Please, probe mass killings in Kandep tribal fights

yutok

Friday 23rd November 2012

I APPEAL to the Government to investigate the number of people killed in Kandep District after the 2012 National Election. The following is an observation report of rumours you may have heard about election related tribal fight in Kandep District. Foremost, I’m not a politician but I feel obliged to speak on behalf of thousands of homeless and those that had fallen victims to this inhumane act. Note that no media report or police had given exact neutral account of suffering and result of tribal warfare in the district over the months.
I’m appealing to Don Polye and Peter Ipatas to bring to justice people involved in this man-made disaster. The core of the tribal fight is between Okul and Kamprip tribes.
It is already public information that the tribal fight is related to 2012 National Election results. I went home last month and noted that peace negotiation is possible through formal government intervention. The reason of tribal warfare is not customary related such as pig, money, land, forest, women and anything of tribal values and beliefs. The raging tribal war is over power struggle bringing disaster to majority innocent population in the Marient constituency. The confirmed number of people killed from both sides of the tribal factions to date is 52, over 100 people are wounded. I’m appealing to the Electoral Commission, Department of Justice and Attorney General, Department of Prime Minister and NEC, Department of Police and Internal Security, Enga Provincial Government, Member for Kandep Open, Enga Provincial Police to investigate number of people killed, properties destroyed and bring to justice those people responsible.
Those who wish to help us restore peace can contact us to contribute resource and ideas on mobile number 72843266.

Yand kAIMAN
Marient

Polye and Manase urged to stop tribal war

News	Friday 23rd November 2012

By JOHNNY POIYA

Treasury Minister Don Polye and lawyer Alfred Manase are being urged to return to Kandep immediately and fix up the chaos in the electorate.
The two leaders are wanted by police, the Enga provincial government and the people of Kandep to return and broker peace among the election related warring tribes and enable government services to flow into the remote electorate.
Government services ceased following the voting during this year’s elections. All schools, health services and other government services closed down and staff fled as tribal clashes erupted sporadically all over the electorate. The closures remain as of Wednesday when the Post-Courier and Highlands Divisional Police Commander Teddy Tei visited the district.
A fight between Mr Polye’s and Mr Manase’s supporters in the Marend LLG, which allegedly involves over 36 council wards, has so far resulted in an unconfirmed 50 deaths, according to Kandep police.
Chief Tei who supported the call for the two leaders to come home, also called on the Enga provincial government to dispatch a Peace and Good Order Committee into the area immediately to prevent further killings and destruction.
One of Enga province’s pride, the multi-million kina Kandep wheat factory, was razed to the ground when election related violence erupted in Muiyan. A nearby tribe attacked tribes around the wheat facility and killed four men and burnt down the factory, administration building and several staff houses.
The wheat factory, opened in 2001 when Jimson Sauk was the local MP, and was established by the Chinese government and run by Chinese experts till its burning down. Two new vehicles used by the officers were also burnt down. Warriors equipped with homemade guns, bush knives and bows and arrows were at the scene when this reporter arrived.
The project produced wheat during its early stages but gradually got run down as funding ceased to come from the national government to sustain its operations, in some instances, funds were diverted elsewhere.
Had it not been for Enga police’s quick action in the area following the declaration of Polye as MP, many other public installations would have been destroyed. Thirty officers from Wabag were sent in and are still camped there.
ACP Tei met local leaders at the Kandep station and gauged their views on the situation on the ground and supported the call from the people of Kandep to have Polye and Manase return to initiate and broker peace.

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Kandep students paying the price of conflict

Source: The National, Wednesday 31st October, 2012

THE tribal war in Kandep has claimed many lives, destroyed property worth millions and ruined go­vernment and church-run services.
Vital services have ceased and one such insti­tution that suspended its services indefinitely since August is the Kandep High School.
It is hard to comprehend the victimisation of innocent students.
Leaders must bear the blame for their negligence and failure to rein in their supporters.
It sends a chill down my spine to think of the sacrifice and commitment of students to ad­vance to the next grade going to waste.
What also concerns me is that many students who qualify for Grade 9 would be denied enrolment due to space limitation.
Students will have to re­peat their grades and pa­rents would have to shoulder the financial burden.
I call on the leaders of the warring tribes to iron out their issues so that students can go to school next year and other services can be delivered.
People must come to their senses and bury the hatchet.
Peace must prevail in Kandep for everyone to enjoy.
Komson Nick Kome
Sirunki