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Army on alert
Troops ordered to look out for rouge soldiers
By ANDREW ALPHONSE
THE PNG Defence Force is on the lookout for some unauthorised soldiers,
who are operating in the Highlands, possibly to assist some candidates
win elections.
PNGDF top brass overseeing security operations in the Highlands did not
say how many there were or who they are, but said they were on the
look-out for them.
“We have identified several of our officers already, who are not
authorised to be in this part of the country (Highlands) and we will be
making arrests soon before we go into polling,” PNGDF Joint Forces
commander of the soldiers engaged in the election operations Col Verave
Mae said in a statement issued in Mt Hagen yesterday.
Incidents of soldiers or police personnel operating illegally during
elections are not new. In 1997, a candidate in Enga was accused of
raising an illegal army with the help of some serving PNGDF soldiers.
The soldiers were detained in Wabag by police and other authorised
soldiers. They were charged but their case was thrown out for lack of
evidence more than a year later.
Col Mae yesterday gave his authority to soldiers to arrest and detain
any soldier operating illegally in the region.
He also instructed his men to arrest any civilians wearing
military-issue uniforms.
The military’s joint forces commander’s moves follows past experiences
where military uniforms and unauthorised military personnel were used by
some candidates and their supporters to intimidate voters and hijack
ballot boxes.
“From today onwards, I am giving you (soldiers) the authority to arrest
and detain any soldier who is on leave and is wearing military
uniforms,” Col Mae told troops in Kerewil PNGDF engineering base in Banz
outside Mt Hagen.
The same message was relayed to the troops in parts of Southern
Highlands province.
Col Mae also warned the soldiers engaged in the security operations to
maintain high standard of discipline.
He also urged his men not to provide private security to candidates and
refuse petty bribes at all costs.
 
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