By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
THE Papua New Guinea Defence Force is investigating the riot in Daru that was caused by soldiers for allegedly killing a man in Western Province, Papua New Guinea Defence Force Commander Major General Mark Goina says.
The riot by Daru Town residents led to the ransacking of the military outpost. The rioters also destroyed sensitive military intelligence report of movement of illegal activities along the PNG-Indonesian – Australian borders.
“We are now conducing Investigation and a Colonel has been tasked to conduct investigation. We will look at all the processes of who authorized them (soldiers) to go and assist the Police. We will look at all the processes and if the processed were complied with,” Mr Goina said.
Mr Goina said that after Daru Town residences rampaged and destroyed the PNGDF outpost in Daru last week.
The residence rampaged and destroyed the post after solider allegedly killed a man. The man was accused of having martial affairs with a married woman. The husband instead of seeking help from the police to investigate the alleged adulterous affairs, ended up engaging the soldiers to investigate the affairs. The soldiers went to arrest the man and a fight broke out of which the soldiers allegedly bashed the man to death. The town resident then mobilised and went to the military outpost, ransacked it and destroying important documents that contain intelligence report of military information along the PNG-Indonesia and Australian Border.
The Daru military outpost is the supply outpost that supply food and other logistics support for soldiers patrolling the international border. That post is manned by the logistic units from Murray Barracks. The soldiers patrolling the border are based at the Weam military outpost in Morehead District. Weam is about 300kms away from Daru and their food supplies are transported by boat from Daru to Weam. And soldiers patrolling the border are from the infantry battalion from Taurama Barracks
