Looting

The National Capital District Metropolitan, Chief Superintendent Perou N’Dranou, said this after Facebook posts claimed that police personnel allowed and actually encouraged the public to loot properties following the November 20^th Parliament rampage over the late payment of their 2018 APEC security operations allowances.

N’Dranou said he wants the public to provide information so that he can deal with the matter.

Reports have come in from Erima, Tokarara, Hohola, Waigani and Gerehu of opportunists looting, or attempting to loot, Asian-owned shops.

Residents at Waigani have reported that police had to fire teargas to disperse a gathering crowd while gunshots were heard at Gordon’s and Gerehu.

Witnesses have also reported the stoning of vehicles from the Erima to Nine-Mile road.

At around 12pm today, members of the Joint Security Task Force convoyed to the Parliament to air their grievances over the non-payment of APEC allowance.

According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred around midday.

Reports from the ground state the issue stemmed from disgruntled locals from the Wakunai area of Central Bougainville, who were protesting the sale of merchandise with the iconic Upe, which originates from the area.

The Upe is worn by young men as they are initiated into adulthood, and is a respected and taboo symbol in the area.

Women are not allowed to wear the symbol.

Starvation is on the rise and villagers are forced to resort to whatever means possible, even if it means looting or breaking into privately run and owned properties to find food for their families.

Moro based police officer, Joseph Kumin says that about 40 to 50 men from Sisibia village held up 2 security guards at one of Oil Search’s camp and made away with food supplies stored in a container.

Kumin explained, most, if not all of the villages lost their homes, livestock and food gardens and are now faced with hunger.

This follows an estimated K1 million in damages at one of the province’s largest supermarkets.

The Bintangor Supermarket, which is owned by Simon Sia, who is also the election petitioner against the young leader, was ransacked last Thursday by looters and opportunists.

According to police, the young leader was involved.

It was reported that around 4pm, the Governor entered the supermarket on Thursday, heavily escorted by outside police officers.

He allegedly gave directives for shoppers to get a rice bag each, which added up to K5,000.

UPNG gives O’Neill 24-hour ultimatum

The University of Papua New Guinea students have given the Prime Minister 24-hours to respond favourably to their petition or there’ll be a mass withdrawal.

http://www.looppng.com/content/upng-gives-o%E2%80%99neill-24-hour-ultimatum

Hundreds gather at UPNG

Hundreds of people have gathered at the University of Papua New Guinea’s main Waigani campus.