A New Zealand aid project in Papua New Guinea has been halted due to security concerns, and appears unlikely to be completed.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) confirmed work on the Enga Electrification Project in PNG’s Highlands region had “stopped due to ongoing violence around the project area”.

New Zealand invested $6.7 million over the last six years into the project which aimed to connect at least 4000 households in the area to electricity.

• READ MORE: Other Enga reports

It was part of combined efforts with the US, Australia and Japan to help 70 percent of PNG homes get connected by 2030.

However, tribal and election-related violence has surged in numerous parts of Enga Province in the past few years, with police largely unable to quell the unrest.

A spokesperson for MFAT said contractors stopped work at the site in Tsak Valley in Enga’s Wapanamanda District last August.

Laden with risks
The choice of Enga for the electrification project was laden with risks, not just because of its remoteness and rugged terrain, but also due to the high level of tribal and election-related violence.

Development researcher Terence Wood of the Development Policy Centre said while the project’s goal was worthy, New Zealand appeared to rush into the project without giving enough thought to the complexities involved.

“You’d think very carefully about the country context, and contexts in different parts of the country, and that would guide where you work and also how you worked,” Dr Wood said.

“So violent parts of the Highlands, or the upper Highlands, of Papua New Guinea would be the last places you’re engaged with.”

He noted that large swathes of PNG’s population lack reliable access to electricity, so many rural communities in PNG would benefit from electrification, but added that challenges were compounded by the country’s poor governance.

“With work such as electricity, it’s one thing to build it, you also need a functioning government to maintain it.

Geopolitical motivation
When PNG hosted the APEC Leaders Summit in 2018, the country’s prime minister at the time, Peter O’Neill, agreed on the PNG Electrification Partnership with with leaders from Australia, New Zealand, Japan and the US.

Dr Wood said geopolitics had driven New Zealand, alongside the other countries, to plunge into the project.

“We’ve sort of jumped in thanks to a perceived threat that China might be going to engage in this type of aid work in Papua New Guinea, and because of our haste, we didn’t pay sufficient attention to some of the complexities associated with providing electricity to Papua New Guinea.

“Aid donors often race in propelled by other motivations, and therefore don’t think carefully enough about the context and about how they might design their aid work to make sure it’s effective.”

Dr Wood said there was a high probability that the project would never be completed successfully.

‘No respect for authority’
Enga Governor Sir Peter Ipatas admitted that escalating tribal violence and the build-up of illegal weapons in the province had got out of hand, putting many innocent lives at risk.

“In my province, my people have taken the lawlessness to another level using modern weapons, guns, and this has been also a sign of no respect for authority.”

He said a vacuum of law enforcement made the problem worse, as Engan warlords and their fighters were rarely arrested or prosecuted for fighting and destroying villages.

However, Governor Ipatas said the problem with the high level of Engan tribal fights was an internal one, not directed at foreigners.

“Now the guns are only used for tribal fights. Nobody outside the the tribes that are involved are in any danger in our context as Engans, because you only fight your enemy. That’s the rule from our tradition.”

He urged PNG’s national government to ensure police do their job, suggesting more police assistance from Australia and New Zealand would be helpful.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Papua New Guinea police say 10 people have been tragically killed after a series of violent “revenge killings” along the Laiagam-Sirunki Highway in the Highlands province of Enga.

The attacks, which occured last Friday and Monday, are believed to be connected to an unresolved death that took place in March earlier this year.

Police said that gunmen from the Mulapin tribe ambushed a vehicle packed with passengers from the Sakare clan near Tambitanis Health Centre in Sirunki on October 11 at 8am.

• READ MORE: Deadly bus ambush in PNG’s Enga province kills, wounds many
• Other PNG crime reports

The vehicle, carrying a body, was fired upon in a surprise attack. A woman lost her life, several others sustained serious injuries, and the gunmen escaped.

An hour later on the same day, the Sakare clan retaliated by shooting the driver and his passenger from close range. They reached a nearby hospital but succumbed to their injuries on arrival.

The leadership of the Kunalin and Lyain tribes is urging restraint and for the clans not to resort to violence, police said.

They have also called for the immediate surrender of suspects from both the Mulapin and Sakare tribes to law enforcement.

Investigation into ‘root causes’
Assistant Police Commissioner Joseph Tondop, who is responsible for the state of emergency in Enga, is calling for an investigation into the root causes of the recent conflict.

“This sort of revenge killing is unheard of in the history of tribal conflicts in Enga Province where innocent people unrelated to the conflicts where killed,” he said.

“All tribal clans taking part in the conflicts (Sakars, Mulapian, Kunalins, Myom and people form Kulapi 4 in Porgera) are all under the scope and ordered to refrain from further escalating the situation.”

The investigative teams will start their work immediately, and individuals or groups found to be involved will be apprehended, he said.

“This task force is given strict orders to carry out a thorough investigation, leaving no stone unturned.”

RNZ Pacific’s correspondent in PNG, Scott Waide, said the public was frustrated that police were yet to make arrests.

He said police found it difficult to deal with the clans and arrest people who were armed.

Waide said people were reluctant to give up weapons because it gave them a sense of security in tribal conflicts.

“It is a difficult situation that both lawmakers, citizens and police are in. The longer this drags on and guns are in the hands of ordinary people, killing will continue.”

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

The United States has said it is “ready to lend a helping hand” to the people of Mulitaka, Enga province, after a devasting landslide swallowed an entire village in Papua New Guinea’s highlands yesterday.

US President Joe Biden and his wife said in a personal message their prayers were with the people of Enga who had been affected by the disaster at Yambili village.

Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has also advised her counterpart, Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko, that Australia is also ready to assist.

• READ MORE: Hundreds feared dead after huge landslide in Papua New Guinea

Relief officials say 300 people are missing and more than 1000 homes and a local lodge were buried under the rubble of mud, trees and rock.

Lagaip Open MP Aimos Akem called for immediate assistance from the national government, Enga provincial government, development partners and Barrack Niugini Ltd to help provide the necessary support for rescue operations after a deadly landslide struck Yambili village.

The village is near the Maip-Mulitaka LLG bordering the Lagaip and Pogera districts respectively.

A local leader and former MP for the then Lagaip-Porgera Open, Mark Ipuia, confirmed that Yambili village was covered by a huge pile of rocks that fell from the landslide.

It covered the Kapil clan, including all their homes and more than 5000 pigs, plus 100 trade stores and five vehicles.

ABC’s Pacific reporter Belinda Kora filed this report.        Video: ABC Pacific

ABC Pacific reporter Belinda Kora said rescue and recovery efforts had been hindered by the village’s remote location.

The PNG government has not yet released an official death toll.

Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

Rescue efforts are underway in a remote village in Papua New Guinea, where 100 people are feared dead after a landslide.https://t.co/BmhAUrmfle

— ABC News (@abcnews) May 24, 2024

Food rationing is underway in remote areas in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands following torrential rain and flash flooding.

More than 20 people have been reported dead in Chimbu Province.

In nearby Enga Province, the centre of last month’s massacre, a 15-year-old boy has been swept away in flooding.

• READ MORE: Renewal of strong winds and rough seas expected for coastal waters
• Young woman found dead with face skinned in Enga in spite of ceasefire

Wapenamanda community leader Aquila Kunzie told RNZ Pacific his village alone was housing almost 100 displaced women and children from the tribal warfare.

As bad weather hampers food production, the need for aid is critical, Kunzie said.

“The massacre has claimed any lives. As the days go by . . . the government is taking the initiative to call for peace negotiations that are ongoing at the moment,” he said.

“The situation is [that] we are feeling the impact of short supply and food rations in the village.

“We are being neglected due to probably bad politics,” Kunzie said.

Kunzie spoke to RNZ Pacific from Mambisanda village mission station where he said the mighty Timin River was only 15m walking distance.

“Constant continuous rainfall in Wapenamanda district has caused rivers to flood,” Kunzie said, adding “food gardens have been washed away”.

A grade eight student has was reportedly washed away, Kunzie said.

“We couldn’t find him due to the heavy flood. The boy is about 15-years-old,” he said.

Woman mutilated
On top of flooding, The National is reporting a woman has been found dead in Wapenamanda despite a ceasefire being agreed to by warring factions.

“It has also been reported maybe the rascals people must have raped her and wounded her and threw her helpless on the road and she was found in the morning,” Kunzie said.

While the woman was found on the road in another village to where Kunzie is, his village is housing “almost 100” victims of tribal warfare.

But with so many mouths to feed and food crops damaged by heavy rains food rationing is in place.

“Only one meal per day, we can’t afford breakfast and lunch with all of them.”

“We say drink only water and stay and have one meal and go to bed and wait for the next day.”

The bad weather has hampered the growth of food and that is becoming a “very critical issue”, Kunzie said.

He said calls for help have fallen on deaf ears.

“We have no way to call out for help,” he said.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Prime Minister James Marape has announced comprehensive relief operations in Papua New Guinea’s devastating weather that has killed at least 21 people and impacted on 16 provinces.

The 21 who died were buried under tonnes of mud in three separate mudslides in Chimbu province.

Sixteen provinces in three regions were being monitored by the PNG National Weather Service for flooding following erratic changes in weather patterns, reports Claudia Tally.

• READ MORE: Heavy rain damages roads, bridges across PNG

From king tides, solar flares and rising temperatures since December 2023, the weather in the country has taken a swift turn to heavy downpours and reported flash flooding in Central, Northern, Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, Madang and Morobe provinces over the last seven days.

The changes in the weather pattern, especially the flooding, has left many provincial highways eroded, bridges broken and people stranded.

The government’s relief operations, spearheaded by the Department of Works and Highways, National Disaster Office, and the PNG Defence Force, aims to mitigate the challenges faced by communities across the nation.

“King tides, landslips, and other unfortunate natural incidents as a result of the continuous rain and wet weather conditions around the country at present and in recent weeks is of concern to government,” Marape said.

Works directives
“We have already taken steps to provide relief and address the specific situations through the responsible government agencies.”

He said directives had been issued to the Works and Highways Department, National Disaster Office, and Defence Force to dispatch specialist teams.

“These teams are tasked with assessing and addressing road slippages and blockages, ensuring expedient restoration of access and support to the affected locales,” he said.

“Certain places around the country like Gumine in Chimbu Province have been cut off and require urgent attention to restore and relieve.

“Other places in low-lying areas of the country like Gulf Province are also being affected by the continuous rain.

“We’ve mobilised the necessary government resources to clear and relieve those areas affected by the heavy rains over the past month or more.”

He lauded the Department of Works and Highways for their prompt action in Porgera, Enga Province, following a landslip that severed connections to surrounding areas.

“The department’s efforts have successfully reopened the critical access road, demonstrating the government’s commitment to swift and effective crisis management,” he said.

Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

A ceasefire is expected on the battlefields of Wapenamanda in Papua New Guinea’s Enga Province that has claimed hundreds of lives and caused massive destruction to properties in three constituencies.

According to lead peace negotiator and Enga Provincial Administrator Sandis Tsaka, a ceasefire agreement is anticipated to be signed this week among three parties to solve the crisis.

These parties are the state and two warring tribal leaders to make way for the peace process to start.

• READ MORE: Wapenamanda massacre: PNG leaders angry over tribal war ‘barbarity’
• Other Wapenamanda massacre reports

The leaders of both warring factions are currently involved in intense negotiations with the State Conflict Resolution team led by key negotiator and Chief Magistrate Mark Pupaka in Port Moresby.

The state negotiating team comprises Deputy Police Commissioner (Operations) Dr Philip Mitna; Assistant Commissioner of Police Julius Tasion; newly appointed Enga provincial police commander Chief Superintendent Fred Yakasa; Enga Provincial Administrator Sandis Tsaka and Chief Magistrate Pupaka.

The government negotiators are meeting and having discussions separately with each faction.

According to the state team, the roundtable conference was brought to Port Moresby because a ceasefire agreement and subsequently a Preventive Order issued in September last year failed.

Guerrilla-style warfare
The preventive order did not work when the tribal factions took up arms in guerrilla-style warfare.

The conference will ensure that both parties, including the allies of 25 tribes from Tsaka valley, Aiyale valley and Middle Lai constituencies, agree to an amicable resolution in consultations with neighbouring tribes.

The Yopo tribe’s leader Roy Opone Andoi of Tsaka valley apologised in a public statement to the state for damaging government properties and for the lives lost in the three-year tribal conflict.

Andoi said it was regrettable to see a “trivial” tribal conflict that started with his Yopo tribe and neighbouring Palinau tribe in Tsaka valley escalate to “unimaginable proportions”, displacing more than 40,000 people.

“I want to apologise to the state, rival tribes and neighbouring communities and the country for all the damage, including negative images portrayed through the media during the course of the conflict,” he said.

Andoi said he would like to take the opportunity to thank the government for appointing the state team, comprising Police Commissioner David Manning, Tsaka and Pupaka, to conduct roundtable discussions towards restoring peace and normalcy.

He said the government’s intervention came in following the latest casualties, including a massacre of more than 50 men from the Palinau allies by Yopo allies during an intensified battle on February 28 near Birip and Hela Opone Technical College on the border of Wapenamanda and Wabag districts.

Andoi said that with the help of the state team, he was hoping for a better outcome to bring back normalcy in the district and the province.

Republished from the PNG Post-Courier with permission.

Prime Minister James Marape has commended Papua New Guinea’s police, defence force and the local community for their quick action in the release of an Australian pilot and two local workers who were kidnapped in the Highlands yesterday.

The pilot of Hevilift and two locals were at Hela’s Mt Sisa on routine work at a Digicel tower yesterday when they were kidnapped by an armed group in the area.

The group demanded a ransom to be paid.

• READ MORE:  Kidnapped Australian helicopter pilot, subcontractors set free in PNG
• Other PNG kidnapping reports

However, due to quick action by the police, defence and locals in the area, the three were released safely a few hours after their kidnapping.

Marape, also the Tari-Pori MP in Hela, said lawlessness had “destroyed” the country.

“This country does not have any place for lawbreakers. You can hide and run now but you cannot hide forever,” he said.

“The more you hide and run, you will put yourself and your family at risk just like others who are in prison or dead because of their crimes.”

Special force ‘armed to teeth’
Marape said PNG would not tolerate lawbreakers.

“The special police force unit we are building will be armed to the teeth to deal with any crime anywhere, any place,” he said.

“Just as we did in the first kidnapping and this second attempt, we will not tolerate such crimes in our country.”

Police Commissioner David Manning said in a statement the Australian pilot of a Hevilift helicopter and two Papua New Guinean subcontractors were released without harm following “a rapid deployment of security force elements”.

Manning said security forces were mobilised and deployed in the area in large numbers through yesterday afternoon, and through local leaders the abductors had been warned that lethal force would be employed in order to free the captives.

He said the helicopter had since been flown to Hides with the pilot and sub-contractors on board.

Manning said security forces had entered the “direct apprehension” phase of the operation in which the abductors were being tracked so they could face justice.

“If these criminals resist or show any hostility towards police, other security personnel or any member of the public, their fates will be sealed,” he said.

‘Enough of domestic terrorists’
“Our country has had enough of these domestic terrorists who are undermining the safety and security of our communities, and they have no place walking free.

“These criminals will be caught or they will be killed in the process,” Manning said.

The pilot and technicians had been taken captive at a remote site in the vicinity of Mt Sisa, Tari.

It is understood the issue motivated the group was acting in connection with a compensation claim, and demands were being communicated by the group.

“I congratulate security forces personnel who worked together with local leaders and axillary police to bring this situation to a successful and swift conclusion,” Manning added.

Rebecca Kuku is a journalist with The National. Republished with permission from The National and PNG Post-Courier (front page screenshot).

Papua New Guinea’s opposition has called on Prime Minister James Marape to immediately recall Parliament to address the escalating killings in the upper Highlands provinces.

The opposition also wants the debate to include other law and order issues that have spiralled out of control in other parts of the country.

The call was made by Deputy Opposition leader Douglas Tomuriesa following images of victims lined up along the highway in the Enga Province.

• READ MORE: Other PNG crime reports

“I strongly urge the Prime Minister to recall Parliament for us leaders to come together as one and discuss the possibility of passing an Emergency Act as allowed for by the Constitution to address this serious issue,” he said.

“These gruesome images of human beings been murdered, stripped naked and lined up next to the highway by their enemies or criminal elements, especially in the upper Highlands provinces of Enga, Hela and Southern Highlands, is becoming a regular activity and the government and elected leaders must not take this lightly, its human lives we are talking about.

“It’s a national emergency and I call on the Prime Minister to immediately recall Parliament for a bipartisan committee to be formed to address this issue,” Tomuriesa said.

He said parliamentarians were elected to lead and address such serious issues affecting citizens and the country as a whole.

‘Killings too frequent’
“We as elected leaders shouldn’t be taking long breaks — these killings are becoming too frequent and we should be addressing them head on during Parliament sessions.

“We just cannot ignore it as fake social media posts,” he said.

Tomuriesa said he was making this call as a concerned citizen, a Papuan leader and deputy opposition leader.

“The spillover effects of what is happening up in the upper Highlands region will be felt everywhere — in Mamose, New Guinea Islands and the Southern Region. So as mandated leaders we must do something.”

Republished from PNG Post-Courier with permission.

Papua New Guinea police officers have been issued with a Commissioner’s Circular on the approved use of force in the execution of their duties to protect lives from domestic terrorist and other criminal activities.

With the escalation of violence in the Highlands and other parts of PNG, Police Commissioner David Manning said officers must be clear on the extent of their powers.

And criminals needed to be warned of likely outcomes if they used weapons.

• READ MORE: Other PNG law and order reports

“Today, I issued a Commissioner’s Circular on the use of force against criminals to reinforce the lawful authority of police personnel,” he said.

“This is not a circular issue I issue lightly, but it is necessary and done so with the full support of the government in order to quell violence, particularly in the Highlands region.

“I have directed RPNGC personnel to be prepared to deploy lethal force where this is required and reasonable commanders are instructed to incorporate this directive into respective operational orders,” Manning said.

He said as part of this, RPNGC members were reminded when using force and lethal force to act in good faith and sound judgment in accordance with PNG’s laws.

Commissioner Manning said reports of criminals armed with weapons terrorising people — particularly in Enga Province — would not be tolerated.

“Police and PNGDF personnel are responding to criminal elements that commit violent acts on law-abiding and vulnerable communities.”

The Commissioner’s Circular issued today provides clear direction as to when and how lethal force is applied.

In simple terms, if a person was brandishing a gun, an explosive device, or other weapons, — such as a bush knife or catapult — force would be escalated to protect the public and police.

Domestic terrorists and other criminals had now been given more than fair warning, and they could expect no tolerance by security forces responding to crimes.

Last week, two gang leaders in East New Britain felt the full force of the law when they confronted police with firearms. Both gang leaders were killed and their associates arrested.

Republished with permission.

Warlords and armed bandits pose a threat to Papua New Guinea’s national security and must be destroyed, says Deputy Opposition Leader Douglas Tomuriesa.

“Warlords and armed bandits are very dangerous and pose a real threat to national security and freedom and must be destroyed,” he said.

“Police and the military are simply outgunned and outnumbered, and cannot effectively deal with the armed bandits.”

• READ MORE: Priority with ‘greedy’ kidnappers is to return captives to families, says PNG police chief
• Other PNG crime reports

He supported the call by former prime minister Peter O’Neill for the safe release of the hostages held by armed bandits in the Highlands region.

Three of the seven hostages held near the Mt Bosavi area at the border of the Southern Highlands and Hela provinces have been released by the bandits.

One of the captives is an Australian-based New Zealand professor and two Papua New Guinea women are among those still being held by the gunmen.

Tomuriesa said that the proliferation of warlords in the Highlands provinces armed with machine guns stolen from the PNG Defence Force armoury had been reported many times in the media.

But the James Marape-led coalition government had failed to address it seriously.

He added that the government should consider inviting the Australian and New Zealand special forces such as their SAS (Special Air Service) which possessed superior weapons and tactics to assist PNG deal with these “dangerous criminals and eliminate these so-called warlords once and for all”.

He also expressed concern over the kidnapping of innocent and harmless people, and joined the many Christians praying for the hostages.

Republished with permission.

Port Moresby’s “amazing city” tag in Papua New Guinea is fast losing its varnish and appeal — its veneer of a modern metropolis tarnished by an ethnic underbelly that relishes criminal activity, racial violence and a tendency to unleash aggressive violent behavior at any opportune time.

Last weekend’s violence which left three people dead is the fifth such “amazing act” this year, says an exasperated Police Commissioner David Manning.

The question, raised on social media, in homes, schools, offices, among local landowners, the Motu Koitabu, and discussed in pubs and boardrooms across the city, is: “When will enough be enough?’

• READ MORE: Other reports on PNG ethnic clashes

When will Port Moresby truly rise above its ethnic cleansing bloodbath rituals to become the modern Amazing City of cross cultures that it professes to be, and that every peace loving Papua New Guinean wants to enjoy?

A drug deal gone wrong has sparked a deadly ethnic war between Eastern Highlands and Hela province people living in Port Moresby.

Yesterday, the fight was violent around the Erima, Wildlife, 8 and 9 Mile settlement areas as pitched battles raged.

NCD Governor Powes Parkop called for calm and for peace to return, adding it is against the law to carry offensive weapons in public.

‘Leave it to police’ call
Commissioner Manning also called for calm and for the warring parties to lay down their arms and let police investigate the killings.

As of last night, three men were dead and six wounded who were being treated at the Port Moresby General Hospital.

Last night, Gordon, Erima, Wildlife, 8 and 9 Mile were tense with police patrols keeping a close watch on those areas.

The ethnic clash, the fifth so far this year, is putting a huge dent on the National Capital Diustrict Commission’s (NCDC) effort to promote the capital city’s image as “Amazing Moresby”.

On social media, angry residents have taken not so kindly to the fighting with many urging the government to clamp down on ethnic groups from the Highlands by returning all settlers back to their province of origin.

The Vagrancy Act, which enables police to evict illegal settlers in the city, was thrown out at Independence, which has led to a growing settlement population in the city.

But fed up Motu Koitabu landowners and angry residents want the city cleaned up.

A call for martial law
One commentator even called for martial law to be enacted and the city cleaned of all illegal settlers.

The flare-up between men from the Eastern Highlands and Hela provinces has sent innocent women and children scattering for cover and refuge.

It is alleged the death of a man from Eastern Highlands during a drug deal is said to have started the fight. The police, however, cannot say much, but could only confirm that an investigation has commenced on the issue.

The roads around Erima and 9 Mile saw men and women running with offensive weapons.

While police tried their best to make their presence felt during the chaos, they were outnumbered as scores of men continued to fight.

Commissioner Manning said that any ethnic clashes at other major centres in the country were “unnecessary” and “unfortunate”.

“It is concerning how people can employ their tribal tactics and think that they can clash with other groups in the cities and towns,” he said.

These ethnic clashes are a result of a lack of appropriate policing interventions.

Why have settlements grown?
Furthermore, there are a lot of discussions on why we have allowed settlements to grow in the last two to three decades and whether those settlements contribute to these ethnic clashes, he added.

Meanwhile, NCD Governor Parkop warned city residents carrying weapons who have gone unnoticed.

Bows and arrows, machetes, iron bars, stones and other dangerous weapons were seen publicly yesterday at the Gordon bus stop and Erima with the ethnic clash still tense with police continuously patrolling the area.

City Manager Ravu Frank said this kind of behaviour was illegal. Unfortunately, lives have been lost. City residents have to move around freely and not be in fear of their safety.

The parties concerned must air their grievances to police.

Commissioner Manning said ethnic clashes were no longer restricted to rural centres and it had greater impact on everyone’s lives and gave concern to a lot of people, especially government and police when it happened in the urban environment.

In 2022 alone, five ethnic clashes have erupted between different groups — mostly from the Highlands region.

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier journalist. Republished with permission.

A massive earthquake has sent shockwave across PNG with at least four dead, properties and key infrastructure destroyed and fears of a mounting death toll.

The 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck at 9:45am yesterday and rocked the newly-built five-star dormitories at the University of Goroka, leaving about 7600 students homeless and forcing PNG Power to shut down the country’s biggest dam at Yonki.

The plant generates and supplies power to Morobe, Madang and the Highlands region. Parts of Highlands Highway in the Markham Valley were cracked open.

• READ MORE: Fears of rising death toll after powerful earthquake rocks eastern Papua New Guinea
• Other earthquake reports in PNG

At the UoG, the students rushed down the stairways and scurried out of the dormitories as a debris of brick blocks, metals and glasses crashed around them. The ceilings and walls cracked open and a section of one of the buildings’ roofs collapsed.

“The earthquake of whatever size it was has hit all our new dormitories to the very core of their foundations,” said a university academic, Dr Maninga.

“We invite the structural engineering professionals to assess the damage before we make any serious decision.

“We will also enquire with the national geohazard centre if we are to expect another earthquake and of what magnitude.

“Also, we look forward to meeting with a team from the DHERST (Department of Higher Education Research Science and Technology) with Minister Don Polye.

Tackling the emergency
“This unfortunate natural disaster has placed us in an emergency situation and we look forward to meeting with them to address this emergency. In the meantime, the students are advised to find shelters where they can.

“Those students from outside the province can use the classrooms for studies and lodging as well.

“The mess will be opened and continue to serve the students.”

The UoG students council representative, Melvin Kink, said the students understood the situation they were in now and would cooperate with the administration to live through it until further advice.

He also told the PNG Post-Courier that their library building was also affected.

PNG Power advised of a total power system outage in Morobe, Madang and the Highlands region following the earthquake.

The power supplier confirmed reports of damages at the Ramu Hydro power station and switch yard and advised that their team would carry out a proper check before they could safely restore power supply to their customers.

First medivac from landslide
The Post-Courier received a report of Manolos Aviation making its first medivac of a couple injured in a landslide as a direct result of the earthquake out of Kabwun district in Morobe Province.

In the Rai Coast, Madang Province, reports were going viral on social media of people and properties buried in landslides.

In Yelia Local Level Government constituency of Obura-Wanenara district in Eastern Highlands Province, Kevin Kojompa, a teacher at the Yelia Primary School, said staff houses were destroyed.

The National Disaster Centre acting director Martin Mose said he had not yet received a full report on the nationwide effects of the earthquake.

Yesterday was a weekend day and the Post-Courier was unable to reach the National Disaster Centre or its provincial branches bout the effects of the earthquake.

Meanwhile, aircraft were using Goroka Airport after the earthquake, which signals that it was not affected.

Republished with permission.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed reports his eldest son is one of two men arrested in relation to a suitcase found with US$440,000 at a domestic airport in the Highlands province of Hela last weekend.

The arrests occurred after police became suspicious of the suitcase amid heightened security in preparation for the general election which began on Monday.

One of the men arrested is Mospal Marape.

• READ MORE: PNG security detain man with K1.56m in suitcase as elections begin
• ‘Nothing to do with me’: PNG leader distances himself from suitcase of cash
• Other PNG elections reports

James Marape told media as he cast his first vote on Monday that his son had no association with the luggage.

“The person who was transporting the money is the director of a construction company in Hela Province. Knowing there are checks at the airport, he brought the money, for him he felt the money was legal,” Marape said.

“He was transporting money for his company. He was being picked up and police felt the money was suspicious on the eve of an election.”

Marape dismissed rumours the money was linked to his campaign.

“I don’t need the fund for the elections. Police have kept the fund.

‘Voting here without fund’
“I’m voting here without the help of the fund. Some think that it’s a link and influenced by me, far from it.

“That fund is not needed. We’re running elections on Friday.

In an interview from Tari with the Post-Courier’s Miriam Zarriga, Marape said that rumours going around were “false” and that he “does not need the money”.

“People are saying the money was meant to assist me. I can confirm that it is not my money, I do not need that money and I did not charter that flight,” Marape said.

“It is a company charter and for safety reasons they run checks at the airport, because my son was in the vicinity, police rounded up all of them.

“My son was part of a security detail that was providing security to reporters who had travelled to Komo and the Hides Gas site.

‘Two nights in the cell’
“Just like any citizen, if police feel you are a suspect, they will lock you up and the process will follow.

“Just because he is my son, I have never gone to the police and demanded his release, just like everyone else he stayed two nights in the cell, initiated bail and now the due process is being followed.

“It is not illegal money but money for the company [which] uses the money to pay their workers. Most people don’t prefer banks because of fees.

They would rather receive cash.

“I have gone to polling without the use of that money as I have no use for it.”

Police confirmed that the main suspect in the incident had been allegedly released without any charges laid.

However, the money was still being held by police as an exhibit.

This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister James Marape has confirmed reports his eldest son is one of two men arrested in relation to a suitcase found with $US440,000 at a domestic airport in the highlands province of Hela last week.https://t.co/wtJvjP4gjE

— RNZ Pacific (@RNZPacific) July 5, 2022

Today is officially the last day of campaigning in Papua New Guinea’s 2022 National General Election.

Count tomorrow until Monday as rest days, but in politically charged PNG, anything is possible, including illegal last-minute clandestine campaigning.

Polling is set to begin Tuesday, July 4, when millions will exercise their democratic right at the polls to elect their 118 MPs.

• READ MORE: Other PNG election reports

The exercise has been tainted by violence, mainly in the Highlands, and allegations of ballot tampering, but this has not discouraged the will of the people to get over this election.

“Wok Mas Go Het Yet” (Work must go on) has been the nationalistic slogan from patriotic Papua New Guineans who see it as their duty to fulfil their electoral obligations by overturning the results of 2017.

The 2022 national ballot will be a game changer for a country that has seen and experienced more upheavals in the past 5 years then any other time in its 47 years of independence.

Since the issue of writs on May 29, poll watchers have predicted a titanic struggle between the two main political parties PANGU (Green), led by incumbent Prime Minister James Marape and People’s National Congress (Red), led by former PM Peter O’Neill.

Red versus Green ‘armies’
Both the PNC Red Army of O’Neill and the PANGU Green Army of Marape have been at loggerheads in various campaign locations but the real test will come down to the wire on polling day.

Who will muster the numbers to gain power when the writs are returned on July 29?

Here is our analysis, based on our political coverage since last year, and based on analysis of the 2017 election results.

There have been many insights released and floated by scientists, political analysts, geologists and even by table mamas, wannabe “glassman” (sorcerers) and journalists on their bets.

The political landscape has been divided between Marape and O’Neill, though there may be other leaders like opposition leader Belden Namah, Patrick Pruaitch, William Duma, Sir John Pundari and the ‘Last Knight Standing’, Sir Julius Chan, who are contenders for this coming election.

However, all eyes are on the resource-rich provinces of Southern Highlands (O’Neill) and Hela (Marape).

This tectonic fracture was clearly evident in November 2020 when O’Neill tried sponsoring a vote of no confidence and he funded the Vanimo Camp, but Marape’s Loloata camp won that contest.

‘Take Back PNG’ mantra
The divide is obvious. Marape has mostly those who are first and second term MPs who are inclined to the “Take Back PNG” mantra and the philosophies behind it, while O’Neill had his old school politicians who all dreamed to be PM some day with the likes of Namah, Pundari, Charles Abel, Davis Steven, Powes Parkop, Sir Julius, Duma and Nick Kuman to name a few.

And as the nation goes into polls in three days time, this divide of the two classes of politicians still remains with the emerging heavyweights yet to show their power.

However, a “dark horse” in the shadows might emerge where we could see the rise of Enga if the battle of the Southern Highlanders does not work according to plan.

While it will be anybody’s game and being in the land of the unexpected, if the trend of the last elections where the ruling party returns to form government (National Alliance in 2007, People’s National Congress in 2012 and 2017) then it should be PANGU in 2022, but will they have the numbers to form government?

While some are sure of victory and already counting their eggs with the grand announcement of coalitions, others are holding their cards close to their chest like a true poker grandmaster.

This is the newspaper’s political projection from the election team at the PNG Post-Courier which will focus on the political party seats likely to win when polling starts on Tuesday.

Election projections
We project that of the 111 MPs in the last five years, 55 percent of sitting MPs will most likely lose their seats in this year’s 2022 National General Election.

Based on the 2017 NGE results, the sitting MPs who we project will not return are those that have scored less than 10 percent of total votes in their first count, and MPs that scored between 10– 20 percent in their first count are at extreme risks of losing their seats.

So these two categories make up about 55 percent of the sitting MPs, which translates to 57-60 MPs who most likely will not return.

To predict the number of seats to be won by each political party, we will use the simple winning percentage technique of each political party in 2017 to predict the potential wins for 2022 seats.

We will adjust for new political parties and also adjust for the PANGU Pati as it is going into this election as the ruling party.

We will also look at the main political parties and the independents and review each political party in 2017 versus the number of candidates each party endorsed in 2017 and the current 2022.

The independents make up 40 percent of the candidate list for 2022 among 53 political party endorsed candidates.

‘Dark horse’ parties
Then we have the “dark horse” parties that we will also talk about including their party leaders.

At the start of this election, PANGU went in with 40 but were down to 38 sitting MPs (2 had died) and the PNC was next with 15, NA 8, URP and ULP (less than 8 MPs).

The 2017 election results detailed that PNC had the highest winning numbers with 29 seats, National Alliance with 15 seats and PANGU and URP both returned 10 seats.

The rest had 5 seats or below with the exception of Independents that won 13 seats.

The tentative projections for the top five political parties and the independents for 2022:

• PNC endorsed 95 candidates in 2017, won 29 seats, a 31 percent win rate and in 2022 our projection is that of their 97 endorsed, 32 are likely to win.
• PANGU endorsed 69 in 2017, won only 10 seats, a 14 percent win rate and in 2022 they have endorsed 81 candidates 2022. Projection: 20 seats likely to win.
• United Resource Party (URP) endorsed 34 in 2017 and won 10 seats, a 29 percent win rate. In 2022, of 49 endorsed candidates, projected to win 14 seats.
• National Alliance Party (NA) endorsed 73 candidates in 2017, won 15 seats, a 21 per cent win rate. In 2022, they have 63 candidates; they will likely win 12 seats.
• PNG Party (PNGP) endorsed 87 candidates in 2017, won 4 seats for a 5 percent win rate. In 2022, they have endorsed 84; our projection is that they will win 5 seats again.
• The Independents had 1921 candidates in 2017 and won 13 seats, a 1 percent win rate. In 2022, they increased to 1500 and our projection is that they will win 10 seats.
• Of the women candidates, we expect a strong woman rally and predict a 5 seat mandate.

Republished with permission.

The full strength of the Papua New Guinea security forces has yet to be deployed into the Highlands “hotspot areas” in time for the general election next month.

The commanding officers of the Royal PNG Constabulary, PNG Defence Force and PNG Correctional Services confirmed this yesterday.

The officers have not been deployed around the country with the three disciplinary forces waiting on the call from Police Commissioner David Manning.

• READ MORE: Other PNG election reports

So far there has been:

• an election-related death reported in Ialibu-Pangia;
• Returning officer of Kompiam-Ambum shot and injured;
• two candidates shot at by opposing candidate supporters;
• oil spilled onto the tarmac at Kagamuga Airport; a minister chased by angry public in his district; and
• the burning of party merchandise by opposing supporters.

In a statement, the PNGDF noted: “The launching of the PNGDF NATEL 22 security operations will be next week, once it is done, then we will be in a position to advise. As it is, troops are still in their units.”

The Correctional Services issued a statement noting that for their 500 men and women to be deployed for election operations, are still waiting on the call by Police.

Police Commissioner David Manning arrived in Mt Hagen, Western Highlands, and met with Assistant Commissioner of Police-Eastern End Rigga Neggi and WHP police commander Chief Superintendent Joe Puri.

‘The call out will be done’
“The call out, especially any operational order, will be done once it has been established where the men and women are needed,” he said.

“We have identified where the men and women need to be and that is where they will be sent.

“Many of the police units who were sent to the different provinces prior to the election have returned for a break before they are redeployed.

“Others will now be sent out to the other provinces.”

It is expected that over three days from June 15-17, the three armoured vehicles will travel into the Highlands region via Lae, Morobe Province.

The vehicles will arrive in Mt Hagen where the countrywide launch of the security operations will be held that will see more than 5000 security personnel deployed into 22 provinces.

Police Minister William Onglo said: “Election is known to be violent at times and we will ensure all security personnel from the three disciplinary forces are mobilised and sent out.”

‘Disastrous security planning’
Former police commissioner Gari Baki warned: “Deployment not done earlier is the start to a disastrous security planning for the election.

“Any deployment of security personnel should have been done two months before the issue of writ and the security assessment by the National Intelligence Organisation (NIO) should have been done six months ago.”

Several provincial police commanders (PPC) have expressed concern citing that the mobile squads normally deploy two months prior to issue of writs as Phase 1 of the whole Natel Operations to conduct awareness/road shows, assist local police attend to outstanding conflicts.

“However, this has not been done this election, mainly due to lack of funds from the national government. Hopefully, they might be inserted a few weeks before polling.”

In a media conference, ACP Neggi said: “We are progressing well with our operations at the Eastern command and we are expecting extra reinforcement to land this week onwards.

“So we should have a lot of security personnel on the ground and we are having a parade for the highlands operations next week. Before that, we will have a commanders’ conference here.

‘Bit of a hiccup’
“In terms of the security operations preparations we are progressing well.

“There are little bit of hiccup along the way but as time goes on… both Highlands commands will be operating from Mt Hagen for administrative support. But the operations will be rolled out in the provinces from Hela coming down toward Simbu.”

ACP–Western End John Kale said that in the provinces of Enga, Southern Highlands and Enga, the police work was continuing.

“We continue our awareness and we are talking to the people on elections, however this is a region that any little thing can start something big, we continue to monitor.”

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

Papua New Guinean police are investigating serious firearms offences allegedly involving five candidates contesting the election in the Highlands region.

The candidates in two different provinces are being investigated for the use of firearms at campaign rallies, for firing an unlicensed firearm, being in possession of a firearm and being in possession of a stolen vehicle.

The interest of police in the five candidates comes three weeks after the close of nomination in Southern and Western Highlands provinces.

• READ MORE: PNG police brand Mt Hagen airport sabotage as ‘act of terrorism’
• Other reports on PNG elections

Police fear that without proper manpower support, polling and counting in the two provinces will be the bloodiest with the high number of firearms being used and allegedly gathered by supporters of candidates.

The investigation comes after a two-week firearms amnesty ended on May 19.

Police Commissioner David Manning has issued instructions for all police personnel to arrest and charge anyone found to be be “manufacturing homemade guns, illegal ownership and possession of firearms, illegal possession and use of firearms, illegal possession of prohibited firearms and ownership and [in] possession of machine guns”.

However, a police source said the talks on arrests of those in possession of firearms would not occur without proper support of police.

‘What can police do?’
“Candidates are known to support their supporters with firearms but what can police do?” the source said.

“They can only arrest those they catch, the buy-back scheme of firearms and the recent firearms amendment will not stop the influx of firearms into the country, especially the Highlands region.”

Police Minister William Onglo has said: “Candidates need to lead by example, when you as a candidate don’t lead by example you show your supporters that they can do what they want.

“That needs to end, you want to be a leader and you are putting your hand up, this means whatever happens with your supporters you as their candidate must tell them what they are doing is wrong and if need be report them,” he said.

SHP police commander Chief Inspector Daniel Yangen said that with the instruction from Commissioner Manning and the amendments to the Firearms Act, if the candidates were found to be supplying and supporting the use of firearms in this election they will be charged by the SHP Election taskforce team.

“We see supporters moving around the province brandishing weapons but they hide their firearms, but when it comes to confrontations, suddenly firearms are brought out,” PPC Yangen said.

A high level group of observers in the 2017 National General Election made several recommendations on security to be looked at prior to the 2022 Election. However, these changes have not been made.

Miriam Zarriga is a PNG Post-Courier reporter. Republished with permission.

Pacific Media Watch

Three children were among ten people killed in a brutal attack in Porgera in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands last week.

This report by EMTV’s deputy news editor Scott Waide provides context and an insight into tribal fighting.

Twenty three people have been killed in tribal fighting so far during March alone.

The men women and children were killed at Suyan village near the Porgera township, the same village where police constable Timot Kavanmur was killed in January.

Initially, nine people had been confirmed dead. However, one of two victims wounded in the attack died in hospital late Wednesday afternoon bringing the total number of dead to ten.

• The Pacific Media Centre’s earlier report last week

Ten people – including three children – have been massacred when a fight between two warring tribes from Tari spilled into the Porgera Valley in the Papua New Guinea Highlands.

Two women and five men from Enga were also killed when the O Kiru and Miape tribes resumed fighting, this time Porgera.

Paiela-Hewa LLG president Sailas Ayeila, who was on the ground with the law and order team and security personnel, confirmed that those killed yesterday were from Enga in the Paiela, Porgera and Kandep areas but lived in the Suyan village near Porgera.

READ MORE: Scott Waide reports on the Porgera massacre
READ MORE: ABC report on the killings – Gunmen open fire in PNG highlands

He said this tribal fight had already claimed enough lives, including that of a young policeman recently.

Ayeila said the blood spilled by this fighting had been condemned by Porgera leaders, police and citizens.

He said that even though the tribes were asked to return home, the O Kiru warlords refused to leave and returned to Suyan village in Marenga area in search of their enemies – the Miape tribe – and slaughtered the innocent people.

Ayeila said the Porgera-Paiela leaders and their people were now calling on the national government to declare a state of emergency in the area.

‘Barbaric and animalistic’
“We Engans do have tribal warfare but we don’t kill in such a barbaric and animalistic way. We don’t kill women and children,” he said.

“I helped to recover those killed and transport the corpses to Paiam Hospital morgue, and I am terrified.”

“People of Porgera, public servants and mining employees are in fear now. Several weeks ago, the police and PNG Defence Force went on a raid after a young policeman was killed by these Tari tribes and the houses that were burnt to the ground by these security personnel belonged to innocent people,’’ Ayiela said.

He also requested the national government to begin a manhunt for the two warlords.

Ale Asa is a PNG Post-Courier reporter.

An influential warlord in PNG’s Hela province has handed himself in to security forces in the wake of mass killings last month, reports The National.

Libe Koi of Pujaro village in Tagali surrendered himself and apologised to the people who have been affected by the tribal fighting in the Highlands region.

Last month at least 20 people, including two pregnant woman, were killed in two seperate inter-tribal attacks.

READ MORE: Bryan Kramer: PNG ‘merciless’ payback killings have changed everything

Koi also urged two other warlords still in hiding to come out before he exposed them.

“I appeal to two other warlords in the recent massacre to surrender themselves and weapons because I will disclose their hideouts (if they fail to surrender),” he said

“If I can surrender myself, why don’t you two also come out for us to find an amicable solution to restore peace and harmony in Hela?”

He described his part in the fighting as retaliatory between himself and another warlord known as Okiru over the past six years, and his actions were in defence of his family.

However, during a televised news conference, EMTV reported him saying that after two decades he was tired of the conflict and wanted an end to it.

While he didn’t claim responsibility for last month’s massacre, his translator, Hela Province deputy provincial administrator Eddie Yuwi said that he knew the two warlords involved and was handing himself in as an example.

WATCH: Libe Koi urges other warlords to hand themselves in

He also threatened to reveal the location of the warlord’s arms and ammunition depots, reported the PNG Post-Courier.

Hela police commander chief inspector Teddy Agwi has called on the other fighters to surrender to police, saying that the prolonged fighting had shut down schools, hospitals and disrupted the normal way of life in the region.

The developments in Hela have come in the wake of announcements from both the PNG government, police force and the UN that they will increase presence in the Highlands and take an active role in addressing tribal conflict.

The United Nations in Papua New Guinea is boosting its presence in the Highlands as it works with the government to improve access to justice for tribal communities.

The acting resident coordinator said the massacre of 24 women and children near Tari last week had focussed the need for more conflict resolution.

David McLoughlin, who is also the head of Unicef, said since last year’s earthquake and resurgence of polio in the country, the UN had increased its work and presence there.

READ MORE: Women who died in PNG’s Karida massacre were community ‘anchors’

He said it will establish a base in Mendi under the International Organisation for Migration.

“It’s going to be basing on a strong peace building, conflict resolution, enhancing the community’s access to justice. And strengthening the informal and formal justice institutions.

“And working with the community leaderships around conflict management skills and conflict mediation, for the longer term. But in the meantime the government needs to take a very strong hand but a very respectful  with regards to human rights hand, in dealing with this matter.”

McLoughlin was pinning a lot of hope on the country’s new leadership to appoint more judges and police to ensure justice and human rights for PNG’s people.

He said the UN will be bringing in a lot of capacity development around mediation.

McLoughlin said the agency had missions in the Highlands where it was able to help two warring tribes negotiate a successful conflict resolution agreement, so he was hopeful of progress.

He said humanitarian agencies, the government, the extractive industries and churches all had a responsible role to play in Papua New Guinea’s development.

• This article is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s content partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Three Papua New Guinean provincial governors and two other MPs have resigned from Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s People’s National Congress Party in what appears to be a significant power shift.

Enga’s Sir Peter Ipatas, Southern Highlands Governor William Powi and Hela’s Phillip Undialu resigned from the PNC. They were joined by the Member for Komo-Magarima, Manasseh Makiba, and Member for Esala, Steven Davis

The move is a major development in the PNC. Sir Peter, Undialu and Powi have been the PNC’s strongest allies and key links between the party and other Highlands MPs.

READ MORE: Life after #Marape – PNG’s ‘glass men’ still trying to work out what’s next

The three governors made the announcement at a news conference in Port Moresby today. They were accompanied by Jiwaka Governor, Dr William Tongamp.

In announcing his resignation, the Enga Governor Sir Peter said his move follows close consultation with his people. He thanked the Prime Minister for the opportunity to serve in the PNC government.

Hela Governor Phillip Undialu was less diplomatic.

In a statement, he outlined his reasons for exiting the party which included the  loss of confidence in the Prime Minister’s leadership, the delay in distributing earthquake disaster funds and a general dissatisfaction among other MPs.

The resignation follows the exit of high ranking ministers, long-standing Finance Minister James Marape and Davis.

In a Facebook posting, opposition Member for Madang Bryan Kramer warned more government members were likely to resign.

As the calm breaks and the storm sets in, it is surely the beginning of the end of Peter O’Neill’s reign,” he said.

“Loyalty to God and country and not a corrupt Prime Minister.”

O’Neill is visiting China this week as part of the Belt and Road initiative.

Jack Lapauve is an EMTV News reporter. This story is published under the Pacific Media Centre’s partnership with EMTV.

https://www.facebook.com/looppng/videos/798610997172406/

Loop PNG video of the PNC breakaway MPs media conference today.

“We have no home, our village is devastated, therefore I have to move my people to another location.”

The words of the village leader from a remote earthquake-affected village in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands region had an unmistakable desperation.

LISTEN: More on Dateline Pacific (duration 6m40s)

Richard Don’s Yalanda village in Nipa-Kutubu district of Southern Highlands province was largely ruined in February’s magnitude 7.5 quake in the region.

We met him at the Moro airfield near Lake Kutubu. My colleague Koroi Hawkins and I had cadged a couple of seats on a helicopter used by the team leading PNG’s earthquake relief effort.

The chopper was flying around the quake-affected region, offering us startling views of collapsed mountainsides and deformed valleys. The quake and its significant aftershocks had caused many major landslides and landslips.

The slides and slips had taken out a number of villages, and destroyed countless structures. The disaster is estimated to have killed at least 180 people, although in a remote region like this, nobody can give an exact figure.

Badly isolated
When we picked him up at Moro, Richard Don told us that six people from his village had died in the disaster. The village, he explained, was now badly isolated as the main road and bridge which led to Yalanda’s general area had been cut off.

It wasn’t until we flew in with him to the remaining part of Yalanda village, perched as it is on the top of a small mountain, that the precariousness of this community’s position became clear.

The landslips which undermined the flanks of the village had taken huts, foot bridges and food gardens. Homes were collapsed or teetering on the hillside.

We walked up to the top, the village square, where dozens of villagers assembled, carrying axes and small children. Richard Don introduced us to them and they greeted us warmly. Little pigs and dogs wandered by. The kids who milled around had an almost forlorn look about them.

Don said Yalanda’s villagers, of whom there were 1300 in total, feared another big quake and sought to relocate to another location “where it’s more flatter, more good place, for them to resettle themselves”.

“But there are a lot of things to be done, like a road. We require a road network to be completed. I have already given the request to the prime minister.”

PNG’s Prime Minister Peter O’Neill visited Yalanda shortly after the initial quake and was aware of the village’s situation.

Basic supplies
The company Oil Search, a well established player in the local oil and gas sector, had given assistance with basic supplies and logistical support.

Don also mentioned that Yalanda had received help from the World Food Programme, the Red Cross and governments of Australia and New Zealand.

The team led by PNG’s Emergency Controller, Dr Bill Hamblin, has been helping co-ordinate relief in the region and had distributed many re-starter kits to affected communities to help them move gradually into recovery phase. However, villages like Yalanda were not easy to get to.

The village leader indicated the Yalanda community was aware that its request for infrastructure assistance, and help in relocating, would take time to process.

They had already begun clearing trees and establishing food gardens at a new village base at nearby Endela. A few people had already set up temporary, crude huts to live in at this base.

Other villagers had gone to stay at a care centre several kilometres away in Baguale. But around 800 remain in and around this desolate mountain village.

I spoke to a local pastor who conveyed in Tok Pisin (PNG language, or at least his community’s variation of it) how the Yalanda people had lived on this beautiful mountain for centuries, and that moving away would cause great sadness.

Village ‘bagarup’
But a young woman called Ruth Jeff told us in no uncertain terms how relocation was inevitable, because everything about the village was now broken, or in Tok Pisin “bagarup”.

“Bridge bagarap, road bagarap, house bagarap, haus-sik (medical hut) bagarap, garden bagarap. Children feel sick, feel worried, shocked,” she said, indicating the villagers had much work to do to re-establish their homes.

Richard Don presented us with a ten-page report detailing Yalanda’s situation, their relocation plans, request for help and description of assistance required, including items such as water tanks, tarpaulins and ‘spiritual development’.

The villagers we met were effusive in their gratitude for the help they’d received so far. A United Nations consultant who had flown with us in the helicopter was thrilled to find a wrapper for a World Food Programme muesli bar to take back with him as evidence that their assistance had, in this case, reached its target.

Yet the Yalanda community was struggling with food and medical shortages. They were also in desperate need of water tanks and tarpaulins among other relief items.

“My village, my people, I’m very worried, we need to have that road,” Richard Don noted.

“We’ve run out of food. We made a garden, but that can’t be harvest within a month or two. So at the moment we’re very hungry now, and most of the people are really suffering.”

Pilot anxious
The time to leave rolled around quickly. The pilot was looking anxious for us to leave, as we needed to fly back to Mt Hagen before the weather packed in.

As we got in the chopper, dozens of villagers sat on the hilltop, smiling and waving at us. The visit had served as little more than a quick situation update for the relief team representative. Still, the locals seemed grateful for the opportunity to get word out about their plight.

They kept waving as we ascended. The chopper whipped up dirt and debris, trees thrashed around dramatically, and a pig ran away frantically across the village square.
The earthquake disaster has left many Highlanders facing an uncertain future.

I could still see the villagers waving as we flew off and away, until they faded like dots into the brown and green of the mountain.

Johnny Blades and Koroi Hawkins of RNZ Pacific recently travelled to Papua New Guinea for a series of special reports. This article is republished under the Pacific Media Centre’s publishing partnership with Radio New Zealand.

Two Papua New Guinean police vehicles travelling from Hagen to Hela in the Highlands after servicing were fired on today in a Highlands attack, with one vehicle being seized and two policemen taken captive, report local media.

The Tari-based MS9 vehicles were shot at this morning at Tindom Hill, Semin village, reports the EMTV News Facebook page.

Loop PNG also reports the attack, saying it was carried out by “disgruntled Nipa locals”.

READ MORE: Mendi in chaos after renewed political violence erupts

But the news website also quoted regional police chief Gideon Kauke as saying the policemen were “rescued by another unit” while their weapons and vehicles had been removed.

Kauke said the police were “regrouping” and deciding on the next course of action.

EMTV News said the first vehicle, driven by the MS9 commander, escaped with a flat tyre. The second vehicle was driven by two other police officers and three assault rifles had been seized.

Hela police chief Martin Lakari had appealed to Southern Highlands people to release the officers and the state vehicles.

Deputy Police Commissioner Operations Jim Andrews confirmed police were holding talks with locals to negotiate the return of vehicles and weapons.

Loop PNG reported the tribesmen were upset over Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s government decision on Friday to suspend the Southern Highlands provincial government following rioting in Mendi on Thursday.

Asia Pacific Report republishes EMTV News content with permission.

• More Mendi riot stories

Pacific Media Centre Newsdesk

Australian medical doctors will be at earthquake-affected areas soon to give medical aid and complement the local medical efforts to people who need medical help, the Post-Courier reports.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill made the announcement yesterday, saying that paperwork was underway currently to fly them in.

Health Minister Sir Puka Temu said the government had asked Canberra for its doctors who were well organised in emergency situations.

“As soon as a clearance from the Medical Board is finalised, these doctors will be brought into the country,” he added.

Parliament is expected to sit this month to pass emergency legislation that allows for the establishment of a restoration authority for the earthquake affected areas, reports EMTV News.

The restoration authority will also govern the spending of funds allocated for the immediate and long-term rebuilding of the Hela, Southern Highlands and Western provinces.

The government may also consider a short-term budget strategy to deal with revenue shortfalls caused by the quake.

According to a United Nations report published on Reliefweb, 544,000 people have been affected in the PNG earthquake and 270,000 are still in need of immediate humanitarian assistance.

There is an urgent need for medicine, shelter, food and water. People are terrified, sleeping in the open.

Also, 26,000 people have been displaced in Western Province.

• More PNG earthquake stories

Papua New Guinea’s Highlands earthquake disaster has brought to light some of the many things that need to be considered in assisting those affected by disaster and restoring vital infrastructures and communication links between relief agencies and the people.

The response to the 7.5 magnitude earthquake on February 26 took almost a week for the National Disaster Centre to find out statistics of people who were affected, casualties, homes and food gardens destroyed and how to deliver relief supplies to those affected.

While a small team of medical officers in Hela and Southern Highlands provinces have been hard at work trying to reach and assist the affected communities, more deaths and injuries were reported from areas unreachable by road and telecommunications.

READ MORE: PNG quake – an invisible disaster which could change life forever

These are some of the impediments to getting accurate statistic:

• Most communities do not have schools, clinics and ward offices that will keep the records of people in their wards or communities.
• No road links to almost all the areas affected. The rugged terrain also makes it difficult for roads to be constructed and maintained.
• No telecommunication reception, or television and radio signals by which the people can be advised and educated on the disasters and how to avoid destruction.

At Timu village in Komo-Magarima, Hela province, 11 people were were killed by landslips caused by the earthquake.

Four out of the 11 bodies were recovered while the other seven bodies are still buried under the debris.

Timu village is just a few tens of kilometres away from the provincial capital Tari but it is way back in terms of basic services available for the people.

No benefits from gas pipeline
The people knew that there is a gas pipeline running through their neighbouring villages from Hides to the Papuan coastline but they have not seen the benefits from the gas and petroleum extraction in the province.

Teams of researchers and volunteers from relief agencies were tasked to collect data, informations and statistics of people who have been affected, but they can only be flown by helicopter into the affected areas.

There are no medivac helicopters to transport relief supplies and doctors into the affected communities.

The PNG Defence Force, Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF) and Adventist Aviation Services were kind enough to do trips into these remote communities.

The cost of hiring a helicopter in PNG is quite expensive. Helicopter companies are charging around K5000 (about NZ2200) an hour. With most communities being isolated in the remote areas, it is costly and ineffective to attend to more than five villages in a day.

The Australian Defence Force Hercules aircraft transporting relief supplies from Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen has been landing at Moro airport, then smaller aircraft bring the supplies back to Tari and offload onto helicopters to distribute.

Disaster response in PNG has been very slow and hasn’t improved from previous experiences.

Volcano displaced islanders
In February 2018, I was in Wewak when a volcanic island began releasing smoke after being dormant for more than two centuries. The Kadovar Island volcano has displaced more than 600 islanders who are now seeking refuge at a temporary care centre supported by aid agencies.

Again the experiences from the Manam volcano in Madang hasn’t helped the authorities to sort out a permanent resettlement area for the displaced islanders. Slow response from the National Disaster Centre has caused greater loss for the people in the last three years.

They’ve lost their culture and they have lost their way of life on Manam island while living at the care centre at Bogia.

The National Disaster team should be the first people on ground after the disaster strikes.

They must be the first to make contact with the affected people, not turning up a week later only to find out that people died while waiting to receive treatment.

I hope the present disaster will provide an insight into issues that need to be addressed by the Papua New Guinea government to ensure the National Disaster Centre is adequately and constantly funded to serve its purpose.

Sylvester Gawi is a National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) journalist who blogs independently at Graun Blong Mi – My Land.

• More PNG earthquake stories

By Gorethy Kenneth in Port Moresby

The Papua New Guinea government has declared an immediate state-of-emergency for the earthquake-devastated provinces of Hela, Southern Highlands, Western and Enga provinces.

Cabinet met yesterday and also set aside K450 million for relief and service restoration operations.

Prime Minister O’Neill also announced yesterday that cabinet had approved the establishment of a restoration authority that would manage long-term reconstruction efforts during a four-year period to fully restore normalcy.

O’Neill said that an emergency session of Parliament would be called soon to approve the legislation setting up the restoration authority.

He said K100 million would be released immediately and the remaining K300 million spread over a long term arrangement.

A committee assisted by the Works Department under an emergency disaster restoration team, led by Dr William Hamlin, as the emergency controller would be announced today.

Dr Hamlin and team would manage and co-ordinate all restoration activities working with provincial authorities.

Unprecedented disaster
O’Neill said that this was an unprecedented disaster in the Highlands region with an appropriate response underway by the National Government.

He said while all these decisions were being made, relief efforts were already underway, and further assessments provided to focus operations to areas in need.

“A state-of-emergency has been declared to expedite the restoration of essential public services including healthcare services, schools, road access, airports, power and communications facilities,” O’Neill said.

“An emergency session of Parliament will be convened for the presentation of legislation that will establish the restoration authority, with the date of the session to be announced by the Speaker of Parliament.

“Members of the PNG Defence Force and disaster officers were dispatched to the affected areas immediately following the earthquake, and are working with provincial authorities, particularly with the governors of Hela and Southern Highlands provinces.

“Essential government departments are already delivering relief, and we are further working with partners in the international community to utilise specialist relief capabilities to reach our people and communities affected by the earthquake.”

Gorethy Kenneth is a senior PNG Post-Courier journalist.

• More PNG earthquake stories

Polling in Enga has been deferred until tomorrow as more disruptions have hit the Papua New Guinea general election.

The polling was due to go ahead yesterday but grievances being raised by the majority of open and regional candidates in Enga and electoral roll problems have sparked a delay.

Pre-counting in Enga has been disrupted in the provincial capital of Wabag following unfavorable responses to demands presented to the Election Manager Anton Yamau in a petition signed by majority of candidates — all except those loyal to the People’s National Congress (PNC) government led by Prime Minister Peter O’Neill.

The mock counting should have commenced on Friday in Wabag. However, a protest march — led by the Opposition Leader and incumbent Kandep MP Don Pomb Polye — and demands by the opposition candidates forced a delay.

Opposition MPs said manager “must not hold Enga people in ransom” as he was running the people’s election in a bid to elect “good leaders”.

Loop PNG reports that Electoral Commissioner Patilias Gamato said Western Highlands faced the same electoral roll issues and would also vote tomorrow.

Voters in Jiwaka continued poilling yesterday and the Southern Highlands also completed voting.

Simbu voters started polling late — at 2pm — yesterday due to a shortage of seals and packing materials.

• ‘Peaceful’ Enga ready to vote
• More PNG election stories

By Vasinatta Yama of EMTV News reporting from Wabag

Enga provincial election manager Anton Iamau says Enga is ready for polling on Tuesday in the Papua New Guinea general election.

He said this in spite of a few confrontations between the supporters of candidates and returning officers of a few electorates.

Enga provincial police commander Chief Superintendent George Kakas said the joint security forces were expecting a peaceful election for Enga.

Election manager Iamau said electoral officials could not bow down and listen to candidates and their supporters to defer polling next Tuesday.

“We are an independent body,” said Iamau.

Iamau said he was being confronted with supporters of some candidates from the Kombiam-Ambum electorate.

The candidates and their supporters had petitioned the PNG Electoral Commission in Wabag to change all the presiding officials, the returning officer and his assistant.

‘Biased appointments’
They claimed that the appointment of the officials was biased and was in favour of a particular candidate in the electorate.

Provincial police commander Kakas said the police and the joint security forces were managing every situation proactively and on a daily basis.

Kakas was expecting a peaceful election.

“Enga province has been passive as one of the hotspot areas in the country, in terms of tribal fighting during the election,” Kakas said.

“However, I would like to let the public know that people in Enga have changed and we will have a peaceful and successful election.”

Vasinatta Yama graduated from Divine Word University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Arts, with majors in journalism and public relations and minors in international relations and diplomatic studies.

• More PNG election stories

A three-member polling team has told of how they had to walk for hours carrying two ballot boxes, crossing 11 rivers and sleeping at a village to accomplish their task in Papua New Guinea’s general election.

Polling Team 52 was led by presiding officer Eric Inamuga and included polling official Joe Bais and police officer Fred Rimbao.

They were in charge of the 572 marked ballot papers for the Goroka Open electorate in the Highlands.

They were sent to remote Wessan in the Goroka electorate on the border of Eastern Highlands and Madang.

Inamuga said they travelled on Monday by helicopter to Wessan but could not land because the pilot was unable to identify the site.

“We returned to Goroka and made the second trip to Wessan the next day. We were dropped off at the Simili polling station to conduct polling there,” Inamuga told The National daily newspaper.

“We finished around 3 pm and waited for pick-up. The helicopter did not return so we spent the night with the locals at Wessan.”

They waited for pick-up until 1.30pm on Wednesday and decided to walk to Madang to catch transport to Goroka.

“We crossed 11 fast-flowing rivers, including the Ramu River. The water came up to our chest and neck.

“We braved through and managed to get to Kesevai along the Madang Highway about 6.30pm. A police team and an official election vehicle picked us up at 7pm on Wednesday.”

Police officer Rimbao said they had to spend around K120 (about $52) for accommodation, meals and other incidentals to do their election job.

Loop PNG reports today nearly three-quarters of Papua New Guineans have started voted, according to the PNG Electoral Commission. The rest will vote within the 14-day ballot period.

Port Moresby voters in the National Capital District (NCD) began their one-day polling today after the postponement from Tuesday.

• More PNG election stories

Pacific Media Centre News Desk

Papua New Guinea’s police have opened the first national communications centre for the 2017 General Elections and it is now in operation.

The centre was launched after the opening of the Highlands security elections operations in Mt Hagen on Friday, Loop PNG’s Annette Kora reports.

A demonstration of direct communication between the communications centre in Port Moresby and the Chief Secretary, Isaac Lupari, and Police Commissioner Gari Baki — both present at the Mt Hagen launch — was a feature of the event.

Lupari announced over the police radio network that as well as the launching of the Highlands region security operations, operations were under way for the entire country.

Commissioner Baki said the police hierarchy was confident that the launching of the communications command centre would have police connect to the rest of the country.

This would boost the successful progress of this year’s election.

The communications centre is in the Konedobu police headquarters.

Joint security forces parade
Vasinatta Yama of EMTV News reports that the Highlands joint security forces parade was the largest in the country.

Police Commissioner Baki hosted the parade and Chief Secretary Lupari was the reviewing officer.

Heads of the three disciplinary forces were joined by other heads of department, election managers of the seven Highlands regions and also provincial police commanders.

Baki told the parade forces to take pride in their uniforms and ensure the 2017 National Election did not fail.

Brigadier-General Gilbert Toropo told EMTV News that the PNG Defence Force had committed 500 personnel to support the Electoral Commission.

Torop said thorough preparation, training and planning has already been done by PNGDF and deployments of soldiers had already started this week to the Highlands, Yama reported.

The soldiers will provide transportation, including aircraft and ships for air and sea patrols.

Before and after the counting, the PNGDF will transport the ballot boxes to and from the polling and counting areas.

Correctional Services Commissioner Michael Waipo said that the main focus would be on the prisoners, but they would assist the mobile squad with manpower.

At least 500 CS staff would be deployed to help provide security.

Prisoners eligible for voting were those of voting age and who had been living in prison for more than nine months.

By Annette Kora in Mount Hagen

Papua New Guinea’s Highlands region election operation is set to be launched today in Mount Hagen, Western Highlands Province.

Police Commissioner Gari Baki is currently in the province to observe preparations of each of the Highlands provinces leading into the launch.

More than 300 officers from the Highlands region are expected to attend the election security launch. This includes all provincial police commanders of the region and their police station commanders.

Baki said a lot of manpower would be based in the Highlands region considering that the region posed a lot more challenges than other main centres in the country.

He said directives had been followed so far with strict guidelines in place to make sure the 2017 election runs smoothly, safely and fairly.

It is anticipated that the launch of the security operations is expected to bring in a lot of local attention and the commissioner is urging the general public of Western Highlands to respect and understand the due process of the election

“We need the general public to work together with police so we produce a safe, free and fair election in the Highlands region and the same goes for the rest of Papua New Guinea,” Baki said.

The two-week Papua New Guinea general election is between June 24 and July 8.

By Vasinatta Yama in Port Moresby

Two secondary school students in Papua New Guinea’s Highlands city of Mt Hagen were arrested after a riot following the police shooting incident in Port Moresby this week.

The grade 10 students Hagen Park Secondary School were accused of starting the trail of damage and the events that escalated.

Principal Tony Buldung told EMTV News that the public was blaming his students for all the damage caused in the city.

But Buldung said opportunists had been responsible.

Western Highlands Provincial Police Commander Chief Superintendent Martin Lakari also confirmed the incident and the arrest, but said MT Hagen had returned to normalcy.

Buldung said that on Wednesday students were sent home at around 2pm.

Frustrated public
He said at that time the public was already frustrated at pictures they saw on social media about the confrontation between the police and University of PNG students in Port Moresby, and were looking for ways to release their frustrations.

When the public saw Hagen Park students going out of the school gate, Buldung said they joined the students by throwing stones, targeting government offices. These included the police station, court house, and other government buildings.

Buldung also said that some property owners confronted him, intending to disturb the Grade 10 National Written Expression Exam, but he managed to send them away.

The Western Highlands Provincial Education board suspended classes for Thursday and Friday, and students will return to classes on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the Mt Hagen National Court has been suspended for an indefinite time, since yesterday, after it was badly damaged.

The Mt Hagen PPC, Martin Lakari, confirmed that Hagen was back to normal and there is a strong police presence in the city.

Vasinatta Yama is an EMTV News reporter.

Other reports on the PNG unrest