‘Lawless’: Papua New Guinea declares state of emergency after deadly riots
One of Australia’s closest neighbours is being struck by worrying scenes, as the government calls in the military in response to 16 deaths this week.
Authorities have called the military in to patrol the streets of Papua New Guinea’s capital, which has been put under a state of emergency following an outbreak of riots that killed 16 across the country’s two largest cities.
Prime Minister James Marape has pledged to restore calm after angry crowds swelled in Port Moresby on Wednesday evening, smashing windows, pillaging shops and setting buildings ablaze.
Marape said rioters would “pay the price” for the outbreaks of “lawlessness”, declaring a 14-day state of emergency for the capital on Thursday evening.
With 1,000 soldiers placed on standby to bolster security, many of the city’s bank branches, petrol stations and grocery stores began re-opening Friday.
“Shops have opened, fuel stations have opened, public transportation is open. People are moving again. There’s been a sense of peace,” Port Moresby resident Maho Laveil told AFP.
“There’s an increased level of police and military around the city,” the economics lecturer added. “I think the risk is at night.”
Violence first broke out in Port Moresby after a group of soldiers, police officers and prison guards went on strike after noticing unexplained deductions in their pay.
With disgruntled citizens joining the fray, the unrest soon spread to the city of Lae about 300 kilometres to the north.
Police and health officials said at least 16 people had been killed across the two cities, according to updated figures released Friday.
Marape conceded security forces had a “genuine cause of concern”, and his government swiftly promised to fix what it described as a payroll “glitch”.
But he warned that “lawlessness and recklessness” would not be tolerated. “This is not the first time members of our disciplinary forces have gone rogue,” he told reporters Thursday evening, referencing a 2018 pay dispute that ended with security staff smashing up the country’s parliament.
“I want to indicate to our country enough is enough. Enough is enough.”
Footage showed looters in the capital dashing into stores through smashed glass windows, stuffing stolen goods into cardboard boxes, plastic buckets and shopping trolleys.
One man was seen lugging an entire chest freezer away on his shoulders. Buildings and cars were set alight, AFPTV footage showed, stirring up thick plumes of black smoke that hung over the worst-hit parts of the city.
VIDEO: Buildings burn and looters target shops around Papua New Guinea's capital after a pay dispute involving the nation's security forces sparked angry protests.
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) January 11, 2024
Soldiers, police officers and prison staff staged a lively but peaceful protest in the morning of January 10,⦠pic.twitter.com/VkYU6eNwVI
City Pharmacy Limited, one of Papua New Guinea’s largest retail chains, said prescription medicines had been stolen from its ransacked stores.
“We urge the public not to buy these products. If anybody uses these products, it will be at your own risk,” the company said in a statement.
It also made an “urgent appeal” for Port Moresby residents to return stolen shopping trolleys.
Port Moresby General Hospital said it was inundated by “waves of casualties”, including 30 people with gunshot wounds, six others with “bush knife” lacerations, and five people with burns.
The US embassy in Port Moresby said shots were fired near its compound as police tried to “disperse groups of looters”.
China’s foreign ministry lodged a complaint with Papua New Guinea’s government, following reports that some rioters had targeted Chinese-owned businesses.