SYDNEY: Friday morning, in reaction to a widespread outbreak of violence and rioting, Papua New Guinea proclaimed a state of emergency. As residents lined up for fuel, soldiers and police patrolled the peaceful streets of Port Moresby.
Following riots and looting on Wednesday that resulted in the deaths of at least sixteen persons, Prime Minister James Marape proclaimed a 14-day state of emergency late on Thursday, suspending a number of officials and placing over 1,000 soldiers on standby. The protest was organized by the police and public sector demanding salary.
According to Matt Cannon, the director of the local St. John Ambulance branch, the city had reverted to a “new normal” on Friday morning, with military and police patrolling the streets and lengthy lineups at gas stations.
“We’re expecting the supermarkets that are functioning to reopen today and I’m hearing they have increased security to cater for potentially large numbers of people,” Cannon stated.
Police and other public employees went on strike on Wednesday over a wage drop, which officials later claimed was the result of an administrative error, which set off the turmoil.
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In a matter of hours, thousands of people flocked to the streets, setting fire to buildings and robbing them of their belongings. There was also an attempt by a mob to breach the gates leading to the prime minister’s office.
According to Australian state broadcaster ABC on Thursday, which cited police, nine people were murdered in riots in the nation’s capital city of Port Moresby and seven in Lae, in the north.
However, when Eddie Allo, a worker at the Port Moresby General Hospital, rode the bus to work on Friday, everything was peaceful. According to him, the majority of cars on the road belonged to the government, and many individuals were running low on gas because gas stations were closed.
Over the phone, Allo stated, “Everything is at a standstill now.” “There are not many people on the streets, and the army and police are walking monitoring the regions. There’s no looting happening.
