by Matt Burgess
SYDNEY, June 10 (Xinhua) -- Papua New Guinea has brushed international concerns of the civil unrest in the nation's capital that's now spreading to other areas on Friday, claiming it is an internal matter.
A groundswell of unrest that had been brewing in the pacific nation boiled over earlier this week after police fired into a crowd of protesting university students who had allegedly started the altercation by throwing rocks. The unrest surrounded criticism of the government's economic mismanagement and corruption allegations levelled at Prime Minister Peter O'Neill.
The violence spilled throughout the capital Port Moresby, with opportunists looting businesses and damaging police and government vehicles and buildings, closing down the city and sending innocent residents, tourists and expat workers into safe confines.
It's been reported up to 30 people were injured by police in the violence, however those figures have not been officially confirmed.
"(The UN Secretary-General) calls for calm and stresses the importance of respect for peaceful protest and freedom of assembly, and a commitment to the rule of law, dialogue and non-violence," UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said in a statement.
Australia, the former administrator of the Pacific nation, was quick to respond to the reports, but only to be told by PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill to butt out.
"Of course, Malcolm has every right to call me anytime he wants to but as I indicated to him, these are internal matters for PNG," O'Neill said, referring to his phone call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull at the outbreak of violence, local media reported Friday.
"We can handle these matters, we have been an independent country for 40 years."
HOW TO CALM THE SITUATION?
The question then remains, how can the ongoing tensions de-escalate?
Australia's national broadcaster on Friday reported violence has spread into other parts of the country, notably the highlands capital Mount Hagan where a surprise retaliatory attack was mounted on the police station.
"Not only that, there are government buildings that have been damaged and also the banks in Mount Hagen have been damaged as well," Police commissioner Gari Baki told the ABC.
Retaliatory attacks aren't uncommon in PNG due to its culture of endemic violence and tribal warfare, where the eye-for-an-eye mentality rules.
"I'm surprised to see it as calm has it is," Lowy Institute for International Policy's Melanesia Program director Jonathan Pryke told Xinhua.
Student uprisings aren't unprecedented in PNG as in 2001, three students died at the hands of police, though no account of the incident has been made public. PNG analysts are now looking to this event to see if similar methods of de-escalation can be used in this circumstance.
Pryke believes O'Neill and the students should meet in a neutral venue to discuss the situation and come up with solutions.
"The government needs to change its tune into how it's acting," Pryke said, but what happens next is unpredictable.
PNG CITIZENS PROTEST IN AUSTRALIA
Approximately 70 people rallied outside the PNG consulate in Sydney on Friday, shouting "shame" in solidarity with victims involved in this week's clashes.
PNG student Stanley Kumasimba Wamaware, who studies at Macquarie University in Sydney told local media the violence was uncalled for and "undermines the democratic process".
