Soldiers and police patrolled the streets of the Papua New Guinea capital on Friday, a day after the southwest Pacific nation declared a state of emergency in response to widespread rioting during which at least 22 people reportedly died.

The unrest in Port Moresby has largely subsided, reports say, after Prime Minister James Marape announced a 14-day state of emergency and suspended several public officials. The move followed Wednesday’s public sector pay protest, which spiralled into clashes and looting.

“Breaking the law does not achieve certain outcomes,” Marape said in a national address as he declared the state of emergency on Thursday. The PM added that the situation was “still tense,” even after the chaos had largely died down. He also blamed social media “misinformation” for much of the disorder.

Papua New Guinea’s finance minister and its police commissioner were among those to have been placed on suspension by Marape’s government – though it was added that the measure “in no way indicates their involvement in matters of concern.”

Shops were ransacked and buildings set ablaze during the rioting, which occurred after police and other public servants went on strike on Wednesday over a pay cut of up to 50%, which government officials later blamed on an administrative error. Marape has said that the glitch will be corrected in next month’s paychecks.

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