Forced Evictions in Port Moresby Ignite Outcry After Brutal and gang Rape

PNG Police Demolish Homes in Brutal Crackdown Following Woman’s Rape and Murder

Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea – In a shocking display of force, Papua New Guinea police used heavy machinery to raze homes in the Baruni squatter settlement in Port Moresby following the brutal rape and murder of a woman. The operation, which involved excavators tearing through the settlement, left a trail of destruction, with some houses set ablaze as fences and trees were violently destroyed.

The devastating act followed the abduction of a woman from a nearby housing estate. According to Assistant Commissioner for Police, NCD/Central, Ben Turi, the woman was viciously attacked by a gang of approximately 30 individuals, suffering beatings, rape, and multiple slash wounds before her body was discovered in nearby grassland.

Police, believing the perpetrators to be residents of Baruni, launched the demolition operation as part of their manhunt. This, however, is not an isolated incident. Baruni, and other settlements on the city’s outskirts, have repeatedly faced similar forceful evictions following accusations of criminal activity.

The 2009 murder of prominent businessman Sir George Constantinou near the Tete settlement resulted in a similar, devastating demolition. While some Tete residents were arrested in connection with the murder, the eviction displaced countless families, a pattern tragically repeated numerous times.

Since 2020, over 20,000 people have been evicted from various Port Moresby settlements, including seven major evictions – six court-ordered and one police-led following a surge in crime. The July 2024 eviction at the Bush Wara settlement, displacing up to 5,000 people, highlighted the urgent need for long-term resettlement solutions, a plea echoed by numerous advocacy groups.

The Baruni demolition raises serious questions about the effectiveness and ethical implications of such heavy-handed tactics. While addressing crime is crucial, the destruction of homes and displacement of innocent families casts a long shadow, raising concerns about human rights violations and the lack of sustainable solutions for the city’s growing squatter population. The cycle of demolition and resettlement continues, leaving many questioning whether this approach truly addresses the root causes of crime and poverty in Port Moresby. The urgent need for a more comprehensive and humane approach to addressing both crime and the housing crisis in Papua New Guinea is undeniable.

In a breakthrough in one of the country’s most horrifying murder cases, authorities have apprehended nine additional suspects linked to the brutal rape and killing of 32-year-old Margaret Gabriel. The arrests, which now total twelve, follow a sweeping investigation aided by Australian forensic experts, signaling a decisive move toward justice in a nation grappling with a gender-based violence epidemic.

Papua New Guinea is grappling with the aftermath of the horrific rape and murder of Margaret Gabriel, 32, whose abduction from her home in Port Moresby’s Watermark Estate sparked nationwide outrage. In a significant development, Police Commissioner David Manning announced the arrest of nine more suspects, bringing the total number in custody to twelve. These arrests, the result of a two-week investigation aided by Australian Federal Police (AFP) forensic experts, mark a crucial step in bringing those responsible to justice.

The brutal attack, involving over 20 armed men, ignited a firestorm of public protest and renewed calls for stronger protections for women and swifter justice in gender-based violence cases. Commissioner Manning emphasized the crucial role of forensic evidence in securing convictions, stating that “DNA evidence and fingerprints are conclusive… affording irrefutable evidence.” The AFP’s contribution, he highlighted, underscores a strengthening partnership and the integration of advanced investigative techniques into PNG’s justice system.

This case tragically underscores the pervasive issue of gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea. A 2023 UN report revealed the staggering statistic that over two-thirds of women in the country experience physical or sexual abuse in their lifetime. The lack of forensic resources and slow judicial processes have historically hindered prosecutions, a challenge that PNG is actively addressing through increased international collaboration, including the ongoing forensics program with Australia. While the arrests offer a glimmer of hope, the fight for justice and an end to gender-based violence in Papua New Guinea continues. The nation awaits the outcome of the investigation and the subsequent trial, hoping for a resolution that brings some measure of closure to Margaret Gabriel’s family and sends a clear message that such violence will not be tolerated.

Beyond the Bulldozers: Unpacking Papua New Guinea’s Urban Crisis

The recent demolition of homes in Port Moresby’s Baruni settlement, a brutal response to a horrific crime, exposes a deeper, more systemic crisis in Papua New Guinea: the complex interplay of colonial legacy, inadequate governance, and a desperate struggle for affordable housing. The bulldozers may have cleared the land, but they haven’t addressed the underlying issues fueling the cycle of violence and displacement.

The story begins long before the recent tragedy. In the 1960s, the colonial government established planned settlements for migrant workers, anticipating their eventual return to their villages. However, the allure of urban life led many to remain, creating a foundation for the sprawling, unplanned settlements that now characterize Port Moresby.

Papua New Guinea’s independence in 1975 inherited this complex legacy. The National Research Institute (NRI) highlights the subsequent shifting of responsibility for settlements among government departments, a transfer often devoid of the necessary financial resources. This bureaucratic shuffle left a vacuum, allowing unplanned settlements to mushroom on the city’s edges as residents, desperate for housing, took matters into their own hands.

The consequences are stark. By the late 1980s, the quality of life in Port Moresby’s planned settlements had significantly deteriorated. Today, the NRI estimates that at least half of Port Moresby’s population resides in these often overcrowded and underserved areas.

The problem isn’t simply a lack of housing; it’s a profound affordability crisis. Soaring rental costs force many employed residents to purchase land from customary landowners, a process often fraught with complexities and potential for exploitation. While government initiatives aim to make home loans more accessible, these efforts often fall short, leaving low-income earners unable to meet stringent bank requirements.

This leaves a large segment of the population, particularly the unemployed, vulnerable and residing in settlements like Baruni, Tete, and Bush Wara – areas where crime is rampant. The recent tragedy in Baruni is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a much larger malaise. The demolition, while seemingly a swift response to violence, ultimately fails to address the root causes: poverty, lack of opportunity, and inadequate housing.

The solution, therefore, requires a multifaceted approach. It demands a critical examination of land ownership laws, a commitment to affordable housing initiatives tailored to low-income earners, and a comprehensive strategy for urban planning that prioritizes the needs of its most vulnerable citizens. Simply demolishing settlements without providing alternative housing and addressing the underlying social and economic issues only perpetuates a cycle of violence and displacement. The government must move beyond reactive, heavy-handed measures and embrace a proactive, long-term strategy that tackles the root causes of this complex urban crisis. The future of Port Moresby, and indeed Papua New Guinea, hinges on its ability to do so.