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PNG police shoot university students protesting against PM
Sydney Morning Herald - June 8, 2016
Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has called for calm after violence erupted on Wednesday.
The protesting students were stopped from leaving the University of Papua New Guinea, where they have boycotted classes for five weeks demanding PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill step down over corruption allegations.
But Mr O'Neill accused opposition MPs of stirring up the students, and said they had made false claims in Parliament that students had been killed by police. He said five people had been treated at the hospital and were in a stable condition.
Mr O'Neill said the students had thrown rocks at police and "provoked a response that came in the form of tear gas and warning shots". But the country's Parliament was earlier told four people had been killed.
One of the students, Jeremiah Yakap, told Fairfax Media the students had wanted to take their protest to the Parliament in support of a no confidence motion in the prime minister.
But he said police stopped several buses filled with students, and then opened fire after the students attempted to march by foot.
"This is our country. We put aside the fear that is in us and said will will die for our country," Mr Yakap said. "Police were chasing us everywhere, into our dormitories."
Mr Yakap said a man next to him had been shot after police snatched the camera he had been holding.
Another witness, who gave his name only as Stephen, told Fairfax police have since set up a blockade close to the local hospital to prevent relatives from reaching the wounded.
He said there were fears of retaliations. "It doesn't look good right now. All the shops are shut, all the schools are shut."
Ms Bishop earlier said she had spoken with Australia's High Commissioner in Port Moresby, Bruce Davis, but it was still unclear whether there had been deaths and how many people had been injured.
"If people have been shot in this incident, it is a tragedy and we urge for calm, to de-escalate tensions between the students and the police. We ask that the right to protest peacefully and lawfully be respected," Ms Bishop said.
Thousands of students at the University of Papua New Guinea in the capital of Port Moresby have been protesting and boycotting classes for weeks amid growing political unrest in the Pacific island nation.
Jonathan Pryke from the Lowy Institute for International Policy said a collapse in the PNG economy had also led to frustration. But Mr O'Neill has refused demands to step aside and fought a warrant for his arrest.
"They have now got themselves to a point where both sides have pushed themselves into a corner," Mr Pryke said. "I don't see a scenario in which the students are going to back down unless Peter O'Neill meets them at the table and discusses their demands."
Adding to tensions, opposition MPs have mounted a fourth attempt this week to unseat the O'Neill government via a no-confidence bid, gaining some support from members of the leader's own party.
Hubert Namani, a lawyer and member of several PNG business councils, posted a graphic photo showing an injured person being carried away.
The governor of the Oro province, Gary Juffa, said on his Twitter account he had spoken to students and that police shot at them with one unconfirmed death. He said the clash started after an argument between police and a student.
Student Gerald Peni told the ABC: "They fired shots, they fired shots directly at the crowd. They fired tear gases, I was right in front".
Labor's foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek said she was extremely concerned by the reports and urged calm. "The right to peaceful protest is an important part of any democracy," Ms Plibersek said. (with AAP, Reuters)
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