PNG Crisis: O’Neill, Somare Both Claiming to be Legitimate PM

Papua New Guinea was engulfed in a political turmoil on Monday when its Supreme Court ordered the reinstatement of Sir Michael Somare as the prime minister, a post that parliament bestowed earlier to Peter O'Neill. But O'Neill refuses to turn over his post, so the country technically has two leaders.

The Government House in Port Moresby was the scene of tension between the two sides and their respective supporters as O'Neill and 60 MPs forced their way through a barricade by police loyal to Somare. O'Neill wanted Governor-General Sir Michael Ogio to swear him in.

O'Neill declared at the gates of the Government House: "As parliament speaks today, I am the prime minister of the country, and Somare is trying to hijack it with some hooligan policemen."

He was referring to former police commissioner Fred Yakasa, whom Somare reinstated after the Supreme Court issued its decision. O'Neill had replaced Yakasa with his own appointee, Tom Kulunga, when parliament voted him as prime minister on Tuesday.

Ogio talked briefly with O'Neill but begged off from administering the oath, his spokesman said, according to Brisbane Times. Ogio will talk to Somare Thursday to help him decide on the best course of action, O'Neill quoted the Governor-General as telling him.

Meanwhile, Somare is reportedly at the popular Ela Beach Hotel in Port Moresby with his former cabinet ministers as they could not enter government facilities blocked by supporters of O'Neill. His daughter claimed that he had been sworn in at the Government House but this could not be independently verified.

The political crisis started when Somare went to Singapore in March to undergo a heart operation. He returned in September, a month after parliament speaker Jeffrey Nape declared the post of prime minister vacant and MPs elected O'Neill as the new leader on a 69-0 vote. Ogio swore in O'Neill on Aug. 2. On Monday, the Supreme Court voted 3-2 to reinstate Somare as Chief Justice Salamo Injia said he did not resign nor been ruled as medically unfit to govern.