Papua New Guinea police have admitted during a parliamentary hearing that, despite ongoing efforts by law enforcement, it is “highly unlikely” that all illegal firearms in the Highlands region will be collected before the 2027 National General Election (GE27).
Speaking to the “Special Parliamentary Committee on the 2022 National General Election,” Assistant Commissioner of Police (Operations) Julius Tasion revealed that previous attempts to retrieve illegal weapons in the Highlands were met with strong resistance from local communities.
“It’s not easy to enter these areas and remove firearms,” he said. “We must understand that local social norms have changed.”
He further explained, “At the village level, when someone becomes a ‘leader,’ they possess firearms. Village leaders use guns to defend their land or community.”
In response to committee chairman Bird’s inquiry about security preparations for the upcoming election, Tasion said the police have begun planning and started procuring some necessary resources. “We’ve already started taking action, but I believe we are still in the early stages. So far, we’ve procured around 120 police vehicles, which have been distributed across the provinces.”
Director of the Commissioner’s Office and Chief Superintendent Kyle Saltmarsh highlighted the normalization of firearm and ammunition use as a persistent challenge for law enforcement.
“Ammunition and firearms are flowing across international borders,” he said. “Guns are only effective when there’s ammunition.”
Saltmarsh also noted that some individuals continue to illegally purchase ammunition in cities like Port Moresby, a problem that has not seen significant improvement over the past four years. “Despite police strictly enforcing the Firearms Act, illegal ammunition trade and abuse remain serious issues. The widespread presence of firearms has led to multiple casualties, which the police take very seriously,” he added.
