James Marape mobilises elite squad to deal with PNG violence

Papua New Guinea PM James Marape has vowed to mobilise a new joint force of heavily armed police and soldiers to stamp out tribal warfare in the country’s remote Enga Province.

Armed police and soldiers protect PNG Prime Minister James Marape during his visit to Enga this week for talks with landowners over the shuttered Porgera gold mine. Picture: Facebook

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape has vowed to mobilise a new joint force of heavily armed police and soldiers to stamp out tribal warfare in the country’s remote Enga Province, condemning the surging violence as “domestic terrorism”.

The pledge came as Australia’s Minister for the Pacific Pat Conroy vowed Australian support for PNG’s response, saying the Albanese government was “deeply committed” to the nations’ policing and security partnership.

Mr Marape declared on Wednesday he would not seek outside police support to deal with Enga’s ongoing tribal wars, despite calls by the province’s governor for Australian boots on the ground.

He said he would instead mobilise a combined new “special unit” that is due to arrive in Enga next week.

“So far, defence have their own operation and police have their own operation,“ Mr Marape said.

“We are ordering our police and defence (to look at) how they structure under one command.”

The Prime Minister, who visited the province this week to urge the reopening of the Porgera goldmine, said the combined force could in the future be rolled out “not just for Enga but … for the ­entire country”.

Tribal fighters gather in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province, with some fighters armed with machetes. Smoke can be seen in the background from what seems to be a fire.

Mr Conroy said Australia shared PNG’s concerns over the tribal fighting – in which dead ­bodies have been dragged behind 4WD vehicles and reports of ­sexual violence have escalated – pledging to “continue to work with PNG to support its response”.

“Australia is a longstanding partner to PNG on policing and security, and is deeply committed to continuing our co-operation,” the minister said.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham said the escalating violence in PNG was “deeply concerning”, and added the Coalition would seek an urgent briefing from the government on the matter.

“Australia should always stand ready to support the security needs of our Pacific neighbours and partners, especially when the lives of women and children are threatened,” Senator Birmingham said.

“We offer bipartisan support to Australian government efforts to work with PNG to ensure law and order in Enga is restored.”

Enga governor Sir Peter Ipatas told The Australian earlier this week that PNG was unable to quell the violence without outside help, calling on Mr Marape “to ask the Australian government to give us some manpower”.

Tribal fighters gather in Papua New Guinea's Enga Province, with some fighters armed with machetes.

The Australian Federal Police has 32 sworn officers in PNG but they are prevented from acting in frontline roles after the country’s Supreme Court found they could not be granted legal immunities under PNG’s constitution.

Meanwhile, Enga landowners threatened to block the reopening of the province’s Porgera goldmine – one of the country’s richest – until the national government contained the violence that has claimed some 150 lives this year.

Porgera Landowners’ Association Mark Tony Ekepa said gold from the mine must “not be stained by the blood of Engan women and children through unabated tribal conflicts and inhumane killings”.

“I must protest against the government and corporates’ insatiable appetite for gold and riches without concern for landowners’ safety and security,” Mr Ekepa said. He added the government “must intervene now to stop the violent killings in Enga and restore normalcy”.

The PNG government is desperate for the mine to reopen after negotiating a new lease with joint venture partners Barrick and China’s Zijin Mining Group to take a 51 per cent share of the operation. The mine has been closed for three years but was previously one of the PNG’s biggest earners, accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s exports.