O'Neill sends in police to take over PNG government

15 Dec 2011, 3:47 pm   -   Source: AAP

Peter O'Neill has ordered up to 150 police to take control of government offices, declaring with the backing of his cabinet that he is in control of the Papua New Guinean government.

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Papua New Guinea's political standoff is heating up, with Peter O'Neill sending in 150 police to take control of government offices.

Mr O'Neill said the police had been ordered to seize the prime minister's department, Government House and finance department on Thursday.

With the backing of his cabinet, Mr O'Neill has declared he is in control of the PNG government, and has shown reporters a gazetted government document that says he is the country's prime minister.

Meanwhile, staff at the government printing offices in Port Moresby told reporters that 20-30 armed police officers were guarding the facility overnight until about 9.30am (1030 AEDT) on Thursday.

A spokesperson for Mr O'Neill's rival, Sir Michael Somare, told AAP the gazette was not genuine.

Sir Michael had been due to hold a press conference at government headquarters at Marauta Haus on Thursday morning but it was put off until later in the afternoon without explanation.

Papua New Guinea was thrown into crisis on Monday, when the Supreme Court declared Mr O'Neill's government unconstitutional and returned Sir Michael and his minority government to power.

The majority of the nation's parliamentarians support Mr O'Neill for the top job, and have repeatedly voted him back in, but neither he nor Sir Michael have backed down and both maintain they are in charge.

Mr O'Neill told reporters on Thursday he had revoked a late night order by Sir Michael to reinstate his police commissioner Fred Yakasa.

"Seeking government from the barrel of a gun is unacceptable," Mr O'Neill told reporters.

"We don't do this in this country."

He said he was not ordering the arrest of Sir Michael or his ministers.

"I have no authority... to issue arrest warrants," he said.

"(Somare and his supporters) are totally within their rights... to express their views.

"But the police have got to do their duty."

There is a contingent of police officers loyal to Sir Michael in Port Moresby, however the majority of police have thus far been at pains to remain neutral.

The nation's military has also remained neutral and largely silent.

Meanwhile, about 700 protesters have occupied a park between Marauta Haus and Parliament House to express their support for the government of Mr O'Neill.

"We want The Grand Chief (Sir Michael) out," said Nick Kinde, an unemployed Port Moresby man.

"I am unemployed, I have several children, I want them to have an education and that is what Mr O'Neill promised us.

Speaking for the protesters, Daniel Hogga said he was angry at the Somare government, which was in power from 2002 until parliament ousted it and installed Mr O'Neill as prime minister on August 2.

"I want them out," he said.

"Too many broken promises.

Earlier, religious groups and the head of PNG's Trade Union Congress called on the two men at the centre of the political crisis to come together and work out a solution - including possibly forming a national coalition government.

PNG

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