PNG NGOs worried by Police Chief‘s attitude

NGOs worried by Police Chief‘s attitude

NGOs are very surprised and concerned by the comments from Police Commissioner, Sam Inguba on the allegations of serious human rights abuses by police officers in logging camps.

The NGO’s strongly dispute Mr Inguba’s view that there is a lack of evidence to support the claims of abuse and that the victims have failed to provide corroborative statements.

“Lawyers acting for landowners have been presenting their clients complaints in sworn statements with collaborative evidence but they have never seen the outcome of any police investigation,” says Kenn Mondiai, Chair of the Eco-Forestry Forum.

“If there are any reports from the investigations into the complaints, the Commissioner should publish them”.

The Forum also says that the Police Commissioner is unprofessional, and failing in his duty in trying to dismiss the story as ‘old news’.

“The complaints do date back over many years, but new allegations are emerging all the time. This is why there must be an independent inquiry as there is clearly a pattern of systematic abuse across a number of different logging areas”.

Despite all the publicity, the police have totally failed to treat the situation seriously claims the Forum, which is still waiting for a reply to its own letter sent in November 2003.

“Therefore any inquiry should look at, not only police brutality in the logging camps, but also the overall manner in which the Police have handled the complaints. We challenge the Police Commissioner to support a Commission of Inquiry if he has nothing to hide."

“All the alleged bad publicity stems from the failure of the police to investigate these claims and prosecute the perpetrators. It is the police we should be blaming here rather than attacking press freedoms and free speech which are central to a democratic system, as Mr Inguba is doing”

PNG Eco-Forestry Forum

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