“I condemn the looting and violations that have taken place over the last few weeks in different towns in PNG. Your conduct is appalling. There is no excuse for this type of behavior,” Somare said.
He was out of the country when an anti-Asian protest march in Port Moresby sparked looting in the capital last week. Within days, the looting spread to Lae, Madang, Goroka, Mt Hagen, Wabag and Kundiawa.
Parliament reacted to the unrest by appointing a committee headed by Anglimp-South Waghi MP Jamie Maxtone-Graham to investigate the cause of these attacks.
During debate in Parliament, MPs pointed the finger at themselves and the government for failing to provide opportunities for people to start small businesses.
In a statement, Somare said he was disappointed that Chinese citizens and businesses had been victimized by criminals.
“We live in a country that boasts a strong Constitution with institutions that are in place to deal with allegations of abuse and illegal conduct,” he said.
“It is unacceptable for anyone to take matters into their own hands and victimize others, not to mention stealing their properties through forceful looting. I encourage citizens of this country to be respectful and honorable,” he said.
“We are a people who have no excuse to be racist or to look down on others.”
Referring specifically to the fight in the Ramu nickel mine between PNG and Chinese workers which resulted in some Chinese nationals receiving serious injuries, Somare called for a return to normalcy.
“I urge people of Madang to allow work to proceed at the mine site and if there are grievances please use the appropriate departments to lodge your complaints,” he said.
