Papua New Guinea police illegally evicted families at gunpoint and burned down their homes alongside a large gold mine in the country's remote highlands, Amnesty International said in a new report.
The motive for the alleged violence by police was not clear, although the government ordered extra police into the region last year after reporting a surge in violent crime and tribal fighting.
The Amnesty report released Tuesday said that between April and July last year police raided areas adjacent to the Porgera Gold Mine and forcibly evicted families from their homes before setting the structures on fire. At least 130 buildings were burned down, the London-based rights group said.
Many residents reported getting no forewarning of the raids, and were unable to remove their belongings before their homes were set ablaze, Amnesty said. The families — including children, pregnant women and the elderly — had no alternative housing made available for them by the government.
"Instead of being able to rely on the police to protect them, people who were living next to the mine's facilities have been the victims of human rights violations by police who illegally burnt down their houses and destroyed their belongings and gardens," Amnesty's Shanta Martin said.
The Porgera Joint Venture, which is 95 percent owned by Canada-based Barrick Gold Corp., supplies accommodation, food and fuel to police in exchange for security in the remote area under an agreement the company has said was conditional on police abiding by national laws and international standards.
Amnesty said the company should have reported the police eviction activity to Papua New Guinea authorities as soon as company officials became aware of it, but instead had supported the police.
Barrick said it was not informed in advance of the police operation, and did not request the destruction of any structures. The company added that law and order has been largely restored as a direct result of the police deployment.
Barrick rejected Amnesty's claims that company officials acted inadequately, saying their personnel immediately communicated with police authorities and community leaders after learning of the evictions, and had acted in good faith.
Barrick said Amnesty's report did not take into account social and other issues such as clan rivalries that contribute to crime in the region.
"These omissions raise serious questions about the adequacy and objectivity of (Amnesty's) investigation and analysis," Barrick said in a statement.
Acting police Divisional Commander Thomas Eluh told The Associated Press by telephone he was new in the position and could not comment on the Amnesty claims. Other police officials did not immediately respond.
Amnesty initially raised concerns about evictions near the mine in May last year, and Barrick dismissed the complaints saying the buildings destroyed were temporary shacks used by a traveling population.
Amnesty said it investigated the claims over the following months, inspecting the scene and held 27 meetings with more than 180 people, and found that some of the buildings destroyed were solidly constructed permanent homes.
Barrick said it will fully cooperate with the Papua New Guinea government if they open an investigation.
