District superintendent Silva Sika made the appeal following an increase in ethnic clashes within the city in recent weeks. It follows officers from a police station trying to break up a mass brawl in the city centre.

 

The fight was started after it was reported that four men boarded a taxi driven by an Eastern Highlander and at the destination the men allegedly attacked the taxi driver.

 

In mid-February it was reported that violent crime in Port Moresby had changed from organised armed robbery and carjacking incidences to ethnic clashes over the last five years.

 

This was said by NCD assistant police commissioner Anthony Wagambie, who warned that ethnic clashes were expected to spill over into Central Province due to the strong migration of people into the NCD.

 

"There has been a substantial influx of people into NCD and slowly into Central Province. 

 

"People are moving to the city for various reasons. Whether it be for better accessibility of services, education, employment opportunities or even escaping from tribal conflicts especially from Highland region to name a few. This is affecting all government and municipal services including police.

 

"The biggest concern confronting the city now is the ever-persistent threat of ethnic violence. About five years ago, the policing trend in the city was different, where organised crime gangs were actively operating. 

 

"An average of four or five robberies and motor vehicle thefts were reported across the city per day, until the introduction of the Zone Policing concept in 2017.

 

"The creation of the NCD Sector Patrol Fox units specifically confined to the three electorates of NCD effectively reduced the rate of robberies and motor vehicle thefts to about one or two a week," Wagambie said.