Violent ethnic clashes in Papua New Guinea’s port city of Lae have left up to nine people dead and forced the closure of many businesses in the vital hub, Papua New Guinean Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said.
The rioting, which damaged and destroyed homes, businesses and other properties, has also reportedly left 1,000 people homeless.
O’Neill, who took the reins of the impoverished, but resource-rich Pacific country in August, has ordered 120 extra police to the town and said he stood ready to impose a state of emergency if calm was not restored soon.
“Lae has been gripped by violence since Thursday, resulting in destruction to properties and loss of nine lives reported,” a statement from the prime minister’s office said on Sunday.
The rioting, which reportedly began after youths protesting against rising crime began fighting with other groups, saw police use tear gas and guns on thousands of rioters, Radio New Zealand International said.
“Basically, it was total chaos throughout the weekend,” the station’s correspondent in the city said. “A lot of people used things like iron rods and bush knives to attack each other.”
The PNG National newspaper said it had independently confirmed five dead and 26 injured, while the Australian Broadcasting Corp said at least two people had died.
O’Neill said Lae’s port was a vital link for many parts of the rugged mountainous country and a shutdown would not only cripple businesses, but affect the national economy.
“We must not allow our law-abiding citizens to be dragged into this and turn it into an ethnic conflict,” he said in a statement. “We must act to bring the situation under control. I call on leaders in each community in the city to control their people and stand up against violence. I would like to see life in the city return to normal ... and businesses allowed to open their doors.”
O’Neill said an inquiry would be established to investigate the cause of the violence in the country’s second-largest city.
Police reports on the ground suggest that 1,000 people from the remote Highlands have been left homeless after their dwellings on the outskirts of town were burned, police media spokesman Dominic Kakas told the AAP newswire.
On Saturday, the Australian government updated its travel advisory for Papua New Guinea to warn that “clashes” had occurred in Lae since Friday and warned that “further violence could occur in coming days.”
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