Australia and Oceania countries

State of emergency declared in Papua New Guinea due to large-scale riots in capital

11 January 2024 18:56 (UTC +04:00)

Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea James Marape has declared a state of emergency in the country amid large-scale riots in the capital of Port Moresby, APA reports citing Australia’s ABC TV.

The head of the New Guinean government said that the state of emergency "would last for 14 days, with 1,000 defense personnel on standby to react to any escalation in violence."

Marape urged citizens to remain calm and "prioritize peace and normalcy." "The absence of police presence led to riots and looting in certain parts of our city [Port Moresby]," and "the events in the capital appeared to have a ripple effect on other parts of the country," he pointed out. The prime minister emphasized that people must realize that this is their country and they have a responsibility to maintain order in it.

The prime minister also said that Papua New Guinea's cabinet had decided to mobilize members of the Australasian country’s national army to help maintain order in the cities and rebuild infrastructure after the riots. At least 180 additional police officers and military patrols are expected to be deployed on the streets of the capital as part of the decision. "Your government will look into some relief measures to help business after the losses they suffered," he said.