Edited by Deepali Verma
A state of emergency was declared by Papua New Guinea’s prime minister on January 11 which was followed by the suspending of government and police officials after 16 people were killed in rioting in the Pacific island nation.
A police and public sector protest on January 10 dealing with the issue of pay cuts that the officials blamed on an administrative glitch slipped into lawlessness. Television footage revealed the streets of the capital Port Moresby flooded with thousands of people, many of them were seen carrying what appeared to be looted merchandise while the black smoke engulfed the entire city.
The total killings reported were nine in Port Moresby and seven in Lae, in the north of the gold and copper-mining country,as per the reports of Australian state broadcaster ABC January 11, citing police.
Prime Minister James Marape, during his press address, informed of suspending Papua New Guinea’s chief of police and top bureaucrats working in the finance and treasury departments as the government prepares itself to conduct a review into the cause of the riots.
“We have evidence of organised rioting that happened,” he told reporters, adding that the review would make sure that “we secure democracy, we secure rule of law.” Assuring further, he said that 1,000 military personnel were on standby to ward off further unrest, he added.
Violence in the capital gained some relief on January 11, with the government flying in extra police to both establish and maintain order.
The United States embassy in Port Moresby expressed that the police had returned to work. However, the tensions still remain high.
“The relative calm can flip at a moment’s notice,” it read in a statement, adding that it has received reports of violence taking place in several other areas of the country.
Several Chinese citizens were subject to light injury along with Chinese owned-stores being on the brunt of vandalism and looting, as per the Chinese embassy.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese ensured that the country’s high commission was in close monitoring of the situation, and Canberra had not received any requests for help from Papua New Guinea, which it regularly supports in policing and security.
“We continue to encourage calm at such a difficult time. We have received no requests from the PNG government at this time but … our friends in Papua New Guinea, we have a great relationship with them,” he said.
Police in Papua New Guinea have been struggling with escalation in violent crime over the past year. Marape, affirmative, believes that boosting security would cater to attracting foreign investment in PNG’s gold and copper resources.
A strike was launched by police on the morning of January 10 after discovering a reduction in their pay packets.
The government relayed messages on social media that denied a new tax being imposed on police, and Marape said any administrative error that had caused the pay shortfall would be fixed.
