Port Moresby – The government of Papua New Guinea has declared a national state of emergency for the next 14 days. This decision comes in the aftermath of unrest in Port Moresby and several other cities in the region.
At least 1000 soldiers are reported to be on standby to handle this emergency situation. The military deployment is already underway based on the declaration of the state of emergency.
Unrest in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, has entered its second day. The turmoil was triggered by a dispute over the salaries of Papua New Guinea’s military and police, escalating into anarchic protests.
“Today, we declare a state of emergency for 14 days in our capital city,” said Prime Minister James Marape of Papua New Guinea in his announcement, as reported by AFP on Thursday (1/11/2024).
Marape mentioned that the defense forces could intervene to address any situation that might arise in the future. The military deployment is grounded in the analysis that the public remains dissatisfied and continues to riot despite the government’s promise to rectify salary cuts.
As known, the unrest began when the crowd started burning police cars outside Marape’s office. Initially, soldiers, police personnel, and local prison staff staged a peaceful protest in the morning after realizing that their salaries were cut without explanation.
However, on Wednesday afternoon local time, the unrest erupted and spread throughout the Port Moresby region. Several videos circulating on social media show the crowd looting stores, and police personnel attempting to restore order. (clueworld)
Cecep Muhamad Yusup