The political crisis in Papua New Guinea escalated sharply last week after police opened fire on student protesters. As many as 23 students were injured, some seriously. The government, police and an independent panel of ombudsmen have all announced investigations...we have more from Neal Conan in the Pacific News Minute.
According to the government and police, students brought the attack on themselves, when a few became violent and threw stones. Prime Minister Peter O'Neill said police responded with tear gas and warning shots; other reports suggested the police fired directly into the crowd. Some eyewitnesses reported some student misbehavior, others said there was no provocation and many questioned why police used guns at all on an unarmed crowd.
There was particular concern over reports that police shot some students after they chased them to their dormitories and beyond. Prime Minister O'Neill admitted that the incident "could have been handled better."
The Waigani Campus of UPNG has been a focus of political unrest for six weeks now; in early May, students started a class boycott to demand that the Prime Minister step down amid a corruption investigation that's dragged on for years.
According to the Post Courier newspaper, an investigation launched by Police Commissioner Gary Baki will focus on the Student Representative Council and the role of the foreign news media. Prime Minister O'Neill said that a government inquiry will look to uncover external influences on the student protest...PNG's independent Ombudsman Commission said it would investigate whether police officers broke the law or committed misconduct.
