PAPUA NEW GUINEA DROUGHT

THE PNG AND AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCES WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE PEOPLE OF PNG DURING THE 1997 – 1998 DROUGHT

GENERAL FACTS

The non-arrival of annual rains in Papua New Guinea this wet season has seen the failure of the largely subsistence agricultural communities to be able to grow enough food to survive. As such, the drought, which is gripping the country, is having a major impact on many people in Papua New Guinea who have lost their traditional food supplies.

A drought assessment study has categorised affected communties throughout the country on a scale from one to five. Category One communities are those that while affected by the drought, are in least need for emergency food aid support. Category Five communities are those most affected by the drought and most in need of emergency food aid.

Recent assessments carried out by the Australian aid organisation AusAID indicate that as many as 660,000 people in Papua New Guinea are in danger of starvation from the drought which has devastated food crops, particularly in the highland areas of the country.

Of these people 101,000 are considered to be in a critical life threatening situation. Another 90,000 people are heading towards a similar situation. These are people living in Category 4/5 and Category 5 communities.

The Papua New Guinea Prime Minister recently described the drought on national television as one of the gravest crisis which faced the country in its recent history.

As part of the Papua New Guinea government’s national drought relief efforts, Mr Skate called for a Nationwide Day of Fasting for Sunday, 16 November 1997.

The National Drought and Relief Committee in Papua New Guinea is charged with coordinating the nation’s drought relief efforts.

Food aid distribution is being carried out by road, sea and air operations. The Papua New Guinea government, through the National Disaster and Emergency Service and provincial governments is conducting all road distribution. The Australian Defence Force is contributing to air and sea distribution, targeting the worst hit communities which can only be reached by air. The Australian Defence Force contribution to the relief effort is called OPERATION SIERRA.