An alcohol-fueled ethnic clash has resulted in a number of injuries and damages to properties at Morobe’s Wasu station.
A drunken brawl on the night of Saturday, October 16th escalated into an ethnic clash that saw a number of homes and trade stores burnt in retaliation, while a good number of residents suffered injuries.
Police personnel from the Lae Metropolitan Command were brought in on Sunday to contain the situation and look into the matter.
On Friday, October 22nd, Tewai-Siassi MP, Dr Kobby Bomareo, went to Wasu station to speak with his people, where he urged them to respect the rule of law and embrace development initiatives.
“Disla em state property, state land,” he said. (This is state property, state land.)
“Ol man kam lo hia lo mekim wok, mekim sidaun blo ol na seim taim peim teks, sevim kominiti, nid blo yu, wari blo yu, hevi blo yu, em ol disla man ya kontribiut na lukautim yu. (People come here to work, settle, pay tax, serve the community; your needs and problems are met because these people contribute and look after you.)
“Wanpla o tupla binatang nogut i stap. Disla wanpla o tupla binatang nogut em i riflectim femli na sosaiti na kominiti yu kam lo em.” (One or two pests here reflect the family, society and community that they come from.)
Dr Bomareo said Wasu is where residents access services, stressing that the police, who are currently on ground, will narrow down on the perpetrators.
“Na disla tupla or tripla stap insait bai kisim bikpla mekim save,” he said. (We will deal with those two or three perpetrators.)
“Mi nonap givim tu bel lo ol. Ol bai kisim bikpla mekim save! (There will be no mercy. We will deal with them!)
“Ol polis bai pinisim wok blo ol, gavman blo distrik bai halpim ol lo muvim ol disla go lo kalabus stret.” (The district government will help police and we’ll send them to prison.)
Dr Bomareo said police presence will be maintained for a while as they look into resolving other outstanding issues as well.
“Taim ol polis askim yupla lo raitim ol leta o statement, cooperate. Bikpla failure sa kamap lo yumi kominiti tu.” (When police ask you to write a statement, cooperate. We, the community, also fail on our part.)