Papua New Guinea - February 2024

At least 64 people were killed in intertribal violence in Papua New Guinea’s Enga Province in mid-February. The violence confirmed so far marks the deadliest such outbreak in recent years, which Enga Governor Peter Ipatas attributed to a long period of escalation that was “probably the biggest tribal fight we’ve ever had.” The specific cause of this outbreak of violence remains unclear. The violence is one of several overlapping crises in the country, including a year-long fuel shortage and ongoing efforts to remove Prime Minister James Marape via a vote of no confidence for his government’s alleged failure to maintain public order.

Sources: Radio New Zealand (1), Radio New Zealand (2), Radio New Zealand (3), International Crisis Group, ReliefWeb, Papua New Guinea Post-Courier