The Papua New Guinea government has been working to restore order after at least 15 people were reportedly killed during rioting and looting that affected the country’s two biggest cities. The unrest began in Port Moresby, the capital, on Wednesday after hundreds of police officers, soldiers, prison staff, and public servants walked off their jobs in protest over a pay dispute. The government has attributed the pay cut to an administrative glitch. This led to similar riots in Lae, the country’s second-biggest city, where at least 15 people were reported to have died.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported that at least 15 people died in the riots in the two cities. In response, an additional 180 defense personnel flew into Port Moresby on Thursday. However, tensions in the country have continued to rise due to high unemployment and increased living costs.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape said that Port Moresby was “under stress and duress” but that the violence had eased. He also mentioned that shops and banking services were closed on Thursday as business owners repaired the damage caused by the unrest. Papua New Guinea is a diverse, developing nation of mostly subsistence farmers where some 800 languages are spoken. The nation is strategically important in the South Pacific and is home to 10 million people, making it the most populous South Pacific nation after Australia, which is home to 26 million.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appealed for calm and stated that his government had not received any requests for help from its closest neighbor. Papua New Guinea and Australia recently signed a bilateral security pact. Papua New Guinea continues to struggle to contain escalating tribal violence and civil unrest in remote regions and has a long-term goal to increase its police numbers from 6,000 officers to 26,000.