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Papua New Guinea’s prime minister sought to tamp down growing national anger and avert a security crisis on Wednesday after soldiers blockaded the country’s main military barracks over allegations of deep-rooted corruption within the armed forces.
The dramatic escalation began Tuesday night when dozens of soldiers formed a blockade around the headquarters of the Papua New Guinea Defense Force (PNGDF) in the capital, Port Moresby. The troops were protesting disciplinary actions taken against military personnel who had blown the whistle on alleged graft and favoritism in the military's recruitment process.
“I call on all personnel currently involved in these activities to immediately cease, return to barracks, and report to their respective commanding officers,” Prime Minister James Marape said in a press release issued Wednesday morning. “Discipline is the foundation of our Defense Force, and any actions that undermine order and stability will not be tolerated.”
Shortly after the prime minister’s plea for calm, the country's military chief, Rear Adm. Philip Polewara, issued a sweeping "close camp" order. The directive tightens security and restricts the movements of soldiers at barracks nationwide for one month. By Wednesday afternoon, the tense blockade around the Murray Barracks had been dismantled.
The controversy at the heart of the unrest began last month when footage of new military recruits surfaced on social media. The videos showed recruits - some noticeably older and less physically fit than standard enlistees - squatting and performing a painful exercise known as a “duck walk.” A subsequent video showed recruits being questioned about their enlistment despite exceeding the military's strict age limits.
The ensuing public outcry prompted allegations that Defense Minister Billy Joseph was directly involved in the irregularities, allegedly favoring recruits from his own political district. Joseph stepped aside earlier this month as the scandal deepened, and Marape announced an independent investigation into the claims.
However, the military's internal response to the leaks sparked further outrage. Four senior officers were discharged after raising concerns over the recruitment irregularities, according to a Friday report by Inside PNG, a member center of OCCRP.
Four additional soldiers working in the PNGDF’s Records Office, which oversees enlistment, were slated to face disciplinary proceedings on Wednesday.
Seeking to defuse the standoff, Marape announced that the military's disciplinary processes would be immediately paused while an independent probe is conducted. An active-duty member of the military, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that Wednesday's scheduled disciplinary proceedings did not go forward.
“All officers are to be considered innocent until the full investigation is completed,” the prime minister said, adding that the inquiry will be led by the country’s chief secretary, supported by the state solicitor and an external team. “Those who have raised concerns through proper channels will be protected.”
While Marape characterized the soldiers participating in the barracks blockade as a small faction conducting an "illegal" roadblock, labor advocates and political opponents painted a different picture.
The Papua New Guinea Trade Union Congress argued that the soldiers involved were not criminals, but whistleblowers acting in the public interest. Opposition leader James Nomane pointed the finger squarely at the government, blaming the blockade on what he described as seven years of sustained political interference within the military ranks.
“An unstable Defense Force is a national security crisis,” Nomane said in a statement posted to social media.
The protesting soldiers have laid out several demands. In addition to a truly independent investigation, they are calling for the removal of the PNGDF’s chief of personnel, the reinstatement of the four discharged officers, the permanent dropping of all disciplinary charges against the whistleblowers, and the dissolution of the current defense council.
The internal crisis arrives at a sensitive moment for the Pacific nation's military. The government is currently in the midst of a major strategic push to nearly double the size of the PNGDF, with plans to expand the force from approximately 4,000 members to 7,000 by 2030.
