Assistant Police Commissioner: O'Neill and Somare need to reconcile
PRESS RELEASE
Two police factions came close to an exchange of gunfire but timely intervention by senior officers prevented it from happening outside the precincts of Parliament on Friday.
NCD Central Commander Assistant Commissioner Francis Tokura revealed this today and appealed to the Somare and O’Neill factions to bury their differences and reconcile for the betterment of the country.
He said Papua New Guinea needs a stable political social and economic climate at this very crucial period when its people are preparing to elect new leaders to represent them in the next parliament.
He said this after some armed NCD police personnel barricaded access into Parliament on Friday in an attempt to prevent members of parliament from conducting a special sitting.
According to ACP Tokura this happened after the arrest of the Chief Justice, Sir Salamo Injia and assault of former Metsup Joe Tondop and several other policemen at the Court premises last week Thursday.
Mr Tokura said the assault incident will be investigated like every other case if the complainants lodge an official complaint.
He appealed to police personnel to abstain from taking sides in the feud between the two political groups and encouraged all NCD members to return to work and concentrate on the 2012 Election Operations.
ACP Tokura said the political stalemate clearly points to a case of individualism and ego – individuals are using their positions, authority and the offices they hold to wage sinister and personal vendettas against each other and are using the police for their own gains.
I am certain the country is fed up with all these political mud pelting and these influential people should stop this nonsense and reconcile for the good of this nation.
He said the people of this country are going to the polls and they expect the police to concentrate on their fundamental roles and responsibilities of ensuring that the election is uninterrupted by violence and crime.
ACP Tokura said politicians embroiled in Waigani’s power struggle should not use money and resources to entice police personnel and use them to question defy and revolt against the Police hierarchy.
He said the long standing tussle over the Prime Minister’s job and untimely court decisions dished out by the courts and decisions of politicians to use police to serve their own purposes have caused divisions within the Constabulary.
We cannot afford to have a divided force, it is detrimental to law enforcement and the wellbeing of the society, we live in and serve, ACP Tokura said.
I therefore appeal to the political factions to exercise wisdom and statesmanship by removing any resources such as hired cars and funding which are being used to entice police factions to support them in this ongoing political feud.
The politicians must respect our people and allow police to do their work within the confines of the law without undue influence so that the people can exercise their rights in a free, fair and safe 2012 elections.
Francis N. Tokura MBE QPM
Commander NCD/Central
Assistant Commissioner of Police