A US-based human rights group, Human Rights Watch, has called on the new Australian government to be more proactive in addressing what it claims is widespread police violence in Papua New Guinea.
The group wrote to Australian prime minister Kevin Rudd last Dec 17 to voice this concern as well as the rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic throughout the country.
Human Rights Watch said in its letter that it welcomed the strong commitment of Australia to continue sustainable development in PNG and to address the country’s rapid increase in HIV/AIDS.
However, it said: “Research by Human Rights Watch showed that police violence in PNG was systemic and widespread, particularly against vulnerable populations such as children, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.
“This violence is having a significant negative impact on the development of a functioning justice system and on the response to the country’s rampant HIV/AIDS epidemic,”the letter said.
Copies of the letter have also been released to the world media, including PNG.
The letter read: “As the largest donor of foreign aid to PNG and given the central role that Australia has played in training and developing the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, the Australian government should be more proactive in addressing widespread police violence.
“To this end, it should:
l Express concern at the highest level over police violence, including torture, rape and excessive force against vulnerable populations such as children, sex workers and men who have sex with men;  
l Call on the Government of Papua New Guinea to ensure that police treatment of all citizens conforms to international human rights standards;  
l Ensure that mechanisms, both internal and external to the PNG police services, are instituted that hold police accountable for any violence committed;  
l Assist local human rights groups and other non-governmental organisations to develop effective independent monitoring of police violence and provide services and support to victims of any such violence; and 
l Support a human rights based approach to HIV/AIDS, which adequately supports and empowers vulnerable populations such as young people, sex workers, and men who have sex with men.”
The letter to Mr Rudd also covered Australian foreign policy with regard to Myanna, China, Indonesia, and PNG and Australian domestic policy on counter-terrorism, refugees, indigenous Australians, and same-sex relationships  
Human Rights Watch is a non-governmental organisation based in New York that monitors and reports on international human rights, refugees in more than 70 countries around the world.