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Source: Reuters -
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Papua New Guinea has sent police reinforcements to several
highland towns to protect Chinese-run businesses after a wave of
looting in recent days, police said.
Looters have attacked Chinese businesses since last Wednesday, as a
wave of anti-Chinese sentiment spread across the South Pacific
island nation.
An anti-Asian immigration march in the capital Port Moresby last
week sparked the rioting, with many Papua New Guineans blaming the
Chinese for their poor standard of living and unfair business
practices, said local newspapers.
Claims of a rise in Chinese organised crime and corruption
involving PNG officials has also added to community anger.
Police said some of the latest attacks were probably not
anti-Chinese but purely criminal acts.
"We've increased the police presence in the main centres where we
expect that incidents might occur," police spokesman Dominik Kakas
told New Zealand Radio International.
"We've got additional manpower there to monitor the situation,
that's in Madang, Kainantu, Goroka, and the NCD (capital Port
Moresby)," he said.
Kakas said the situation was under control in Port Moresby and Lae
and many Chinese businesses have re-opened.
PNG's police commissioners were not available for comment.
The National newspaper said police had gone on high alert in Mount
Hagen to stop the anti-Asian attacks.
The newspaper said hundreds of looters attacked Chinese-owned
shops in Madang on Saturday and Sunday.
The Chinese Association in Papua New Guinea said anger against the
Chinese community was a result of unscrupulous Chinese businessmen
in the country.
"Rogue Chinese...are responsible for creating disharmony between
our two people. They should be blamed for the riots," an
association spokesman told The National newspaper on Monday.
"Chinese citizens who break the law must face the consequences,"
said the unnamed spokesman.
A mountainous nation of some 6 million people north of Australia,
Papua New Guinea is rich in a variety of minerals and other
resources but has significant crime problems.
About 85% of its people eke out subsistence lifestyles in
jungle-clad mountain villages.
Last week, construction of a $2.8 billion nickel mine and
processing plant was temporarily stopped after a fight between
about 70 Papua New Guinean and Chinese workers.
The fighting broke out between workers and villagers angry at
Chinese managers over an industrial accident.
The project is majority-owned by state-owned China Metallurgical
Construction Group Corp. Local workers protested last year over
working conditions at the remote site.
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