In a parliamentary session, Papua New Guinea's Prime Minister and Treasurer, Hon. James Marape, clarified that the chaos on 'Black Wednesday' was a result of police pay disputes and not military involvement. He responded to impromptu questions from Member for Moresby North East, John Kaupa, regarding the unrest that occurred on January 10. Marape asserted that the incident was not a glitch but rather a case of non-configuration, where public servant salary updates failed, leading to unintended deductions and subsequent protests by police officers who stepped down from work due to pay cuts. Dispelling rumors of military engagement, Marape stated, "Although some members were present, their leadership was not involved, and the Correctional Service members were also not involved." The Prime Minister identified the lack of command as the root cause, stating, "What happened on the 10th of January was an absence of command in the metropolitan command here in the city."
Marape shared his personal involvement in the situation, mentioning, "I was there at the Manasupe Haus when the office was under attack. The defense force wanted to come in and nullify the situation, but I called the Acting Commander and told him we will handle this without calling in the Defence force." He added, "I told them not to come into the crossfire; the police would handle it. Eventually, common sense prevailed, and they withdrew those few who tried to enter Manasupe Haus." Drawing a parallel with the 2021 attack on the White House, Marape emphasized the severity of the situation, stating, "The most secure building on Earth was attacked. We will not take this lightly; we will go on and fix police discipline and soldier discipline." The Prime Minister committed to addressing and rectifying the issues surrounding the unrest to ensure discipline within the police and military forces. Also
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