The Two Biggest Cities in Papua New Guinea Witness Riots That Leave 15 Dead

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.

Intense mobs set houses on fire and looted stores during a chaotic night that quickly extended 300 kilometers (186 miles) northward to the city of Lae.

Police Commissioner David Manning reported by Thursday afternoon that the two biggest cities in the nation had seen at least 15 fatalities.

On Thursday, Prime Minister James Marape expressed regret to the nation and said that the occasional outbursts of “lawlessness” will “not be tolerated”.

At a news conference, he said, “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.”

Although Marape acknowledged “it’s still tense out there” in certain areas of Port Moresby, she claimed the worst of the rioting had passed by Thursday morning.

According to AFPTV video, shoplifters in the capital were seen rushing into businesses via broken glass windows and pilfering products, which they then stuffed into shopping carts, cardboard boxes, and plastic buckets.

A guy was seen carrying a full chest freezer on his shoulders.

According to AFPTV video, vehicles and buildings were set on fire, creating dense clouds of black smoke that hovered above the city’s most severely affected areas.

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 vehicle and tore a security gate from its tracks.

Beijing has reported that rioters were targeting Chinese-owned enterprises to the government of Papua New Guinea. Beijing has filed a protest.

In the midst of chaos in Port Moresby, people flee stores with plundered items, as others fled with products.
In the midst of chaos in Port Moresby, people flee stores with plundered items, as others fled with products.
Jerry Mathew, a 30-year-old resident of Port Moresby, said that “many shops” were under danger.

As the riots erupted Wednesday night, he told AFP, “Some parts of the city are safe, but other major centres are not.”

Put an end to this conflict.
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 said 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 often erratic character of life in Papua New Guinea, a nation beset by extreme poverty and high rates of criminal activity.

Positioned fewer than 200 kilometers (125 miles) from the northernmost frontier of Australia, Papua New Guinea is Melanesia’s biggest and most populated 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.”