The Huon Gulf district administration is working to resolve years of conflict in Morobe Rural LLG.
Fighting resumed last year over land issues, claiming two lives, injuring countless others and destroying many more homes and gardens.
In a first-of-its-kind move, the Huon Gulf district administration brought over 15 representatives to Lae. The reps, handpicked by the community in the Morobe Rural LLG, had a meeting with the administration today to find a way to resolve the decades of land conflicts that have claimed lives and properties.
The current confrontation is between the wards of Maiama, Amoa and Zinamba. With land boundaries constantly being moved, fighting erupted last year between Maiama and Zinamba. When a young man from Amoa was killed in the clash, his people joined in, displacing the people of Zinamba by razing their houses to the ground. The elderly and the sick are living in the bushes, with no way of seeking medical help as they fear retaliation if they are out in the open.
During the meeting with Huon Gulf District Administrator (DA), Andrew Namuesh, the leaders - five from each affected ward - agreed that peace must prevail and wished for normalcy to return. As it is, they cannot access medical help, their children cannot go to school and they get attacked when in the garden or out fishing.
“For Amoa, two men have already died,” said the councillor for Amoa, Awi Gutai.
“We did not intend to fight. We figured that since Maiama food gardens were located at Het Wara when fighting started, they were unable to access them. They appealed to Amoa for help so one of our boys went; he was part Maiama. When he was there, fighting broke out again and he joined in. That was when he was killed. When the Amoa people saw this, they retaliated and burnt houses at Agama Bay.
“I stopped that fight so that the government can come in and mediate for peace between the people of Amoa, Zinamba and Maiama.
“However, last year, they cut all our coconut trees, burnt some houses, and held up villagers who were out fishing and because of that, fighting resumed. And a second Amoa was killed.
“Zinamba is like a little brother to us. Back in the days of our forefathers, he was our small brother. We lived together. The youths of today have spoilt that relationship we had in the past, making Zinamba our enemy.”
Namuesh said the fighting has been going on for years, hence the district administration’s decision to bring handpicked members of the three affected wards to listen to their concerns and find a way forward.
“It’s about land, illegal logging; all these things that happen in Morobe Patrol Post,” outlined the DA.
“After the Minister (Jason Peter) and I had a discussion to find a way to help them, we decided that the only way was to ask police not to carry firearms but to go down there and use the Bible to preach and help them come forward.
“That was about two weeks ago and in the last two days, police went down there, had discussions with them to nominate their reps to come here.”
During the meeting, Namuesh stressed that the culture of compensation is foreign to Morobe Rural LLG, therefore it will not be entertained.
Locals themselves will have to take ownership and start the peace process.
“The government will not come in with free cash. We don’t practice free cash,” he stated.
“This is a community problem. You can’t just go in and give them money to solve their problems there. They have to identify the problems – which we have already identified – and negotiate among themselves.
“At least they contribute and then the government will go in to assist. Otherwise, we will not go in as yet.”