Representative image. Police said 30 men had been killed across the rival clans and hundreds of women and children displaced, with “many” homes burned to the ground.
| Photo Credit: Reuters

Shootouts between hundreds of tribal warriors have left at least 30 people dead in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, police said on Monday (September 16, 2024) as security forces were given emergency powers to quell the violence.

Police said the unrest started in August when “illegal miners” inflicted life-threatening injuries on a landowner in the Porgera Valley, home to one of Papua New Guinea’s largest gold deposits.

Peace talks failed, and the situation spiralled into intense tribal fighting that saw 300 shots fired on Sunday (September 15, 2024) alone, according to police commander Joseph Tondop.

Police said 30 men had been killed across the rival clans and hundreds of women and children displaced, with “many” homes burned to the ground.

Two officials were also killed while waiting for a lift home after work, said Mr. Tondop.

Police Commissioner David Manning said “lethal force” would be used to restore order in the hard-to-reach highlands region.

“Put simply, this means if you raise a weapon in a public place or to threaten another person, you will be shot,” Mr. 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.”

Police said illegal miners from the Sakar clan had been squatting on land owned by their Piande rivals.

Alcohol sales have been banned and an overnight curfew is in place, added Manning, who vowed to remove the artisanal miners from the valley.

Tribal conflicts are a frequent occurrence in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, but an influx of automatic weapons has made clashes deadlier.

The latest burst of fighting had been turbocharged by the presence of more than “100 high-powered weapons in the wrong hands”, police said.

Security teams have been posted along the highway leading to the mine, using loudhailers to broadcast messages of peace.

‘Stop the spiral’

The Porgera gold mine once accounted for around 10% of Papua New Guinea’s yearly export earnings.

But recurrent flare-ups 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.

And at least 26 people were killed, including 16 children, when three 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.”

Pope Francis celebrated the Catholic Church of the peripheries on Sunday (September 8, 2024) as he travelled to the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea, bringing with him a ton of medicine and toys and a message of love overcoming violence for the people who live there.

The Pope flew aboard a Royal Australian Air Force C-130 transport plane from Port Moresby to Vanimo, on the northwest coast of the South Pacific nation, close to the border with Indonesia. There, he met with the local Catholic community and the missionaries from his native Argentina who have been ministering to them.

A crowd of an estimated 20,000 people gathered on the field in front of the Vanimo cathedral singing and dancing when Pope Francis arrived, and he promptly put on a feathered headdress that had been presented to him.

In remarks from a raised stage, the Pope praised the church workers who go out to try to spread the faith. But he urged the faithful to work closer to home at being good to one another and putting an end to the tribal rivalries and violence that are a regular part of the culture in Papua New Guinea.

He urged them to be like an orchestra, so that all members of the community can come together harmoniously to overcome rivalries.

Doing so, he said, would help to end personal, family and tribal divisions “to drive out fear, superstition and magic from people’s hearts, to put an end to destructive behaviors such as violence, infidelity, exploitation, alcohol and drug abuse, evils which imprison and take away the happiness of so many of our brothers and sisters, even in this country.”

It was a reference to the tribal violence over land and other disputes that have long characterised the country’s culture but have grown more lethal in recent years. Francis arrived in Papua New Guinea to urge an end to the violence, including gender-based violence, and for a sense of civic responsibility and cooperation to prevail.

Earlier in the day, an estimated 35,000 people filled the stadium in the capital, Port Moresby, for the Pope’s morning Mass. It began with dancers in grass skirts and feathered headdresses performing to traditional drum beats as priests in green vestments processed up onto the altar.

In his homily, the Pope told the crowd that they may well feel themselves distant from both their faith and the institutional church, but that God was near to them.

“You who live on this large island in the Pacific Ocean may sometimes have thought of yourselves as a far away and distant land, situated at the edge of the world,” he said. “Yet … today the Lord wants to draw near to you, to break down distances, to let you know that you are at the center of his heart and that each one of you is important to him.”

After the Mass, the Pope boarded the C-130 with just a few aides and his security detail. On board was also the golf cart popemobile he was using in Vanimo, as well as a ton of humanitarian aid, including medicine, clothes and toys for children, according to Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni.

The aircraft, which is based at Australia’s base in Port Moresby, was being used both because of its cargo capacity and because the small airport in Vanimo doesn’t have an ambulift, the wheelchair elevator that Francis now needs to get on and off planes. By flying in on a C-130, the Pope can disembark via the ramp, Vatican officials said.

The Pope has long prioritised the church on the “peripheries,” saying it is actually more important than the center of the institutional church. In keeping with that philosophy, he has largely shunned foreign trips to European capitals, preferring instead far-flung communities where Catholics are often a minority.

Vanimo, population 11,000, certainly fits the bill. Located near Papua New Guinea’s border with Indonesia, where the jungle meets the sea, the coastal city is perhaps best known as a surfing destination.

Pope Francis, history’s first Latin American pope, has also had a special affinity for the work of Catholic missionaries. As a young Argentine Jesuit, he had hoped to serve as a missionary in Japan, but was prevented from going because of his poor health.

Now as pope, he has often held up missionaries as models for the church, especially those who have sacrificed to bring the faith to far-away places.

There are about 2.5 million Catholics in Papua New Guinea, according to Vatican statistics, out of a population in the Commonwealth nation believed to be around 10 million. The Catholics practice the faith along with traditional Indigenous beliefs, including animism and sorcery.

On Saturday, Pope Francis heard first-hand about how women are often falsely accused of witchcraft, then shunned by their families. In remarks to priests, bishops and nuns, Francis urged the church leaders in Papua New Guinea to be particularly close to these people on the margins who had been wounded by “prejudice and superstition”.

“I think too of the marginalised and wounded, both morally and physically, by prejudice and superstition sometimes to the point of having to risk their lives,” Francis said. He urged the church to be particularly close to such people on the peripheries, with “closeness, compassion and tenderness.”

Pope Francis’ visit to Vanimo was the highlight of his visit to Papua New Guinea, the second leg of his four-nation tour of Southeast Asia and Oceania. After first stopping in Indonesia, the Pope heads on Monday (September 9, 2024) to East Timor and then wraps up his visit in Singapore later in the week.

Performers in traditional dresses stand outside of Parliament Haus in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – File photo
| Photo Credit: AP

At least 26 people were reportedly killed by a gang in three remote villages in Papua New Guinea’s north, United Nations and police officials say.

“It was a very terrible thing – when I approached the area, I saw that there were children, men, women. They were killed by a group of 30 young men,” acting Provincial Police Commander in the South Pacific Island Nation’s East Sepik province James Baugen told Australian Broadcasting Corp. on July 26.

Also Read: India sends humanitarian aid to landslide-hit Papua New Guinea

Mr. Baugen told the ABC that all the houses in the villages had been burned and the remaining villagers were sheltering at a police station, too scared to name the perpetrators.

“Some of the bodies left in the night were taken by crocodiles into the swamp. We only saw the place where they were killed. There were heads chopped off,” Mr. Baugen said, adding that the attackers were hiding and there were no arrests yet.

Also Read: Papua New Guinea’s prime minister visits the site of a landslide estimated to have killed hundreds

U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said in a statement on July 24 that the attacks happened on July 16 and July 18.

“I am horrified by the shocking eruption of deadly violence in Papua New Guinea, seemingly as the result of a dispute over land and lake ownership and user rights,” Mr. Turk said.

“At least 26 people had reportedly died, including 16 children. This number could rise to over 50, as local authorities search for missing people. In addition, more than 200 villagers fled as their homes were torched,” Mr. Turk said.

Following New Zealand’s unexpected group-stage exit from the T20 World Cup, captain Kane Williamson expressed the need for his team to regroup and recover, but he remained non-committal about the 2026 edition of the T20 showpiece. Williamson has been a pivotal figure in New Zealand cricket for over a decade, leading his side through numerous successful campaigns. However, pacer Trent Boult having already announced his retirement from T20 World Cups, Williamson hinted at a possible changing of the guard within the team.

“Oh, I don’t know. There’s a bit of time between now and then, so it’s about regrouping as a side. We’ve got red-ball cricket over the next year basically, so it’s back into some other international formats, and we’ll see where things land,” said Williamson in the post-match press conference.

Since his debut, Williamson has been instrumental in New Zealand reaching the semifinals in seven out of the ten World Cups he has played across both 20- and 50-over formats since 2011.

This remarkable journey included three final appearances, with standout personal performances such as being named Player of the Tournament in the 2019 World Cup in England and scoring an impressive 85 from 48 balls in the 2021 T20 World Cup final against Australia.

Reflecting on New Zealand’s recent campaign, Williamson admitted that his team had been slow to adapt to the challenging conditions in the Caribbean, where they faced strong performances from Afghanistan and the West Indies in a tough Group C.

“It took a long time to start and then, in a matter of days, we were not in contention, which was frustrating,” he said. “We played against a couple of very strong sides who are very well equipped in these conditions and unfortunately that was the difference in our first two games.”

Despite the disappointment, Williamson remained optimistic about the future. “All in all it’s frustrating, but there’ll be learnings for the players that come back to this part of the world. These conditions have been somewhat challenging, so they are some good experiences to have going forward.”

Lockie Ferguson (3/0) bowled the most economical spell in T20I history as New Zealand shot out Papua New Guinea for a mere 78 in their inconsequential Group C World Cup match on Monday. Ferguson joined Canada skipper Saad Bin Zafar as only the second bowler in T20I history to have sent down each of the allotted four overs as maiden, returning figures of 4-4-0-3 after the latter recorded 4-4-0-2.

The Kiwis were successful in keeping the PNG batters quiet and pinned to their respective ends for the majority of their innings which folded in 19.4 overs, with the first half witnessing the ball racing to the ropes for boundaries only on four occasions.

Lockie needs to hesitate

He’s got zero chill. Literally ‘ZERO’ https://t.co/jTVxi5H2xD pic.twitter.com/5P6dXydZW3

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 17, 2024

Trent Boult (2/14), playing in his last T20 World Cup match, began with a two-run first over but it was Tim Southee (2/11) who drew the first blood, getting PNG opener Tony Ura caught at deep backward point.

While there was no success for Boult in terms of wickets with the new ball, Ferguson struck on his very first ball to have PNG skipper Assad Vala caught at widish first slip for six.

Ferguson continued to trouble the opposition batters to such an extent that PNG could not score a run off his first three overs.

The right-arm pacer had further success when he pinned Charles Amini (17) in front of the wickets successfully for the third wicket.

Mitchell Santner (1/17) cut short the progress of Sese Bay (12), getting him caught by Finn Allen at long on after luring the batter to dance down the track and hit him but the connection was improper.

Having not conceded a run yet, Ferguson found an inside edge off Chad Soper’s (1) bat crashing into the wickets after he recklessly dangled his bat which came down awkwardly away from his pads.

Ferguson finished his spell without having conceded a run and thus joined Zafar, who was the first to have bowled all four maidens in November 2021 against Panama in T20 World Cup Americas Region Qualifier.

Boult came back into the attack for his first wicket of the contest to clean up Hiri Hiri (7) while Southee bagged another in the next to remove wicketkeeper-batter Kiplin Doriga (5) out of the equation.

Having toiled for success in his first three overs, Ish Sodhi (2/29) grabbed a couple of wickets to wrap up the PNG innings in the last over. 

New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 LIVE Updates© BCCI/IPL

New Zealand vs PNG Live Streaming: A consolatory win over a lowly Papua New Guinea would be the best that the New Zealand can walk away with in this T20 World Cup, with curtains coming down on their campaign prematurely. For a team as consistent as New Zealand in ICC tournaments, the Kiwis have paid a heavy price for being sluggish at the start as a couple of defeats upfront led to their surprisingly early exit. The game will, however, carry a massive significance for the Kiwi group as Trent Boult has confirmed this is his last T20 World Cup for the country and the Kane Williamson-led side will be motivated to give their best against PNG, who have lost each of their three matches so far.  

When will the New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match be played?

The New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match will be played on Monday, June 17 (IST).

Where will the New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match be played?

The New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match will be played at the Brian Lara Stadium, Tarouba, Trinidad.

What time will the New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match start?

The New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match will start at 8:00 PM IST. The toss will take place at 7:30 PM IST.

Which TV channels will telecast the New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match?

The New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match will be telecast in India on the Star Sports Network.

Where to follow the live streaming of the New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match?

The New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea, T20 World Cup 2024 match will be streamed live on Disney plus Hotstar app and website.

(All the details are as per the information provided by the broadcaster)

Representational image of New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The New Zealand defence force plane flying New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to Japan broke down on Sunday, forcing the Prime Minister to take a commercial flight, his office confirmed on Monday.

Mr. Luxon is spending four days in Japan, where he is expected to meet with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and spend time promoting New Zealand business.

New Zealand media reported that the Boeing 757 broke down during a refuelling stop in Papua New Guinea, leaving the business delegation and journalists stranded in Port Moresby, while Mr. Luxon flew commercial to Japan.

Ageing aircraft

The New Zealand Defence Force’s two 757s are more than 30 years old and their age has made them increasingly unreliable.

New Zealand Defence Minister Judith Collins told radio station Newstalk ZB on Monday that the consistent flight issues were “embarrassing” and that the ministry was looking at flying Mr. Luxon and his delegation commercially from now on.

New Zealand’s defence force is struggling with ageing equipment and retaining sufficient personnel. The government has said it would like to spend more on defence but is also trying to reduce spending as the country faces economic headwinds.

T20 World Cup co-hosts and two-time champions West Indies kicked off their campaign on Sunday against minnow Papua New Guinea at the Providence Stadium in Guyana. However, empty stands and lack of buzz was quite evident in the Group C opener. The seats inside the stadium were partially filled with most of the stands being empty and isolated. Reacting to the lack of buzz in the Caribbean nation, fans on social media labelled it as sad and disappointing.

Here’s how social media reacted:

Empty stands in Guyana.

Morning match with high ticketing prices have resulted in less crowds. pic.twitter.com/BbxegLme0m

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) June 2, 2024

The Empty stands at Guyana.

– This is sad to see Empty stadium for the Home team West Indies game in T20 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/MN9ot2TxJ7

— Tanuj Singh (@ImTanujSingh) June 2, 2024

These are empty stands in the West Indies and the home team is playing, and then people say everything is arranged as per Indian audience. pic.twitter.com/DDKadQPYj4

— Div(@div_yumm) June 2, 2024

The Empty stands at Guyana.

– This is sad to see Empty stadium for the Home team West Indies game in T20 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/fPsw63lGmB

— CRICKET FAN (@Rishi174911) June 2, 2024

Guyana empty stands.

A morning match with expensive tickets has drawn fewer spectators. pic.twitter.com/pjO7a0EVJs

— GS SPORTS (@Gssports25) June 2, 2024

There was also a turnout in the opening game between USA and Canada in Dallas. There are still tickets available for the highly expected India-Pakistan game on June 9 in New York, particularly for the Diamond Club, Corner Clubs, and Premium Club Lounge (North) sections.

One of the biggest reasons for this lack of buzz has been the pricing of the tickets.

“I don’t think there is enough buzz for the World Cup here as compared to India, because it hasn’t been marketed as much. I feel they could have done a lot more in terms of build-up. But I am hoping that as the tournament progresses, it will gain more interest. When you travel through areas or via airports, there’s not much buzz or hoardings.” said Prasanna Balakrishnan.

“When you go through an airport in a country hosting a major event like a World Cup, you get to see hoardings or other signs there for it. But I have seen from people travelling for the tournament through their X (formerly Twitter) posts that there hasn’t been much on this front,” he said. “Tournament promotions in the USA have been here and there. It has been decent, but not as much because other than the Asian population over here and in other places, I am not sure if it has reached much.”

“Time will tell about it as there are a few good games in Dallas, New York, and Florida, including matches of USA, Canada, and Nepal as well, and how they are received,” adds Prasanna, who will be present in the stadium to see all of India’s league matches in New York and Florida.

What has also been astonishing is a release from USA Cricket earlier this week saying fans can now secure tickets for the co-hosts’ three home matches (barring the one against India) at a remarkable 25% discount. The move hints at a lack of buzz for the tournament leading to empty seats in stadiums for the matches.

“When the first batch of ticket sales opened, they didn’t allow us to choose seats. Like, they allowed us to choose certain categories like standard, premium, VIP, etc. Only after that, they opened us few seats. We thought they were sold out but were not so.”

(With IANS Inputs)

West Indies vs Papua New GuineaT20 World Cup 2024 Live Score© X (Twitter)