Papua New Guinea's Statesman Sir Michael Somare dies

 Papua New Guinea's founding father and Father of the naiton, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare has died. 

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister  James Marape released the following notice on the passing of Sir Michael.  

*** From Prime Minister Marape***

Sir Michael Somare has died in hospital in Port Moresby

It is with great sorrow and grief that I announce the passing of the Father of our Nation Grand Chief Sir Micheal T Somare.

His Doctor texted me that at 12:10 am today the great man was rested. God gives and God rested him from the pain and toils of life. There is a ‘session for every thing, a time to born and a time to die ‘ Ecclesiastes 3:2.

Our nation honors this Great Leader, the founding and longest serving Prime Minister of our country and I appeal to our citizens and residents for a week of silence, peace and calm as we in somber pay respect to this one person whom our country owes much, he is unmatched by anyone of us who comes after him.

He deserves our unified respect now  too at passing and for ever into our future as a Nation.

To Lady Veronica, Bertha , Sana, Auther, Dulcie and Junior, all grandchildren and the tribal family and the people of ESP, we thankyou for allowing this Giant of a Man to be our national father too. 

I thank the family too for allowing me to spend some quite moments with him few days ago in which I now see as a privilege of the highest order. His words linger.

He is universally loved in our country, may his memory bind our nation still. Long live his memory.

My cabinet will meet today to announce a formal State funeral programs and our flags all over our country and missions is to be flown lowered until we formally come out of mourning.

Our Nation enters our mourning period, where ever you are until further announcements. I will personally precede over this period of national mourning.

With tears I say, Rest In Peace Papa.

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