Tensions remain high. Photo: Supplied
A clan, home to two alleged illegal miners who were killed after a clash with Porgera mine security in Papua New Guinea, has dug up the National Highway.
The road, which leads to Porgera, has been blocked by the Sakar tribe in response to the deaths on Sunday.
Porgera has been under a state of emergency since September of last year in response to ongoing violence between illegal miners and local landowners.
Joseph Tondop, the state of emergency controller, has since ordered the Sakar tribe to repair the highway to its original condition.
RNZ Pacific correspondent in PNG Scott Waide said illegal mining at the site had been a problem for "many, many years".
He said that despite there being some pockets of escalation at the moment tensions will likely drop but the sentiments and the anger will linger.
"It's a long-standing problem; the root causes of these still have not been resolved."
Waide said an agreement has been signed between the clans, the mine, and police, which prohibits the tribes from entering the site.
"One of the clans breached that agreement and entered the mine, dozens of them went into the mine site, and two of them were killed.
"We're not too sure how they were killed the circumstances haven't been stated very clearly."
Waide said there's "a lot of chatter" between the opposition and government.
"The opposition's come out stating that the government needs to take control of the situation. The Prime Minister has also released a statement saying the issue shouldn't be politicised."
Waide said there has always been an ongoing debate about whether shooting illegal miners is justified.
"Over the last 20 years since the operation of Porgera began there's always been this controversy around illegal miners being shot at, illegal miners being killed and that has lingered on," he said.
In a statement released on Sunday night, Papua New Guinea Police Commissioner David Manning said a group of illegal miners attempted to breach restricted areas of the mine and fired on security personal.
"During the attempted incursion into the restricted area of the Porgera facility, armed illegal miners discharged firearms at security personnel," Manning said.
"Security forces responded as expected, in defence of critical infrastructure and personnel."
