Shouts of “shut up” and “don’t directly insult me” resounded in Papua New Guinea’s national Parliament when Rabaul MP Dr Allan Marat asked who had authorised the police to open fire on protesting students yesterday.
More questions were raised about the presence of armed police officers at the University of Papua New Guinea, as reported in this NBC News parliamentary report by Sheila Malken.
In reply, Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said: “I am told that there have been some shots fired, and also tear gas – unconfirmed reports have come in, so Mr Speaker, I will make sure that the Minister of Police and his team give a detailed report in due course.”
In spite of persistent media reports in some media during the day that up to four people had been killed in the shooting, last night the Port Moresby General Hospital authorities confirmed only eight people had been brought in for treatment suffering from gunshot wounds, four serious.
