Polye queries on why Prime Minister Peter O'Neill is turning blind eye on Police brutality

Opposition leader Don Polye queries why Prime Minister Peter O'Neill remains deaf on the Police brutality 

PORT MORESBY: Opposition Leader Don Pomb Polye has queried why the Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has remained deaf on the police brutality in the country.

Mr Polye has urged Mr O’Neill to explain why he has not spoken out publicly on the brutality.

His call comes at a time when many people have become victims of police brutality in the country.

“Almost daily reports describe how people have lost trust in police because of arbitrary brutality. 

“Police brutality events ranging from police fighting over who should drink the beer, burning of houses to bashing and killing of civilians with either no investigations or results are still outstanding years later,” he said.

He said other reports described how police working with forestry developers to attack landowners who have lost their land through the SABL.

He said almost daily letters in the local media described the people’s fear of police brutality, and the antagonism created between police and the community.

Polye said this week in Lae police killed an innocent young man from O’Neill’s Southern Highlands province.

“We need a change in the culture and resources of the Police Force to make it the ally and friend of the law-abiding,” said Mr Polye.

He added another killing of a southern highlander by police during a car-chase in Port Moresby.

“Why is the Prime Minister who is supposed to be at the forefront addressing this issue so silent?

“Why is he giving a cold shoulder at the deaths of his own fellow Southern Highlanders caused by police?” he asked.

Mr Polye has taken both the Prime Minister and his police minister to task over the issue, saying a holistic approach should be taken with legislation and policies to eradicate it once and for all.

“Why are the Prime Minister and his minister shying away when our people are becoming victims of police brutality almost daily?” said Mr Polye.

Meanwhile, the Opposition Leader has also called on the trainers at the Bomana police college to lessen the agony which the trainees undergo during their training sessions.

Instead, he said, more public relations skills should be instilled on them.

“When I spoke with some of the police officers on why there is rife in police brutality, they told me that the agony, which they have gone through at the training drills, attributed to the issue” said Mr Polye.

He said when the Opposition was in power, he would get rid of police brutality once and for all.

“We will enact laws to penalize those involved in committing police brutality for a better PNG,” said Mr Polye.