19 dead in tribal war, is it worth it?

 News that matter in Papua New Guinea

Armed policemen keeping a close watch to calm the tensions of villagers armed with bush knives, bows and arrows. 

19 dead in tribal war, is it worth it?

PORT MORESBY: Two tribes, Tapo and Agarabi, in Eastern Highlands’ Kainantu were on their way to sign a peace agreement when they started fighting on Thursday morning.

The suspicious and jittery tribesmen had reacted to a commotion caused by two women quarreling and fighting over a domestic matter.

They armed themselves with hand grenades, firearms, bush knives, bows and arrows and fought for two days (Thursday April 8 and Friday April 9, 2021), leaving a trail of 19 bodies.

 

The warring tribesmen appeared to have resolved a dispute over land which they had been fighting since February.

However, clearly, though they had agreed to settle the dispute with the signing of a peace agreement, the tension broke the camel’s back, so to speak.

Are the deaths worth the fight? Can’t such a dispute be settled civilly and legally?

PNG Cyber Monitor reproduces below the details of the deadly tribal war as reported by The National:

19 dead in tribal war

April 12, 2021The NationalMain Stories

One of the homes burned down during the fight. Properties that have been damaged have yet to be accounted for as police try to make their way into the fighting zone.

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
NINETEEN people are dead after two days of intense fighting between Tapo and Agarabi clans in Eastern Highlands’ Kainantu on Thursday morning.
The deadly tribal war was triggered by a quarrel and fighting by two women in front of the district office.
The warring tribes were on their way to the office to sign a peace agreement when the women started quarrelling over a domestic matter.
The commotion raised by the women sent the suspicious and jittery tribesmen into fighting mode.
In response to a call for assistance by commander Supt Michael Welly, Police Comm David Manning issued a directive for a unit from the Northern Mobile Group (NMG) to rush to Goroka to help police in Kainantu.
Supt Welly told The National that the clans battled for two days and only stopped to observe their Sabbaths on Saturday and Sunday.
The police reinforcements led by Northen ACP Peter Guinness arrived in Goroka on Friday and headed straight to the tribal battleground.
Supt Welly said: “A fight broke out on Thursday when the two clan groups were on their way to the district office to sign a peace agreement after weeks of negotiations brokered by the District Peace Negotiation Team over previous fights in late February and early March.
“Whilst both factions were approaching the office, two women started fighting on the main road near the office over a domestic issue.
“It triggered the fight between the two warring tribe members who were feeling suspicious and jittery over the sensitivity of the signing.
“Both sides started attacking one another, thinking their enemies had started fighting again.”
“The warring tribesmen then ran away to arm themselves with weapons hidden somewhere nearby and started sporadic fighting for two days (Thursday and Friday,” he said, adding that hand grenades and firearms were used with bush knives, bows and arrows.
So far, police have recovered 19 bodies and perhaps more that are still in the jungle.
Supt Welly said a section plus (15 men) from NMG was deployed from Lae on Friday and currently holding ground in Kainantu with their group commander.

A member of the Northern Mobile Group police unit in Kainantu. – Picture supplied by EHP police

He said no clashes were reported on Saturday and Sunday as the two clans observed Sabbath (a day of religious observance and abstinence from work, kept by Jewish people from Friday evening to Saturday evening, and by most Christians on Sunday).
Supt Welly said the situation remained tense and police had yet to make any arrests.
“Business houses have been affected by the fight, with many residents living around the fighting zone fleeing to safety.
“Only a few people have ventured into town to get supplies,” he added.

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