SYDNEY – Papua New Guinea's prime minister declared a state of emergency on Thursday and suspended government and police officials after unrest in the Pacific island nation left 16 people dead.
A police and public sector protest on Wednesday over a pay cut that officials blamed on an administrative error ended in lawlessness.
Television footage showed thousands of people walking on the streets of the capital Port Moresby. Many of them carried what appeared to be stolen goods as black smoke rose over the city.
Nine people were killed in the unrest in Port Moresby and seven were killed in Lae in the north of the gold and copper mining country, Australian state broadcaster ABC reported on Thursday, citing police.
Prime Minister James Marape told a news conference he had suspended Papua New Guinea's police chief and senior officials in the finance and treasury ministries while the government conducts a review into the cause of the unrest.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape (center) said he has suspended the police chief pending an investigation into the cause of the unrest.Darrell Toll / AFPTV/AFP – Getty Images
“There was evidence of organized unrest,” he told reporters, adding that the review would ensure “we secure democracy, we secure the rule of law.”
About 1,000 military personnel were on standby to ward off further unrest, he said.
Violence in the capital subsided on Thursday and the government deployed additional police to maintain order.
The US Embassy in Port Moresby said police had returned to work but tensions remained high.
People clear debris outside buildings damaged during unrest in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea on Thursday.Darrell Toll / AFPTV/AFP – Getty Images
“The relative calm is subject to change at any time,” it said in a statement, adding that reports of violence had been received from several other parts of the country.
Several Chinese citizens were slightly injured and Chinese shops were victims of vandalism and looting, the Chinese embassy said.
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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the country's high commission was monitoring the situation and Canberra had not received any requests for assistance from Papua New Guinea, which it regularly supports with policing and security work.
“We continue to urge calm in this difficult time. We have not received any requests from the PNG government at this time, but… our friends in Papua New Guinea, we have a great relationship with them,” he said.
Police in Papua New Guinea have struggled with a rise in violent crime over the past year. Marape said strengthening security would help attract foreign investment into PNG's gold and copper resources.
Police went on strike Wednesday morning after noticing a pay cut.
The government circulated messages on social media denying that a new tax had been imposed on police, and Marape said any administrative error that led to the lost wages would be addressed.
An official told local radio FM100 on Wednesday that without police the city had “lost control.”