By Norbert Koke
YOUNGER daughter of late Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare said her father was illegally removed as the Prime Minister in 2011.
While presenting her eulogy Dulciana Somare Brash publicly made known to more than 20,000 people at the Sir Hubert Murry stadium including Prime Minister James Marape, former Prime Ministers, State Ministers, MPs, former MPs, Diplomatic corps, senior public servants and private citizens.
She said in the last 10 years when her father was confronted with the most public opposition he had ever faced in his entire political career and personal life, he handled it with the grace and patience of a saint.
“I watched my father Grand Chief consider all the obvious risk to the country at that time and the risk to his people before he worried about what was happening to him personally.
“For the record at his passing, I want to say that my father was unlawfully removed as a legitimate Prime Minister. He kept less about revenge or retaliation when the options were at his fingertips.
He exercised incredible caution despite his frail state after his return from Singapore. He feared that any bad decisions on his path would have such lasting and adverse effect on this nation that he merely accepted his fate and he never defended himself beyond that certain point,” she said.
Duliciana said she will always carry this in her soul as a guide in the exercise of power, authority and legitimacy in the face of immense anxiety, confusion and tension.
“My father upheld parliamentary democracy and constitutional democracy over himself and his family future. He yields himself enough to contest yet another election in 2012 before his retirement in 2017 on his own terms.
“Many have asked why? The answer is that the true essence of Westminster system of democracy was his guiding light from before independence and well after he achieved much of his dreams for us his people. He allowed his journey to be broken so we could continue with ours.”
Dulciana recalled her father saying, “people have spoken there will be no more fighting (meteorically he put down his weapons).
“In retrospect, I consider my father deepest love for this country. I strongly believe now, that he believed that knowing when to stop conflict is not defeat, it was leadership.”
