinctive social skills in a rugged macho domain. They are being counted on to bring calm to the streets and the barracks, acting as public servants instead of invaders.

“When female soldiers are present, the situation is closer to real life, and as a result the men tend to behave,” said Gerard J. DeGroot, a history professor at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland who has written books about women in the military. “Any conflict where you have an all-male army, it’s like a holiday from reality. If you inject women into that situation, they do have a civilizing effect.” 

The Indian approach is perfect for PNG and they could help build a women's paramedical corps to carry on this kind of work after the Indians have gone back to other duties. 

The PNG public is quite weary of Australian neo-colonialism, and the reputation of the Australian Federal Police as a Rigue force. People can also see that after years of AUSAID assistance, there is nothing to show for it in the lives of poor people in urban settlements and in rural villages.

We need a programme that can inspire Papua New Guineans into self help and local action around its own issues.

Charting an alternative path which combines, work towards an improved security situation and engaging with the community through para-medical work is a great idea for Papua New Guinea to consider, if we are really serious about our problems with crime and corruption - and the delivery of health services.


These are good building blocks for local action.