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Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O'Neill on Monday said he will not step down amid allegations of corruption following pressure from local influential organisations and university students.
Students have been boycotting classes that the University of Papua New Guinea (UPNG) for nearly two weeks, seeking O'Neill to respect the integrity of his office and step aside for questioning concerning corruption allegations.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) anti-corruption officers have been attempting to arrest Prime Minister Peter O'Neill since 2014 over his role in authorizing a 31 million Australian dollar (22.77 million U.S. dollar) payment to a local law Paul Paraka Lawyers for fraudulent invoices. O'Neill has been challenging the warrant through the courts ever since, while using other means at his disposal through his office to halt the investigation.
O'Neill on Monday continued his refusal to step aside for questioning, instead urging all "privileged" students and future leaders of PNG to return to class, local media reported.
"Do not sacrifice your education and disrespect your parents who invested so much in you. Like my mother did, they too have sacrificed their wellbeing to send you to get educated," O'Neill said.
Legal advocates have claimed PNG is in a constitutional crisis as conflicts between constitutional office holders erupt, including the attempted closure of the anti-fraud squad by the PNG police commissioner and manoeuvring by senior officials to delay and/or complicate court proceedings.
"We've termed it a constitutional crisis and it's something that Papua New Guinea has had before," Transparency International PNG chairman Lawrence Stephens told Australia's national broadcaster.
"It's brought on by people trying to do things with constitutional powers which need to be considered carefully by the courts and it appears to be an assault on democracy, an assault on the constitution."
Local influential organisations have joined the student's chorus in calling for political leaders to address the corruption allegations and to "respect the rule of law."
"If the court processes are being constantly hijacked and interfered with, then our constitution is under attack," Catholic Professionals Society of PNG president Paul Harricknen said.
The PNG Ombudsman Commission has asked political leaders facing criminal charges or legal proceedings to step down and clear their names, or risk further "appropriate action."
PNG Supreme Court Justice Sir Bernard Sakora is facing judicial corruption charges for not disclosing a payment from a company connected to Paul Paraka Lawyers, while attorney general Ano Pala and O'Neill's lawyer are facing charges on separate matters in relation to the legal battle.
