Eastern Highlanders want emergency imposed in Kainantu to save lives and property

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Armed police presence have stopped the tribal fighting, for now.

Eastern Highlanders want emergency imposed in Kainantu to save lives and property

PORT MORESBY: Heavy police presence have stopped the blood and deadly tribal fighting between two clans in Eastern Highlands’ Kainantu.

The locals have claimed that more bodies have been recovered along the river banks since the two-day fighting on April 15 and 16 that claimed 19 lives.

They claim that the death toll has risen to 38 and the Port Moresby-based Kainantu Emergency Working Committee team leader Samuel Uge said they were petitioning to the Government to impose a State of Emergency (SoE) in Kainantu to stop the fighting and to save lives and properties.

More details were reported by The National:

Police stop fighting

April 21, 2021The NationalMain Stories

Donald Yamasombi

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA and KELVIN JOE
POLICE remain on alert although two clans involved in violence resulting in the loss of lives and properties in Kainantu, Eastern Highlands, have stopped fighting.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations Donald Yamasombi told The National that the situation on the ground remained tense and the heavy police presence would remain in the area until calm and peace were restored.
“The situation in Kainantu is tense and we have the Mobile Squad 13 from Lae and Mobile Squad 1 from McGregor in Kainantu there ensuring that there is no more fighting,” he said.
“We know there have been threats made because of the lives lost and the properties damaged so police continue to keep a presence in the area.”
On a call by Eastern Highlanders in Port Moresby that the Government declare a state of emergency (SOE), Yamasombi said a proper assessment of the situation on the ground had to be conducted first, processes and procedures followed before the Government could call for one.
“Before a SOE can be declared, a proper assessment must be done on the situation on the ground,” he said.
“From there, the provincial law and order committee has to discuss the assessment.
“It is then passed to the Minister for Inter-Government Relations who then takes it up to Parliament.”
The Eastern Highlanders in Port Moresby want the Government to stop the tribal fighting between two clans which had claimed the lives of up to 38.
Kainantu Emergency Working Committee team leader Samuel Uge said people’s lives were at stake and there was an urgent need for the Government to help restore peace, law and order.
He said the fighting was between Tapo and Kainava clans. But provincial police commander Supt Michael Welly told The National last night that it was between the Tapo and Agariba clans.
Uge said the elites and people of Kainantu and Eastern Highlands living in Port Moresby wanted the Government to impose the SOE to save lives, properties and Government institutions. “Our petition is calling for the declaration of Kainantu as a fighting zone and imposition of a SOE in and around Kainantu town,” he said.
“We want the Government to engage civil society, churches and international humanitarian organisations to intervene and the MPs and Governor Peter Numu to continue funding the forces in operation and set up a permanent police mobile squad unit in Kainantu.”
The most recent clashes between the two tribes were on April 15 and 16 when 19 people died.

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