THE FORGOTTEN HEROES

 

Former soldiers of the PNG Defence Forces, with their wives, who are now retired but yet to be resettled by the government.

by BIG PAT

BAND of BROTHERS

Many are bald. Others are grey haired. Most walk with a limp, in the heat of Port Moresby's merciless sun, they shuffle unsteadily.

Few people recognise them. Most think they are unfortunate members of another group that has fallen victim to another fast money scam.

But they are not entrenched in any scam, NO! Money YES, and it's cash owed them by Government that they want! They are the aged and retired members of the armed forces of Papua New Guinea and they want their golden handshake NOW!

Once they were warriors, men under oath to serve without question God, Queen and Country. Under orders, they were on call 24/7 for Papua New Guinea without fail, and in true army tradition, saluted the flag on their day of retirement.

But sadly for these men - whose number dwindle with each passing year - the flag they served, the country they stood for and protected, has all but forgotten them.

The are the forgotten men, the silent heroes with little hope except from the comfort of keeping their fervent dreams alive by standing together as a band of brothers.

These men once wore the PNG Defence Forces army green with pride. Now retired, their dream to retire happily has been shattered by a government that shuffles them from fox hole to trench on a never-ending merry-go-round.

As civilians, the lot is the same as the ordinary man and his dog on the street - come back tomorow, they are told - and now they are tired of hearing this mere words.

With their wives and daughters supporting these old men, they have always front up as a dwindling group from opportune time to time at Murray Barracks to demand the one off K5 million promised them through the Defence Forces Retirement Benefit Fund administered by Comrade Services Trustee Ltd.

Former Air Wing Commander Colonel Ignatius Lai (retired), one of PNG's first military pilots, has been supporting and speaking on their behalf.

And the tired old men are agitated. They are stopping at nothing, simply put, they have had enough of being given the runaround. It is either the government pays 'or we play'.

Those are surely strong words from a Band of Brothers - however old they may be - men who have felt the pain of being double crossed by their own government and its line agencies.

Battle lines drawn . . .