Lae metropolitan commander Nema Mondiai said he did not know the cause of the melee but ordered police onto the scene following the first riot at the Lae market.
Just after 9 a.m., a Chinese shop near the Bank South Pacific branch was attacked by youths claiming that the shop owner should not be operating in the country and the business was restricted to Papua New Guineans.
The shop closed before any damage could be done and its hired security guards alerted police and newspapers.
One youth was reportedly chopped to death and another hospitalized in an attempted break-in of a Chinese shop at the main market area.
Before 10 a.m., all shops, Chinese and local, all over the city were forced to close in fear of being looted. There were no PMVs, no motor vehicles, but thousands of human traffic.
As the riots gained momentum, members of the mob were seen and heard calling their friends and relatives on cell phones to come into the city from Kamkumung, West Taraka, Buimo and Bundi Camp, Papuan Compound, Tais, Bumbu and the Miles areas.
The Momase police mobile unit responded and set up surveillance with the help of several major security firms to control the situation.
Using cell phones, the youths, who were also engaged by small Chinese shops to sell cheap items at bargain-basement prices on the streets, gathered, mobilized and attacked. They rushed into the shops and grabbed tills and items of their choice. The guards were left helpless.
Police arrived immediately and fired tear gas and warning shots to disperse the rioters. Stubborn rioters were thrashed with vehicle fan belts and batons.
Mondiai noted: “It was the first of its kind that the city experienced mob looting that struck three major shopping areas at once.” He said he was baffled about the motive. He did not know who the organizers were.
Word on the streets was that the incident was sparked by a protest march in the National Capital District last week in which youths had wanted to petition NCD Gov. Powes Parkop over restrictions on foreigners operating small businesses.
Mondiai warned other provincial centers to take precautionary measures and monitor their areas.
Some youths, who requested anonymity, said: “We are frustrated with small Asian shops sprouting unnecessarily, selling cheap items around the city.
“Who is allowing these Asians to come into our country and own small businesses which should be owned by Papua New Guineans?
“Even they do businesses here (in Lae) using cheap items, ripping us off and invest our money back in their countries.”
They said they were tired of the Chinese and did not care about the police. They wanted Morobe Gov. Luther Wenge to go to court and remove all Asians.
