06-14-2012, 07:04 PM
Reports that five have been killed in early election violence in PNG
Posted at 07:20 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
There are estimates of five deaths to date in relation to political campaigning ahead of the Papua New Guinea election started on Saturday week.
The National newspaper reports a man was shot dead by police at a political rally in the Southern Highlands’ Nipa district on Wednesday, while two others were reportedly shot at from a car carrying a candidate outside Kagua district station in the province on Tuesday.
The paper says the relatives of the dead men want the candidate, sitting MP, Aiya James Lagea, arrested.
They claim he has a cache of weapons.
Mr Lagea told the paper he wouldn’t comment at this stage, saying it is the desire of the people in the electorate that polling not be disrupted.
The killings bring to five the number of deaths following two killings last week in Chimbu.
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New Zealand choppers being flown to PNG for election monitoring role
Posted at 07:20 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
Two New Zealand Air Force helicopters are now en route to Papua New Guinea where they will team up with a large Australia force providing assistance to the PNG Electoral Commission for the poll starting in just over a week.
The Iroquois helicopters are being carried by an Australia Air Force C-17.
A third helicopter will be transported to PNG tomorrow.
The Combined Joint Task Force, which numbers over 250 Australian and New Zealand military personnel, will assist in the transportation of election material and officials to and from remote areas.
The New Zealand commander, Lieutenant Colonel David de Koning, says the New Zealand helicopters will operate through Northern Province and Milne Bay.
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Concerns over firearms buildup in PNG’s Highlands ahead of election
Posted at 03:22 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
Police in Papua New Guinea are warning that illegal firearms remain a major concern and could be the biggest threat to this month’s general election.
Election security forces in the Highlands this week raided the home of a candidate and confiscated a cache of illegal weapons.
The candidate remains in custody in Mt Hagen and has been refused bail.
The Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga has declared the Highlands as a high-risk area during the election.
The chairman of the Gun Control Committee, Major-General Jerry Singirok, says he’s very concerned about the arms build-up.
“And the potential for the elections to be disrupted, mainly in Enga province, in the Southern Highlands, in Hela province, some parts of Western Highlands, mainly in Tambul Nebilyer, up in the Jiwaka; I’m also concerned about pockets of resistance and the buildup in Chimbu province and in the Eastern Highlands.”
General Jerry Singirok says otherwise, PNG’s coastal provinces are expected to comply well with the laws during elections.
Posted at 07:20 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
There are estimates of five deaths to date in relation to political campaigning ahead of the Papua New Guinea election started on Saturday week.
The National newspaper reports a man was shot dead by police at a political rally in the Southern Highlands’ Nipa district on Wednesday, while two others were reportedly shot at from a car carrying a candidate outside Kagua district station in the province on Tuesday.
The paper says the relatives of the dead men want the candidate, sitting MP, Aiya James Lagea, arrested.
They claim he has a cache of weapons.
Mr Lagea told the paper he wouldn’t comment at this stage, saying it is the desire of the people in the electorate that polling not be disrupted.
The killings bring to five the number of deaths following two killings last week in Chimbu.
*****
New Zealand choppers being flown to PNG for election monitoring role
Posted at 07:20 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
Two New Zealand Air Force helicopters are now en route to Papua New Guinea where they will team up with a large Australia force providing assistance to the PNG Electoral Commission for the poll starting in just over a week.
The Iroquois helicopters are being carried by an Australia Air Force C-17.
A third helicopter will be transported to PNG tomorrow.
The Combined Joint Task Force, which numbers over 250 Australian and New Zealand military personnel, will assist in the transportation of election material and officials to and from remote areas.
The New Zealand commander, Lieutenant Colonel David de Koning, says the New Zealand helicopters will operate through Northern Province and Milne Bay.
*****
Concerns over firearms buildup in PNG’s Highlands ahead of election
Posted at 03:22 on 14 June, 2012 UTC
Police in Papua New Guinea are warning that illegal firearms remain a major concern and could be the biggest threat to this month’s general election.
Election security forces in the Highlands this week raided the home of a candidate and confiscated a cache of illegal weapons.
The candidate remains in custody in Mt Hagen and has been refused bail.
The Police Commissioner Tom Kulunga has declared the Highlands as a high-risk area during the election.
The chairman of the Gun Control Committee, Major-General Jerry Singirok, says he’s very concerned about the arms build-up.
“And the potential for the elections to be disrupted, mainly in Enga province, in the Southern Highlands, in Hela province, some parts of Western Highlands, mainly in Tambul Nebilyer, up in the Jiwaka; I’m also concerned about pockets of resistance and the buildup in Chimbu province and in the Eastern Highlands.”
General Jerry Singirok says otherwise, PNG’s coastal provinces are expected to comply well with the laws during elections.