Pre-Crisis Phase (September 16, 1975-March 16, 1997): Papua New Guinea achieved its independence from United Nations (UN) trusteeship administered by Australia and became a member of the Commonwealth of Nations (CON) on September 16, 1975. Michael Somare of the Pangu Pati (PP) was elected by the parliament as prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held between June 18 and July 9, 1977, and the PP won 30 put of 109 seats in the parliament. The United Party (UP) won 25 seats in the parliament, and the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) won 18 seats in the parliament. Prime Minister Somare was re-elected by the parliament on August 9, 1977, and he formed a new coalition government on August 15, 1977. On June 23, 1979, Prime Minister Somare declared a state-of-emergency in five provinces after the deaths of 35 individuals in political violence over the previous six months. The government of Prime Minister Somare collapsed as a result of a parliamentary vote of no-confidence on March 11, 1980, and Sir Julius Chan of the PPP formed a coalition government as prime minister on March 13, 1980. Parliamentary elections were held in 1982. Michael Somare of the PP formed a coalition government as prime minister on August 2, 1982. In response to social unrest, the government imposed a state-of-emergency from June 17 to October 21, 1985. Prime Minister Somare lost a vote of no-confidence on November 21, 1985, and Paias Wingti of the People’s Democratic Movement (PDM) formed a government as prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held in 1987. Prime Minister Wingti lost a vote of no-confidence on July 4, 1988, and Rabbie Namaliu of the PP formed a government as prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held on June 13-27, 1992, and the Pangu Pati (PP) won 22 out of 109 seats in the parliament. The PDM won 15 seats in the parliament. Paias Wingti of the PDM was elected prime minister by the parliament on July 17, 1992. Sir Julius Chan of the PPP was elected prime minister by the parliament on August 30, 1994.
Crisis Phase (March 17, 1997-July 22, 1997): Brig.-General Jerry Singherok, commander of the armed forces, called on Prime Minister Chan to resign on March 17, 1997 (Brig.-General Singherok opposed the decision of Prime Minister Chan to hire mercenaries for the rebellion on Bougainville island). Prime Minister Chan dismissed Brig.-General Singherok on March 18, 1997, and several hundred individuals demonstrated against the dismissal in Port Moresby on March 19, 1997. Prime Minister Chan survived a vote of no-confidence in the parliament on March 25, 1997. Prime Minister Chan resigned on March 27, 1997, and John Giheno was elected by the parliament as acting-prime minister. Parliamentary elections were held on June 14-28, 1997, and the PPP won 16 out of 109 seats in the parliament. The PP won 13 seats in the parliament, and the PDM won 10 seats in the parliament. The Commonwealth of Nations (CON) sent 18 observers headed by Sir Robin Gray of New Zealand to monitor the parliamentary elections. Bill Skate was elected prime minister by the parliament on July 22, 1997.
Post-Crisis Phase (July 23, 1997-March 13, 2001): Prime Minister Bill Skate resigned on July 7, 1999, and Sir Mekere Morauta of the PDM formed a government as prime minister on July 14, 1999. Australia provided $300 million in annual economic assistance to the government beginning in 1999. To avoid a scheduled vote of no-confidence of the government of Prime Minister Morauta, the parliament adjourned on December 7, 2000.
Crisis Phase (March 14, 2001-February 1, 2012): Some 100 government soldiers mutinied against the government of Prime Minister Morauta beginning on March 14, 2001. CON Secretary-General Don McKinnon and Prime Minister John Howard of Australia expressed support for Prime Minister Morauta on March 21, 2001. After the government promised amnesty, the soldiers agreed to end their mutiny on March 22, 2001. Government police clashed with student demonstrators in Port Moresby on June 26, 2001, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. The parliament reconvened on July 23, 2001. Parliamentary elections were held between June 15 and July 29, 2002, and the National Alliance Party (NAP) headed by former prime minister Michael Samare won 19 out of 109 seats in the parliament, and the PDM won twelve seats in the parliament. Some 30 individuals were killed in election-related violence. Prime Minister Morauta resigned on August 4, 2002, and Sir Michael Somare was elected prime minister by the parliament on August 5, 2002. Fifteen members of the PDM boycotted the parliamentary session. CON Secretary-General Don McKinnon established a five-member Commonwealth Expert Group (CEG) headed by Ieremia Tabai of Kiribati and consisting of representatives from Australia, Canada, Grenada, and India to examine the electoral process beginning on October 27, 2002. The CEG issued a report on November 15, 2002. Some 500 individuals were killed in ethnic violence between August 2002 and August 2003. As a result of an agreement between the PNG government and Australia, Australia deployed 210 police personnel to maintain law and order beginning on December 1, 2004. Some 40 Australian civilian personnel took positions in the PNG government. On May 17, 2005, Australian police personnel were withdrawn from the country after the PNG Supreme Court ruled that the granting the police immunity from PNG laws was unconstitutional. The government declared a state of emergency in the Southern Highlands Province on August 1, 2006. Parliamentary elections were held from June 30 to July 14, 2007, and the National Alliance Party (NAP) won 30 out of 109 seats in the parliament. The Papau New Guinea Party (PNGP) won eight seats in the parliament. The Commonwealth of Nations (CoN) and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) sent three observers and six staff members led by Paul Tovua of Solomon Islands to jointly monitor the elections from June 18 to August 18, 2007. Prime Minister Somare was re-elected by the parliament on August 13, 2007. On August 2, 2011, the parliament approved a vote of no-confidence in Prime Minister Somare (who had been undergoing treatment for a serious illness in Singapore since March 2011), and the parliament elected Peter O’Neill as Acting-Prime Minister. The same day, the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea, Sir Michael Ogio, formally appointed Peter O’Neill as prime minister. On December 12, 2011, the Supreme Court ruled that Sir Michael Somare has been illegally removed from office and ordered the reinstatement of Prime Minister Somare. After Governor-General Ogio recognized Sir Michael Somare as prime minister on December 13, 2011, the parliament suspended the governor-general on December 14, 2011. On December 19, 2011, the parliament recognized Sir Michael Ogio as governor-general and Peter O’Neill as prime minister. Several government soldiers led by retired Colonel Yaura Sasa mutinied against the government of Prime Minister O’Neill on January 26, 2012. Colonel Sasa was arrested and charged with mutiny on January 28, 2012. The government soldiers that participated in the mutiny surrendered their weapons to Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Belden Namah on January 30, 2012. Colonel Sasa was released on bail on February 1, 2012.
Post-Crisis Phase (February 2, 2012-present): Parliamentary elections were held from June 23 to July 13, 2012, and the People’s National Congress Party (PNCP) headed by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill won 27 out of 111 seats in the parliament. The Triumph Heritage Empowerment Rural Party (THERP) won 12 seats in the parliament. The Commonwealth of Nations (CoN) sent eight observers from eight countries and six staff members led by Edward Natapei of Vanuatu to monitor the elections from June 16 to July 16, 2012. On July 25, 2012, former Prime Minister Somare agreed to support Peter O’Neill as prime minister of the coalition government. On August 3, 2012, Peter O’Neil was elected prime minister by the parliament.
[Sources: Associated Press (AP), June 26, 2001, July 23, 2001; British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), March 11, 2001, March 19, 2001, March 21, 2001, March 22, 2001, July 11, 2002, July 19, 2002, July 29, 2002, August 5, 2002, September 18, 2003, December 11, 2003, July 4, 2004, December 9, 2004, December 14, 2004, July 4, 2004, May 13, 2005, May 17, 2005, June 30, 2007, August 13, 2007, December 13, 2011, December 16, 2011, January 26, 2012, January 29, 2012, May 7, 2012, May 30, 2012, June 24, 2012, July 25, 2012, August 3, 2012; Cable News Network (CNN), March 25, 1997; Commonwealth of Nations (CON) press release, June 3, 1997, March 21, 2001, October 23, 2002, November 15, 2002, June 15, 2012; Facts on File, August 20, 1977, August 17, 1979, July 1997; Keesing’s Record of World Events, October 6-12, 1975, November 4, 1977, January 23, 1981, June 1992, July 1992, August 1994, March 1997, July 1999; Papua New Guinea Post-Courier, June 27, 2002; Reuters, July 8, 1999, June 18, 2002, June 21, 2002, June 26, 2001, June 27, 2001, July 6, 2002, July 26, 2002, December 12, 2011, December 13, 2011, December 19, 2011, January 26, 2012, January 29, 2012, May 30, 2012, June 22, 2012, July 25, 2012, August 3, 2012; Voice of America (VOA), August 5, 2002.]