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PNG police block parliament ahead of court hearing
Australian Associated Press - May 25, 2012
This morning, the country's chief justice is expected to appear in court after yesterday being charged with sedition.
Chief Justice Sir Salamo Injia had been involved in a tense stand-off with police and the army after Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah and about 10 police officers stormed into his court on Thursday afternoon.
Following a two-hour negotiation with police, Sir Salamo was formally charged with sedition, according to reports.
In the PNG capital this morning, about 20 police officers barricaded the front and rear entrance of the parliament's grounds.
One officer said the men were taking orders from National Capital District command in Port Moresby, but when pressed he would not say if he was taking orders from commissioner Tom Kulunga.
"We don't need to name names," the officer, who declined to be named, said.
"No one is getting in until after the elections. There will be no special sittings of parliament. We want peace." The officers say they are unarmed.
Parliament had been expected to resume this morning after the Supreme Court ruled on Monday Sir Michael Somare is the nation's legitimate prime minister. Parliamentary-elected prime minister Peter O'Neill is expected to give a statement later today.
Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister Belden Namah said outside court he had had enough of Sir Salamo, telling reporters he had divided the country. "I want you gone," Mr Namah shouted. "You are the most corrupt man in PNG." Sir Salamo left the courtroom and locked himself in his chambers.
On Tuesday evening Mr Namah gave Sir Salamo and two other judges, Les Gavara-Nanu and Nicholas Kirriwom, 24 hours to resign after they found for the second time on Monday that political rival Sir Michael Somare was the nation's constitutional prime minister.
Sir Salamo, who was locked in his office on Thursday with his lawyer, denied he was biased in his decision to rule against the 10-month-old government of Peter O'Neill.
"Under the constitution the Supreme Court was required to give its decision and it fell on each one of the five judges to give an opinion," a visibly shaken Sir Salamo said.
He appealed to the police and military personal to abide by his ruling, and called on the heads of the armed services to "take your oath seriously and stand up for the constitution".
"It is unprecedented," he said. "This country is being run by men who are happy to use force rather than the rule of law."
Mr O'Neill has said Sir Salamo's decision was a deliberate attempt to disrupt the country's election planned for next month.
The government has tried and failed to suspend Sir Salamo twice since November last year, accusing him of bias against it.
Police also arrested him on charges relating to his handling of court funds, but the court put a permanent stay on those proceedings.
Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr counselled all sides of politics in PNG to "act with restraint".
He said he spoke to his PNG counterpart Ano Pala on Thursday. "As a friend of Papua New Guinea, Australia urges all parties to act with restraint in very difficult circumstances," Senator Carr said in a statement.
He said it was important the event did not distract from upcoming elections proceeding in a peaceful way.
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