Papua New Guinea declares state of emergency after 15 killed in rioting

YEREVAN, JANUARY 11, ARMENPRESS.A state of emergency has been declared in Papua New Guinea's capital after at least 15 people were killed in rioting.

More than 1,000 troops are on standby "to step in wherever necessary", Prime Minister James Marape said on Thursday, reports BBC.

Shops and cars were torched and supermarkets looted after police went on strike on Wednesday over a pay cut the authorities say was a mistake.

The unrest was triggered after police and other public servants staged a protest strike outside parliament on Wednesday, after discovering that their wages had been reduced by up to 50% in their latest pay cheques.

According to the source, in response, Mr Marape said the pay cut was an error due to a computer glitch - which had deducted up to $100 (£78) from the pay cheques of public servants. He said the administrative error would be corrected in next month's payments.

But this answer was not accepted by many protesters.