No external pressure, say protesting PNG students

8:51 pm on 18 May 2016

Students at the University of Papua New Guinea have dimissed claims that ongoing protests are being influenced by external actors.

This is the third week that students at UPNG and a number of other tertiary institutions around PNG have been calling for the prime minister Peter O'Neill to stand aside to face police investigation over his alleged role in a major fraud case.

Earlier this week, the Chief Secretary to Government said the people behind the protests were not students but agitators with sinister purposes.

Isaac Lupari has warned that people attempting to commit illegal acts as part of attempts to hijack student protests will face the full force of the law.

But a student leader, Hercules Jim, said Mr Lupari was making false allegations.

"We are not motivated by anything from the outside or external factors, nor politically motivated by the opposition whosoever NGO, activist," he said.

"But if the general public wants to joing the protest to take back the nation then that is okay because that is a national issue, we can not confine it. But we are not motivated or moved or influenced by outside factors."

Papua New Guinea university students.

Papua New Guinea university students. Photo: RNZI / Johnny Blades

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