Celebrating Independence under tight security

THE 47th Independence anniversary celebration in Lae, Morobe will be at Sir Ignatius Kilage Stadium, with tight security due to current ethnic clashes.
Lae independence committee chairman Robin Calistus said because of ethnic clashes happening around the city, they are centralising celebrations at the stadium.
“We will have about 152 police personnel providing security at the stadium,”he said.
“It’s not going to be a big celebration. We are not going to have celebrations in wards. It’s going to be a quiet and small celebration.
“We’re expecting less disturbances during the day because it’s an Independence Day.
“We want people to celebrate independence. It’s a very important day for the country.”
The committee comprised of representatives from government, businesses, PNG Defence Force, Police and Correctional Service.
The acting Lae city authority chief executive officer said it was the day the country got independence.
“We are a sovereign nation. We have to celebrate and not to do things that are not good for people or disturb the celebrations,” he said.
He called on everyone in the city to wear PNG colours tomorrow and no provincial flags.
“We want only PNG and no other provincial flags. Security will remove people with provincial flags.”
Calistus said the flag raising will be at five o’clock in the morning, then the programme proper would begin with marching-in of students from 24 schools, boy scouts, girl guides and soldiers.
Governor Luther Wenge will deliver the independence message, followed by performances from 10 traditional dancing groups.
In the evening, it would be fireworks display at Mt Lunaman and an Independence State dinner at Lae International Hotel.