Pacific / Papua New Guinea

Bougainville's Asian owned stores looted

17:35 pm on 23 April 2018

Hundreds of people in Papua New Guinea's Bougainville looted goods from two shops owned by Asians in the capital Buka on Friday.

Photo: manganganath/123RF

Loop PNG reported the looting was in protest at the sale of goods that bore images of the 'Upe', which is revered in the Wakunai region of Bougainville.

The Upe headress was worn by young men when they are initiated into adulthood, the website said.

Women were not allowed to wear Upe yet its image had been printed on clothing, including underwear, it said.

One of the stores was reportedly stripped of its produce and its windows were smashed.

Loop PNG said it understood Bougainville president John Momis convened an emergency session of parliament to address the matter.