PORT MORESBY: The prime minister of Papua New Guinea promised on Thursday to take tough measures against “lawlessness,” in the wake of riots that left 15 people dead as enraged mobs set buildings on fire and looted stores. On Wednesday night, a group of soldiers, police officers, and prison guards began protesting against the government, which sparked violence in the capital city of Port Moresby. About 300 kilometers (186 miles) to the north, in the city of Lae, riots had also broken out within hours. On Thursday, Prime Minister James Marape expressed regret to the nation and declared that the occasional outbursts of “lawlessness” will “not be tolerated”. At a press conference, he declared, “I want to speak today, speak to the people and speak to the country.” This nation is both yours and mine in equal measure. Violation of the law does not guarantee success.” At least fifteen fatalities were reported by Police Commissioner David Manning during the civil disturbance breakout. According to information provided to AFP, the biggest hospital in Port Moresby attended to 25 patients with gunshot wounds and six patients with “bush knife” abrasions. According to AFPTV footage, shoplifters in the capital were seen rushing into stores via broken glass windows and pilfering products, which they then stuffed into shopping trolleys, cardboard boxes, and plastic buckets. A man was observed carrying a full chest freezer on his shoulders. According to AFPTV footage, vehicles and buildings were set on fire, creating dense clouds of black smoke that hovered above the city’s most severely affected areas. Shots were fired close to the US Embassy in Port Moresby, according to the embassy, while police attempted to “disperse groups of looters”. A smaller group had earlier assembled in front of the prime minister’s office in Port Moresby, where they set fire to a parked police car and tore a security gate off its tracks. Beijing has reported that rioters were targeting Chinese-owned enterprises to the government of Papua New Guinea. Beijing has filed a protest.
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Peace had “largely been restored” by Thursday, according to Port Moresby resident Maho Laveil, an economics lecturer at the University of Papua New Guinea. Governor of the National Capital District Powes Parkop described the turmoil as a “unprecedented level of strife” in Port Moresby, while the Post Courier, a local newspaper, referred to it as the “darkest day” in the city. “The most crucial thing is that we have to put an end to this conflict,” Parkop stated on a local radio station on Wednesday night. “Nobody will be a winner in this type of civil unrest.” When security personnel discovered their salary had been withheld without cause, they organized a demonstration within the parliament of Papua New Guinea. Not even the government’s quick pledge to address what it called a payroll “glitch” could keep angry individuals from joining the fight. The violent outburst brings to light the frequently erratic character of life in Papua New Guinea, a nation beset by extreme poverty and high rates of criminal activity. “You’ve got this growing resentment, particularly in the capital city, where inequality is very high,” Laveil stated. Positioned fewer than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the northernmost frontier of Australia, Papua New Guinea is Melanesia’s largest and most populous state. In a recent security agreement, Australia pledged to support Papua New Guinea’s overburdened police force in the fight against drug trafficking, weapons trafficking, and tribal warfare. On Thursday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told reporters, “We continue to urge calm at this difficult time.”
