Noel Anjo

In a media conference this afternoon in Port Moresby, Pangu Parliamentary Leader, Sam Basil, made the announcement.

Basil said he has admired Anjo as a activist by keeping the Government in check and believes that if  Anjo becomes a member of Parliament he will provide the leadership that will look after the interest of the people.

The Deputy Opposition Leader said some of the reasons for Anjo’s endorsement was:

Anjo, who is leader of NGO group People’s Power Movement, said however, O’Neill’s victory was a political one.

He said as far as the NGOs, civil society groups and other likeminded groups were concerned: “The fight is not over,” Anjo told Loop PNG.

“Our call is for him to step down from the post of Prime Minister,” the activist stated.

“That demand still stands for him to step down or hand himself in to police for questioning.”

Anjo, who is leader of NGO group People’s Power Movement said however that his victory on Friday July 22 in Parliament was a political victory.

He said as far as the  NGO’s, civil society groups and other likeminded groups were concerned, “the fight is not over,” Anjo told Loop PNG.

“Our call is for him to step down from the post of Prime Minister.”

“That demand still stands  for him to step down or hand himself in to police for questioning,” Anjo said.

The protest was called off by police on account of it being unlawful and no proper permit from the good order committee to stage it.

According to one of the activists, Bryan Kramer, there was heavy police presence as the crowd began to build up.

The police then issued an order for them to disperse within 30 minutes while the organisers of the event, the PNG Anti-corruption Movement chairman Lucas Kiap and Noel Anjo, were called to meet with Police Commissioner Gari Baki at the police headquarters.

Commander Kalaut said the court order relates to a previous assembly and does not apply to any new marches that will be instituted.

Kalaut was answering queries about the proposed court order in place where Anjo obtained from the National Court.

The order from Justice David Cannings will not cover his current police command.

Anjo has been stating online that the court order prevents members or any member of the police force from interfering, harassing or intimidating members or any member of the public from conducting a peaceful protest.

Anjo tells PNG Loop that he filed the notice of motion papers yesterday (March 21) with a court date set for April  29.

A statement of charge directed at NCD Metropolitan Police Commander Ben Turi has also been given to him.

The statement of charge read that Turi would be charged with contempt of court charges in line with the October 1, 2014 court order stopping police from interfering with protests carried out by Anjo.

Anjo further alleges that the peaceful gathering turned  confrontational with police was in line with the October court order.

Turi says that the fight began when a young boy called one of the police who was trying to remove the banners on the main stage truck “Five kina police”.

He says that this is an insult and goes to show an apparent lack of command and control from the protestors to at least respect police who up until then allowed them to gather peacefully.

This incident, Turi says, incited the fights to start and is a clear indication ofa  lack of crowd control and command by the NGO groups.