ethnic clash

One person was reported dead and many more were injured after a clash at the Sir Lus High School in Maprik on November 11th, 2023.

The fight is alleged to have started from a drunkard brawl during the graduation day of the high school.

The displaced villagers are now calling on local leaders and business houses in East Sepik to support them in rebuilding their lives.

According to Ward 17 Councilor Robert Wamafi, the relatives of the deceased in the neighbouring village retaliated the next day (November 12) burning down houses and displaced villages.

The event took place at the Nami Primary School field on Saturday, May 20^th, between the Kandes of Finschhafen and the Kapin people from Lekwara, in Mumeng LLG.

Present to witness the program was host MP, Marsh Narewec, Morobe Governor, Luther Wenge, and Bulolo MP, Sam Basil Jnr.

The Kandes rubbed mud on their bodies while the Kapins rubbed black ashes. Members of both groups placed their hands on their heads and walked in a long procession to assemble in front of the grandstand.

During the weekend the awareness took place on Sunday, April 30th which also prevented a fight between different ethnic groups in Port Moresby. 

Police officers from Gordons Police station headed over with community police officers visited the Eight Mile Last Block Settlement to talk to groups of people from Chimbu and Eastern Highland who had a confrontation after an Eastern Highlander died and several houses belonging to people from Chimbu were burnt. 

The situation is tense as fight continues between Mengar and Basis villages after a man from Menagar was killed during a volleyball match at Mengar village last weekend.

Police in Wewak said the mad had succumbed to serious injuries when he was shot with a wired catapult, he later died while in hospital on Sunday.

Police also identified the two others wounded and are currently in the hospital.

East Sepik Provincial Police Commander, Superintendent Albert Beli said the deceased was identified as Paul Honokra, 38 from Mengar village, Wewak District.

“I want both parties to help me in police investigations. Police alone cannot do investigations without information. Eyewitnesses must come forward with information as it will greatly help to strengthen investigation,” he said.

PPC Tabali said police have collected evidence from the killing of the late bank worker, Jonathon Kiap at the Kokopo main market last weekend. Three suspects have been arrested with the main suspect still pending.

Mr Manning said the ethnic clash currently occurring in the city, has caused fear and anxiety among city residents, over the last three days.

Manning said, “Whilst Police is out on the streets of Port Moresby to prevent further blood-shed and keep the peace, real and lasting peace can be restored with the assistance of the leadership of both groups at the family, clan, tribal, ward, district, provincial and national levels.”

A fight started on Wednesday afternoon but was stopped by Police.

However, it started up again yesterday morning and broke out onto the Highway, making the road unsafe for the travelling public.

“The fight started from men and women who turned rowdy after consuming homebrew,” reported police.

“The fighting is between people from Simbu and Southern Highlands.

“Three-Mile Police Station Commander, Senior Constable Sam Topurua, supported by Special Response Unit 102 and Rural Response Unit under the PPC Morobe, have told the people there will be no mediation.

This statement follows last week’s violent encounter at Morata’s Mosquito Street.

The week-long ethnic clash started last weekend over a land dispute between the people of Awena in Eastern Highlands and the Kumbin community of Enga Province.

Describing the fight as backward, Governor Powes Parkop is now challenging the city dwellers to embrace high quality of life and forgo ethnic clashes, which only impede development. 

The two deceased include an elderly man from the Eastern Highlands, who was stabbed in the chest at Gerehu stage one after he had tried to stop a drunken brawl between men from Eastern Highlands and another group from East Sepik. The other victim, from the Siane area, died due to wounds caused by people from the Saraga area at Six-Mile. These two groups are from Simbu Province.

NCD Metropolitan Superintendent, commander Ben Turi, confirmed the deaths this afternoon, stating that these incidents occurred around the same time on Sunday afternoon.

According to Metropolitan Superintendent Anthony Wagambie Jnr, there were reports of  causalities from this morning’s fight but has yet to confirm the number of casualties with the Police investigators at the hospital.

The two parties were already preparing a peace reconciliation of which the Sialums had already brought food stuff and cows to precede however, another unfortunate incident instigated the fight to erupt again.