Transcript
JOHNNY BLADES: Mendi has quietened down in the last day or two, according to police, with the implementation of a curfew and other provisions of the state of emergency declaration. As we speak, extra police are being deployed to the region. There are about 70 mobile squad offices already there and more are coming. As well, we understand some dozens of military PNG Defence Force troops are also being deployed to Southern Highlands.
KOROI HAWKINS: So as part of the state of emergency provisions, PNG's government has suspended the provincial government. This has created some more problems?
JB: That's right. Supporters of the provincial governor, William Powi, are upset about that suspension and they have been mobilising withhigh-powered weapons and threatening violence if the provincial government isn't restored, and threatening to disrupt public assets and so forth, and generally also warning the national government not to send up troops, as if they are readying for war.
KH: Since last Thursday's unrest in Mendi, there have been attacks or blockades on LNG Project infrastructure in neighbouring Hela province, right?
JB: Right next door in Hela where the hub of the big LNG gas project is, there have been what police say are unrelated attacks on some of the project infrastructure, including vandalism against some of its earth-moving equipment, and a blockade of a main road, and reportedly also a blockade of an airport which the project uses. That's because landowners over in Hela are still upset about non-payment of promised project royalties. And that's an issue stretching back years, and they're very frustrated. But the fact that it has happened now, just days after the unrest in neighbouring Southern Highlands, doesn't seem to bode well.
KH: Is there a danger that this unrest could escalate? And is it political unrest or is it just unrest in general?
JB: People in the province, including police, seem to be describing it as a political issue, rather than a normal law and order thing. And this is why people are also saying that the leaders of all the various political factions need to get up there and sort this thing out with talks, because if high-powered weapons are involved and emotions are running high, there really is a danger that it could escalate, especially if troops are being sent in and there may be some armed confrontation with the supporters of political leaders. People are extremely worried, it's a sensitive stage. But yeah the fact that you have these two provinces where there is anger and frustration over things which are close is a real powder keg.
KH: What have the leaders of Southern Highlands province had to say?
JB: The leaders who are in the national government - and that includes Peter O'Neill, the prime mnister who is a Southern Highlands MP - held a press conference on Sunday with the the provincial governor, William Powi, as well as the losing candidates whose supporters went on a rampage last week in Mendi. They all basically apologised (for the destruction) and said they would work together to restore order. That was a press conference down in Port Moresby. I think that was probably a good sign, but lots of people have been asking for the leaders to come up to the province. Since that meeting, Peter O'Neill has agreed to go up to his province. He has delayed travel for a planned trip to China in order to do this. That he is having talks up there (in Mendi) has in a sense answered some of the criticism that had been directed at him in the wake of the unrest.
KH: Does this unrest have an impact on other parts of the country?
JB: Yes I think it does. For a start, they had this huge earthquake disaster in February up in this very region; and the people who went on this rampage last week in Mendi actually destroyed and looted tonnes of relief supplies which were earmarked for victims of the earthquake in this region. So it's hampering that relief effort, which is a strain on the country. Also it looks like it may have delayed the national government's talks with the Bougainville regional government over the all-important referendum next year. And I think it also throws a spanner in the works for the country's security preparations ahead of this November's APEC leaders summit (which PNG is hosting) despite the government's claims that it won't have an impact. I'm sure it's something that's making a lot of people nervous.
