PNG police protect Chinese shops from looters

PORT MORESBY, May 18 (Reuters) - Papua New Guinea has sent police reinforcements to several highland towns to protect Chinese-run businesses after a wave of looting in recent days, police said on Monday.

Looters have attacked Chinese businesses since last Wednesday, as a wave of anti-Chinese sentiment spread across the South Pacific island nation.

An anti-Asian immigration march in the capital Port Moresby last week sparked the rioting, with many Papua New Guineans blaming the Chinese for their poor standard of living and unfair business practices, said local newspapers. [ID:nSYD472356]

Claims of a rise in Chinese organised crime and corruption involving PNG officials has also added to community anger.

Police said some of the latest attacks were probably not anti-Chinese but purely criminal acts.

"We've increased the police presence in the main centres where we expect that incidents might occur," police spokesman Dominik Kakas told New Zealand Radio International.

"We've got additional manpower there to monitor the situation, that's in Madang, Kainantu, Goroka, and the NCD (capital Port Moresby)," he said.

Kakas said the situation was under control in Port Moresby and Lae and many Chinese businesses have re-opened.

PNG's police commissioners were not available for comment.

The National newspaper said police had gone on high alert in Mount Hagen to stop the anti-Asian attacks. The newspaper said hundreds of looters attacked Chinese-owned shops in Madang on Saturday and Sunday.

The Chinese Association in Papua New Guinea said anger against the Chinese community was a result of unscrupulous Chinese businessmen in the country.

"Rogue Chinese...are responsible for creating disharmony between our two people. They should be blamed for the riots," an association spokesman told The National newspaper on Monday.

"Chinese citizens who break the law must face the consequences," said the unnamed spokesman.

A mountainous nation of some 6 million people north of Australia, Papua New Guinea is rich in a variety of minerals and other resources but has significant crime problems.

About 85 percent of its people eke out subsistence lifestyles in jungle-clad mountain villages.

Last week, construction of a $1.7 billion nickel mine and processing plant was temporarily stopped after a fight between about 70 Papua New Guinean and Chinese workers. [ID:nSYD391382]