A former head of the Papua new Guinea Defence Force says the government must take blame for a boilover involving disgruntled ex-servicemen.
A group of about 50 ex-servicemen stormed the Attorney-General's office last week, demanding action over the delay in the payment of retrenchment entitlements totalling almost 6 million US dollars.
Former Commander, Major-General Jerry Singirok says the government needs to lift its responsibility over the welfare for ex-servicemen.
He says the Ministry of Defence seems to just discard ex-servicemen when they've completed their jobs.
While the court has asked the ex-servicemen and the state to settle out of court, Major-General Singirok says the government response has been slow and the problem has accumulated...
"The warning bells were out there and what they're fighting for are their genuine entitlements. If the state cannot listen to you... I mean, these are the actions of people who are disgruntled. It's time now that the government and responsible departments address the issue. They didn't need to get to that level where they rebel."
Major-General Jerry Singirok
