Posted: 22 September 2022| Region: Asia Pacific | Category: Analysis
Authors: Regina Chung; Laura Sorica; Elliott Bynum; Josh Satre
Violence targeting civilians in Papua New Guinea rose in the lead-up to and during the campaign, voting, and vote counting periods for the country’s recent national elections. When voting began on 4 July, mob violence at polling stations became deadly amid allegations of voter fraud, missing ballots, and disputed counting. With a decentralized political system that contributes to clientelism, long-standing communal and clan conflicts also reignited during the elections.
Regina Chung is the East Asia Pacific Assistant Research Manager at ACLED and has been with the organization since January 2020. She currently reviews data, contributes analytical content, and assists with managing the East Asia Pacific desk. She holds an MA in Global Justice from the University of Sheffield and an MA in Post-war Recovery Studies from the University of York. Before joining ACLED, she was a journalist, researcher and humanitarian aid worker working with different non-profit organizations, universities, and media.
Laura Sorica is a Research Manager at ACLED's East Asia Pacific desk and has been with the organization since August 2019. She is currently overseeing political violence and protests in the East Asia Pacific region, including in Japan, Taiwan, Mongolia, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, East Timor and throughout Oceania. Laura holds an MA in International and Advanced Japanese Studies and two BAs, one in Political Science and one in Linguistics. Her previous experiences include working in the private sector, the Romanian Embassy in Tokyo, and as an academic researcher in Japan working on security policy.
Josh Satre is a Research Analyst at ACLED and has been with the organization since August 2020. He supports the organization by providing quantitative analysis and producing data visualizations for ACLED. Josh holds an MA in Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration with a concentration in quantitative methods from the Josef Korbel School at the University of Denver and a BA in Political Science from Swarthmore College. Josh has over six years of experience working with different non-profit organizations.
