PORT MORESBY: Papua New Guinea has granted police emergency powers to quell spiralling violence in the Porgera Valley, blaming "illegal settlers" squatting near one of the country's largest gold mines.
Police Commissioner David Manning said "lethal force" would be used to restore order in the hard-to-reach highlands region, where artisanal miners have fought deadly clashes with local landowners.
"Put simply, this means if you raise a weapon in a public place or to threaten another person, you will be shot," Manning said in a statement at the weekend.
"This deteriorating situation has been caused by illegal miners and illegal settlers who are victimising traditional landowners and using violence to terrorise local communities."
Alcohol sales have been banned and an overnight curfew is in place, added Manning, who vowed to remove the miners from the valley.
Although an official death toll has not been released, Enga provincial governor Peter Ipatas said "the violence has led to the loss of many innocent lives".
"This situation is dire. We have witnessed innocent lives being claimed and properties destroyed."
The Porgera gold mine once accounted for around 10 per cent of Papua New Guinea's yearly export earnings.
But recurrent bursts of tribal violence and a drawn out government takeover have slowed production in recent years.
Gunfights between rival clans living near the mine killed at least 17 in 2022.
Tribal conflicts are a frequent occurrence in Papua New Guinea's highlands, but an influx of automatic weapons has made clashes deadlier.
At least 26 people were killed, including 16 children, when three Papua New Guinea villages in East Sepik province were attacked earlier this year.
Pope Francis urged Papua New Guinea to "stop the spiral" of violence during a visit earlier this month.
"It is my particular hope that tribal violence will come to an end," he said.
"It causes many victims, prevents people from living in peace and hinders development." - AFP
