PACIFIC BRIEFS: POLICED ORDERED TO HAND IN THEIR GUNS

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Twenty police reservists in Papua New Guinea’s capital, Port Moresby, have been ordered to hand in their guns and vehicles.

The National Capital District Metropolitan Commander, Andy Bawa, says the reservist unit has been stood down until an investigation into an alleged police shooting in Hanuabada last week is completed. Two betel nut vendors were killed when police reservists allegedly opened fire on a crowd. However, PNG Loop reports the NCD government has expressed disappointment over the move, with Deputy City Manager Social Services Honk Kiap saying it’s unfair the unit has been penalised because not all his men were involved.

FORCE ‘BROKEN AND INCOMPETENT’

Papua New Guinea - A former Papua New Guinea military commander says the country’s police force is broken and incompetent and unable to carry out its constitutional duty. Major General Jerry Singirok says last week’s alleged shooting of two betel nut vendors in a Port Moresby suburb, as well as a number of other police killings since the start of the year shows the force lacks command and control. General Singirok, who chaired a review into the police in 2005, says none of that report’s 244 recommendations have been adopted by the government, which could have resolved a number of the force’s current issues. He says the police commissioner needs to clamp down on rogue officers.

REPORTS SAY HUNGER STRIKE ABANDONED

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – The hunger strike at the regional processing centre on Manus Island has ended, after a 13-day protest of Australia’s immigration policies keeping asylum seekers locked up. Ian Rintoul, of the Refugee Action Coalition, said the asylum seekers in Mike compound had started eating again after they called off the protest. This was in reaction to security guards entering a nearby compound and making arrests. Rintoul says Wilsons Security had flown reinforcements to Manus island on Sunday afternoon. They began raids on the Foxtrot compound, herding asylum seekers into the gymnasium area, Radio New Zealand International reported. Rintoul said the Australian and Papua New Guinea governments must address the fact that there are no arrangements for safe resettlement in Papua New Guinea.

O’Neill meets Abbott over asylum deal

PAPUA NEW GUINEA – Australia and Papua New Guinea Prime Ministers, Tony Abbott and Peter O’Neill, met in Canberra on Monday to discuss issues of mutual interests, including the Manus asylum issue. “We spoke about the continued issues on Manus Island,” PM O’Neill said. He said the PNG government and officials had exerted control over the protest at the processing centre and normalcy had returned as a result. O’Neill said processes are underway to enable refugees to move in to the transit centre for final documentation to be completed so they can be resettled in PNG. “This is a good initiative of both the Australian and the PNG governments, we can see a genuine desire for resettlement in PNG. Those deemed not to be a genuine refugees will be sent back to their respective countries,” O’Neill said.

SAMOA’S OPPOSITION LEADER ‘REMOVED’

SAMOA – Samoa’s Leader of the Opposition was removed from parliament yesterday, for ignoring warnings and interjecting in parliamentary speeches. Palusalue Fa’apo had apologised for his interjections, but then interrupted a government minister, Manu’alesgalala Enokati, who was offering a further apology for the Opposition Leader’s behaviour, as both MPs represent the same constituency of Safata. The Speaker, La’aulialemalietoa Polataivao, says he hasn’t ruled yet on how long the Opposition Leader might be suspended from the chamber, but Talamua News reports he could stand to lose access to his parliamentary vehicle, petrol allowance and his salary.