General Election 2022 death toll at 34

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Flashback file pic of violence in PNG’s General Election 2022

General Election 2022 death toll at 34

PORT MORESBY: Three men were shot dead in a clash between the supporters of two candidates at a polling station in Magarima’s Yambaraka on Monday (July 4, 2022).

This bring the death told of General Election 2022 (GE22)-related violence and deaths to 34, as reported by the media.

To date, the following GE22-related violence and deaths have been reported by the media (with many gone unreported):

Ø MAY 20 – Three people, including a child, were injured and three vehicles damaged in Jonita village along the Oro Bay Highway after a candidate had been nominated;

Ø MAY 26 – Two men were shot dead in a clash between supporters of two political parties in Morobe’s Huon Gulf;

Ø MAY 27 – Okapa MP and Energy Minister Saki Okapa and his supporters were attacked, five vehicles burnt;

Ø JUNE 2 - Assassination attempt on Southern region candidate Philemon Embel (People’s National Congress) who was shot at while he was in a moving vehicle;

Ø JUNE 2 – A middle-aged man died after he fell off a vehicle overloaded with political campaign supporters in a rally in Wau;

Ø JUNE 4 – Two brothers, on opposite sides of the political divide, quarreled over the construction of a rally grandstand and one of them was stabbed to death;

Ø JUNE 5 – Enga’s Kompiam-Ambun elections returning officer Beto Pokola was shot and injured in an ambush by gunmen;

Ø JUNE 5 – Four men were killed in volleyball competition, organised by a GE22 candidate, row in East Sepik’s Menga village in Wewak town. In a retaliatory attack, another three were killed;

Ø JUNE 7 – Mt Hagen political supporters, protesting against the appointment of electoral officials, sneaked onto the Kagamuga International Airport in the dark and poured oil on the tarmac, forcing the closure of the airport;

Ø JUNE 10 – Two people were dead, several others critically injured and four vehicles were torched in a clash between rival candidate supporters in Kainantu town.

Ø JUNE 12 - Sixteen people died when an Izuzu truck, overloaded with election campaign supporters, plunged down a cliff on the Tomba Freeway in Western Highlands Nebilyer while on their way with foodstuff to Tambul-Nebilyer MP and Defense Minister Win Bakri Daki’s campaign base.

Ø JUNE 19 – Jason Ivan, 16, was beaten to death at a political rally in Lae over the theft of a packet of cigarettes;

Ø JUNE 19 – A man was critically injured and five people are missing after rival candidate supporters attacked a convoy of vehicles. Morobe Commander Superintendent Jacob Singura said police had arrested four suspects;

Ø JUNE 26: Enga Commander Acting Chief Superintendent George Kakas said Wabag candidate Milfred Wangatau (Independent) was arrested and charged with murder after he allegedly shot dead a man and another was critically injured in a clash between his and Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Dr Lino Tom’s supporters;

Ø JULY 4: One shot dead, several injured in fighting between candidates’ supporters in Hela’s Magarima;

Ø JULY 4: Three men were shot dead in a clash between supporters of two candidates at a polling station in Magarima’s Yambaraka.

The news break was reported by The National:

Three men killed in shooting at polling station, police confirm

POLICE in Hela have confirmed the death of three men after a shooting incident at a polling station in Yambaraka, Magarima, on Monday.
Acting Provincial Police Commander Chief Inspector Robin Bore said the supporters of two candidates had a row over three ballot boxes in the polling area.
“The fight started when supporters of a candidate interrupted the polling and wanted to sign off the three ballot boxes,” he said.
“The supporters were armed.
“When told that the boxes would be signed off at the end of polling, the armed men open fired at the crowd.
“Two people were killed instantly.
“One was badly injured and died on Tuesday.
“Others were injured.”
It is alleged that there was no security personnel in the area when the shooting occurred.
The deaths brings the election-related violence and deaths toll to 31, according to media reports.
Additional security manpower was sent later in the afternoon.
Polling was completed, with ballot boxes sent back to Tari for counting.