Police frequently use excessive force against suspects, causing several deaths in recent years, and abuse detainees and prisoners. In the highlands, police occasionally burn homes to punish crimes committed by individuals, or to punish communities suspected of harboring criminals or participating in tribal warfare, which has killed dozens of people in recent years. The country's two private daily newspapers report freely on official corruption and the Bougainville crisis. The state-run radio's news coverage is generally balanced. There is a private television station.
Nongovernmental organizations are active and outspoken.
In rural areas, foreign logging companies frequently swindle villagers and often renege on promises to build schools and hospitals. Violence and social discrimination against women are serious problems. A report released in December by the Australian aid agency AusAID said the incidence of rape had risen dramatically in recent years, particularly in the highlands where it frequently occurs during tribal fighting. The government has offered them permanent residency, and by October, about 1,000 had accepted the offer. Unions are independent, and workers bargain collectively and stage strikes.