HomeNewsPapua New Guinea PM declares state of emergency after deadly riots

Papua New Guinea PM declares state of emergency after deadly riots

PORT MORESBY  –  Papua New Guinea’s prime minis­ter declared a 14-day state of emer­gency in the capital Port Moresby on Thursday, after 15 people were killed in riots as crowds looted and burned shops. More than 1,000 troops were on standby “to step in wherever nec­essary” under the emergency decree, Prime Minister James Marape an­nounced. Violence erupted in the capital Port Moresby on Wednesday evening after a group of soldiers, police officers and prison guards launched protests against the gov­ernment. Within hours riots had also taken root in the city of Lae, some 300 kilometres (186 miles) to the north.

“Today, we call for a state of emer­gency for 14-days in our nation’s cap­ital,” Marape said.

Defence forces could intervene during that time “to contain any situ­ations that may arise going forward”, he said. Security forces had staged a protest inside Papua New Guinea’s parliament earlier Wednesday after noticing their pay had been docked without explanation. The govern­ment swiftly promised to fix what it described as a payroll “glitch” but it was not enough to stop disgruntled civilians from joining the fray.

Marape said the four department chiefs involved in the payroll prob­lem — the police commissioner and the heads of personnel, finance and treasury — had all been suspended for 14 days.

Source: nation.com.pk

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