Officers are believed to be angry over unpaid allowances from the Apec conference over the weekend

This article is more than 9 months old

This article is more than 9 months old

Papua New Guinea’s national parliament was in lockdown on Tuesday after hundreds of soldiers and police officers attacked the building, smashing vehicles and entryways.

The officers are believed to have attacked the parliament in protest against unpaid allowances from the Apec conference at the weekend, before blocking surrounding streets.

The parliamentarian Allan Bird told Guardian Australia that he and other opposition MPs had been in a locked conference room when they heard the group.

Despite Apec drama, China is winning the fight for the Pacific, step by patient step Read more

“We heard them coming in, you could hear them smashing things – the glass entryways, a few vehicles on the way in,” he said.

“I understand some of the parliament security guards were assaulted, a few ministers may have also been assaulted. I think the [group] were mostly targeting ministers, but anyone who got in their way was roughed up.”

A police spokesman told Guardian Australia he didn’t have any further information beyond the fact that some “disgruntled” police officers and soldiers had attacked the building.

Bird said he didn’t feel in danger as the opposition were not the target of the “unhappy” soldiers and officers. “I know we haven’t done anything wrong as an opposition … but I’d be scared if I was a member of government, to be honest,” he said.

“I think it’s a lot of longstanding issues, but the trigger was the nonpayment of allowances from Apec. That was the spark that set them off.”

The crowd of an estimated 300 people later dispersed, after meeting with ministers and reportedly receiving assurances they would be paid on Wednesday.

Chris Hawkins, the chief executive of Apec and a senior adviser to the prime minister, said payments had already started. “The payment of allowances for police, CS and defence normally take a week to process at the end of the end of a major event,” he told the ABC.

“The meeting ended two days ago and the security operation is now winding down.

But by Tuesday evening there were widespread reports of looting in different areas of Port Moresby.

'Can they really pull it off?': the Apec summit comes to Papua New Guinea Read more

The opposition MP Bryan Kramer said police had been on site shortly after the attack. “Members of the armed forces including CIS [Corrective Institutions Service] and police stormed parliament over grievances over their allowances,” he said on social media.

Kramer said he and colleagues had been told that the police commissioner, Gary Baki, the police minister and members of police had met on Tuesday morning to discuss the allowances issue. After the meeting members of the police force travelled to parliament and stormed the building, he said. “Numerous staff of parliament were assaulted as part of this confrontation.”

He said the group was outside the parliament waiting to be addressed by the government.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The Papua New Guinea parliament building in central Port Moresby. Photograph: David Gray/Reuters

Media were escorted into the building on Tuesday afternoon to wait for the prime minister, Peter O’Neill, Baki, and the Apec minister, Justin Tkatchenko, who were holding an emergency meeting.

The Police Association appeared to support the rogue officers and said it was a “slap in the face” that officers had not been paid for helping the government host thousands of dignitaries and delegates. “It is an absolute disgrace that these efforts are not adequately recognised.”

It called for immediate payment, warning that delays would escalate the situation. Funds had been budgeted within Apec costs and there was no excuse for nonpayment, it said.

Apec wrapped up at the weekend without a joint communique from attending leaders – for the first time in the conference’s history – and after extraordinary confrontations between Chinese and PNG officials.

In the lead-up, PNG citizens staged two nationwide strikes in protest at the government’s spending on the conference, including exorbitant infrastructure projects and the purchase of a fleet of Maseratis and several Bentleys. Tkatchenko claimed the luxury cars were to be used driving dignitaries around, and that all would then be purchased by the “private sector”, resulting in no cost to the government.

The government has also been widely criticised by its people for cutting the salaries of teachers and other public servants, and presiding over a health crisis and medication shortage. It has also struggled to pay electricity bills for government departments in the past.</s>PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Disgruntled police, military and prison guards stormed Papua New Guinea’s Parliament on Tuesday in a violent pay dispute stemming from an international summit hosted by the impoverished South…

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Disgruntled police, military and prison guards stormed Papua New Guinea’s Parliament on Tuesday in a violent pay dispute stemming from an international summit hosted by the impoverished South Pacific island nation over the weekend, a lawmaker said.

Images posted by opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer on social media showed broken windows, smashed furniture, pictures torn from walls and plants tipped over.

Parliament’s security check point including a metal detector was trashed and doors were destroyed along with their fingerprint-reading locking systems, Kramer said.

He said the protesters had not been paid their promised allowances for their security work at the Pacific Rim leaders’ summit held in Port Moresby, a city described by the World Bank as among the world’s most violent due to high unemployment and brazen criminal gangs known as “raskols.”

The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting was attended by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and others.

When the protesters tried to enter Parliament, “there was a confrontation between Parliament security and members of the security forces,” Kramer said. “It erupted into a scuffle, several staff were assaulted as they made their way into Parliament.”

Kramer said he did not see anyone use a weapon in the conflict and he was not aware of any serious injuries, although there were spots of blood throughout the building.

Kramer and his opposition colleagues remained in a meeting room within the Parliament building throughout the 30-minute attack.

Following the rampage, more than 100 police, military personnel and prison guards waited outside Parliament demanding to be addressed by the government about their allowances, Kramer said. But they eventually left the area.

Working police later provided security for parliamentary staff in the building and patrolled surrounding streets.

The violence at Parliament coincided with reports of looting of surrounding businesses, as criminals apparently took advantage of the breakdown in law and order.

Neither Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s office nor police chief Superintendent Dominic Kakas immediately responded to requests for comment.

Acting Correctional Services Commissioner Stephen Pokanis confirmed to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. that the protesters went to Parliament to demand the immediate payment of APEC allowances.

Papua New Guinea APEC Coordination Authority chief executive Chris Hawkins said allowance payments to security personnel after a major event would normally take a week.

“The meeting ended two days ago and the security operation is now winding down,” Hawkins said in a statement. “The payment of individual allowances has already commenced and individual security force members should check with their banks as payments are made.”

Papua New Guinea is a largely undeveloped Pacific nation of more than 8 million mostly subsistence farmers with widespread poverty, corruption and lawlessness.

The annual APEC summit brought together representatives of 21 nations that account for 60 percent of the world economy.

What’s been called Papua New Guinea’s global coming-out party has caused both pride and discord and underlined the yawning gulf between a small well-educated minority and the poor, who include the 85 percent of people living in the highlands and other remote areas.

Ahead of the APEC summit, the government was criticized for acquiring a fleet of 40 expensive Maserati cars to ferry the world leaders to meeting sites, but it assured citizens that the vehicles would be sold afterward.

A VIP terminal costing about $19 million was added to the city’s airport. Construction of an iconic building called “APEC Haus” for the summit was paid for by oil and gas company Oil Search, which operates all of Papua New Guinea’s oil fields, in exchange for tax credits.

“I think the money should have been used to fix our backyard instead of decorating the front porch. We have health, education and infrastructure deficiencies that need to be addressed,” activist and writer Martyn Namorong said before the summit.

Copyright © 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.</s>Police vehicles are pictured at the front entrance of Papua New Guinea's parliament in Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea police and soldiers stormed the country's parliament Tuesday, assaulting staff, smashing windows and demanding unpaid APEC bonuses just days after the international summit wrapped up, police and witnesses said.

The impoverished Pacific nation had rolled out the red carpet for visiting world leaders during the two-day conference and bought 40 Maseratis to ferry the dignitaries around.

The officers headed to parliament in the capital Port Moresby to express their dissatisfaction following a meeting with the police commissioner and the police minister over the allowances, PNG MP Bryan Kramer said in a video posted on Facebook.

Kramer said "numerous staff of parliament were assaulted during this confrontation" before the group left the building and gathered outside demanding an answer from the government.

A Facebook video he posted of the scene showed smashed pot plants, photo frames knocked to the floor and broken glass and furniture.

PNG police spokesman Dominic Kakas confirmed the incident and told AFP they were "dealing with it". He did not yet know how many police and soldiers were involved.

A witness outside parliament told AFP "hundreds of police and troops" had been standing on the building's front steps complaining that they had not been paid the special APEC duty allowance of 350 kina (US$104).

"The scene outside parliament is very tense. There are dozens of police cars and army vehicles," the witness said, adding that a nearby hotel was in lockdown and the protesters were blocking traffic. The group later marched down the street towards a nearby stadium.

The chief executive of PNG's APEC Secretariat Chris Hawkins said the payment would "normally take a week to process at the end of a major event".

"The meeting ended two days ago and the security operation is now winding down," he added in a statement to Australian national broadcaster ABC.

"The payment of individual allowances has already commenced and individual security force members should check with their banks as payments are made."

Some locals in PNG, the poorest member of APEC, had expressed anger with the government's lavish expense for the summit, which came at a time when the developing nation of eight million people is battling a polio outbreak and the resurgence of malaria, while struggling to pay its teachers.</s>PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea police and soldiers stormed the country's parliament Tuesday (Nov 20), smashing windows and furniture and demanding unpaid APEC bonuses just days after the international summit wrapped up, police and witnesses said.

The impoverished Pacific nation had rolled out the red carpet for visiting world leaders during the two-day conference, and even bought 40 Maseratis to ferry the dignitaries around.

"A group of policemen and soldiers are outside the parliament and demanding their APEC allowances," PNG police spokesman Dominic Kakas said. He said that other police were "dealing with it".

No-one was known to be hurt, Kakas said, adding that he did not yet know how many police and soldiers were involved in the incident in the nation's capital Port Moresby.

A witness outside parliament said "hundreds of police and troops" were standing on the front steps of parliament protesting that they had not been paid a special APEC allowance of 350 kina (US$104).

"The scene outside parliament is very tense. There are dozens of police cars and army vehicles," the witness said, adding that a nearby hotel was in lockdown and the protesters were blocking traffic.

Footage posted by PNG MP Bryan Kramer on Facebook showed smashed pot plants, photo frames knocked to the floor and broken glass and furniture near the parliament's entrance.

Some locals in PNG, the poorest member of APEC, had expressed anger with the government's lavish expense for the summit, which came at a time when the developing nation of eight million people is battling a polio outbreak and the resurgence of malaria, while struggling to pay its teachers.</s>
• A group of disgruntled soldiers and police officers have attacked Papua New Guinea’s national Parliament, according to reports from The Guardian’s Australia edition.
• Parliament building in Port Moresby was in lockdown Tuesday afternoon.
• According to The Guardian, unpaid police and soldiers were “smashing vehicles and entryways,” on Tuesday afternoon (AEDT).

Angry local police and national soldiers have stormed PNG’s Parliament building, shattering windows and tearing up furniture, according to reports from The Guardian’s Australia edition.

According to a person familiar with the situation in Port Moresby, the group is made up largely of military police and the Papua New Guinea correctional services, or CIS.

The officers are demanding their unpaid bonuses, after working to keep the peace while the capital Port Moresby hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit – a first for the impoverished Pacific nation.

The rampage by disgruntled members of PNG’s Joint Security Forces Taskforces is only the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to unpaid officials, according to the Post Courier.

Security forces and line agencies were promised payment first thing Monday, but that did not eventuate, resulting in today’s rampage, the Post Courier added.

Police and witnesses told Agence France Presse, that the soldiers currently outside the Parliament building are on a rampage after failing to receive their expected bonuses hardly 48 hours after the international summit concluded without a joint communique for the first time in its 25 year history.

“A group of policemen and soldiers are outside the Parliament and demanding their APEC allowances,” PNG police spokesman Dominic Kakas told AFP.

Despite the New Guinean Parliament being in session as the building was attacked, no-one was known to be hurt, Kakas said.

Kakas told AFP that other police were “dealing with it.”

“We don’t expect any further damage or confrontation,” Mr. Momos said.

Opposition parliamentarian Allan Bird told the Guardian Australia that he and other opposition MPs were in a locked conference room when they heard the group.

“We heard them coming in, you could hear them smashing things – the glass entry ways, a few vehicles on the way in,” Bird said.

A police spokesman told Guardian Australia there was no further information beyond some “disgruntled” police officers and soldiers had attacked the building.

However, Bird told Reuters that the group was as strong as up to 100 security personnel. He said they forced their way into Parliament.

“It was the armed forces, police and correctional workers,” Bird told Reuters by telephone. “They have entered the Parliament and just smashed everything up.”

“They were yelling: ‘corrupt government, bloody government’ and so on,” Bird said.

The Post Courier has reported that “opportunists taking advantage of the tense situation (are) commencing looting and fighting.”

Police sources have said the National Capital District Police are trying to contain the situation. The Papua New Guinea Defence Force have also confirmed they are keeping watch on the situation.

In a press release before the attack on Tuesday afternoon (AEDT), the PNG Police Association said it was “very concerned” that the security personnel (Police, Defence and CIS) allowances for APEC had yet to be paid.

“What a gross irony! It is a slap in the face of all the security elements, they had worked diligently and tirelessly to provide effective and efficient security to the twenty one economies, their prime ministers and presidents, including business delegates comprising some ten thousand plus dignitaries. They have performed in par with other international security forces,” the statement read.

Harry Momos, a spokesman for PNG’s Parliament, told the New York Times, that about 300 people forced their way into the building, but calmed down after members were able to meet with officials.

Papua New Guinea, the poorest of all 21 APEC nations, invested millions of dollars over years of preparation into hosting the summit. They quite literally rolled out the red carpet for Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit and even purchased and flew in three Bentleys and some 40 Maseratis to drive dignitaries around Moresby’s disintegrating roads.</s>PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) - A lawmaker says disgruntled police and prison guards have stormed Papua New Guinea's Parliament in a pay dispute that stemmed from an international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation last weekend.

Images posted by opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer on social media on Tuesday showed broken windows, smashed furniture, pictures torn from corridor walls and plants tipped over.

Kramer said the protesters had not been paid allowances for their security work at a Pacific Rim leaders' summit in Port Moresby that was attended by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Chinese President Xi Jinping and others.

Following the rampage, about 100 police and guards waited outside Parliament to talk to the government about their allowances.

Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Security personnel on the back of a truck wait to be paid at Rita Flynn Netball Centre in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018.. Opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer said disgruntled police and prison guards stormed Papua New Guinea's Parliament in a pay dispute that stemmed from an international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation last weekend. (Jam Morales via AP)</s>Security personnel on the back of a truck wait to be paid at Rita Flynn Netball Centre in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018.. Opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer said disgruntled police and prison guards stormed Papua New Guinea’s Parliament in a pay dispute that stemmed from an international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation last weekend. (Jam Morales via AP) (Jam Morales)</s>PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (AP) — Disgruntled police and prison guards stormed Papua New Guinea's Parliament on Tuesday in a pay dispute that stemmed from an international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation over the weekend, a lawmaker said.

Images posted by opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer on social media showed broken windows, smashed furniture, framed pictures torn from corridor walls and plants tipped over.

Kramer said the protesters had not been paid allowances for their security work at a Pacific Rim leaders' summit held in Port Moresby. The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting was attended by U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and others.

Following the rampage, about 100 police and guards waited outside Parliament demanding to be addressed by the government about their allowances, Kramer said.

"The situation here is quite tense," Kramer said from Parliament on social media. "Numerous staff of parliament were assaulted during this confrontation."

Working police later provided security for parliamentary staff in the building and patrolled surrounding streets.

Neither Prime Minister Peter O'Neill's office nor Police Chief Superintendent Dominic Kakas immediately responded to requests for comment.

Kramer also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Papua New Guinea is a largely undeveloped Pacific nation of more than 8 million mostly subsistence farmers with widespread poverty, corruption and lawlessness.

The annual APEC summit brought together representatives of 21 nations that account for 60 percent of the world economy.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.</s>FILE - In this Nov. 14, 2018, file photo, a security official stands guard outside a perimeter fence for a secured area ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders' Week Summit in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. A lawmaker said on Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2018, disgruntled police and prison guards have stormed Papua New Guinea’s Parliament in a pay dispute that stemmed from the international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File) (AP)</s>PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — A lawmaker says disgruntled police and prison guards have stormed Papua New Guinea’s Parliament in a pay dispute that stemmed from an international summit hosted by the South Pacific island nation last weekend.

Images posted by opposition lawmaker Bryan Kramer on social media on Tuesday showed broken windows, smashed furniture, pictures torn from corridor walls and plants tipped over.

Kramer said the protesters had not been paid allowances for their security work at a Pacific Rim leaders’ summit in Port Moresby that was attended by U.S. Vice-President Mike Pence, Chinese President Xi Jinping and others.

Following the rampage, about 100 police and guards waited outside Parliament to talk to the government about their allowances.

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Disgruntled police officers and soldiers storm the National Parliament of Papua New Guinea due to unpaid allowances related to the APEC Papua New Guinea 2018 conference last weekend.