Kenilorea condemns unlawful act by PNG police; probes deployment framework

CHAIRMAN for Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee Hon Peter Kenilorea Jr has condemned recent reports of unlawful actions by the PNG police force in Honiara.

In a statement today, the Member for East Are’Are said the reports of assault and violation of rights of a Solomon Islands citizen by foreign forces on Solomon Islands soil is extremely disturbing and raises major concerns.

“I strongly condemn the unlawful actions by members of the PNG police force which includes, as reported in the media, alleged assault and injury of a citizen of Solomon Islands,” he said.

Hon Kenilorea said the inaction by the RSIPF on the matter also raises a lot of questions.

“Solomon Islands is a sovereign nation and foreign forces must respect our laws and respect our people when they are invited by the government of Solomon Islands to protect the people and property of Solomon Islanders,” he said.

“It is totally unacceptable that these rogue forces are assaulting and harming the very people they were sent to serve and protect,” the Chairman for Parliamentary Foreign Relations Committee said.

Hon Kenilorea said the recent unlawful actions has raised the question of any established legal framework between Solomon Islands and PNG for the deployment of the PNG troops in December last year.

“ The government through the ministry of foreign affairs needs to clearly outline the guidelines that they are engaged under,” he said.

Hon. Kenilorea is aware that the PNG police’s presence in the country is not covered by the provisions and framework of the Security treaty between Solomon Islands and Australia.

“I am aware that the New Zealand and Fijian contingents were invited to participate together with Australia under the provisions of the SI and Australian treaty. I call on the government to clearly inform the public of the arrangement that the PNG police are working under in Solomon Islands,” the MP for East Are’Are said.

He added that, “our sovereignty as a nation has been undermined by the lack of transparency on these arrangements between the governments of both Solomon Islands and PNG”.

Hon Kenilorea said investigations must be carried out and those involved must face the courts and prosecuted under Solomon Islands laws.

“I call on our authorities to prosecute the PNG police officers involved and immediately send back the rest of the PNG contingent. I am sure PNG’s own police command will be extremely disappointed by the reported unlawful actions of their personnel and their willful violation of Solomon Island laws,” he said.

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