The Papua New Guinea Works Minister Francis Awesa says the country risks disintegrating into small fragmented ethnic groupings controlled by illegally armed warlords.
The minister was speaking after the violent death of a student on the Lae campus of the University of Technology.
He said citizens should rise to protect the Constitution and its provisions that promote and guarantee national unity.
PNG Works Minister, Francis Awesa. Photo: EMTV
The Post Courier reports Mr Awesa re-iterating an earlier call that state agencies and institutions must do their utmost to protect and uphold the laws.
He cited the UNITECH administration and police for not taking proactive action such as putting officers on to the campus to protect lives and property.
Mr Awesa says this led to the tense situation deteriorating resulting in the death of a young student from his electorate.
He said since both the UNITECH administration and the Lae police hierarchy failed to respond appropriately he has repeated his call for them to be replaced.