Aussie police needed in PNG

PORT MORESBY – The prime minister of Papua New Guinea is calling for greater Australian law enforcement in the country following the alleged police shooting of two men in Port Moresby.

Tensions remained high in the capital after betel nut vendors Nicholas Rarua and Toka Gaudi were killed in Hanuabada village on Friday.

According to villagers, police fired indiscriminately into a crowd after a dispute between vendors and local council officers.

PNG prime minister Peter O’Neill called for a “thorough and independent” investigation.

O’Neill, who was in Canberra for a meeting with his Australian counterpart Tony Abbott this week, said he wanted Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers to be deployed as line officers in PNG’s constabulary.

“I’ve stressed to the Australian Government that we are willing to engage on the expansion of the AFP program,” O’Neill said.

“We will be looking at further development of the training at Bomana, and to get the AFP engaged as line officers in the PNG police.

“At the same time we want to increase the number of Papua New Guinea police officers coming to train in Australia.

“This could be on a twining arrangement that will enable our people to get exposure and further training in how to manage a more demanding police force that is required in our country.”

Papua New Guina imposed a total ban on the sale of betel nut in Port Moresby from January 1 this year to counter the negative impact of betel nut chewing and spitting in the city area.