Kandep Peace move applauded

News	Tuesday 11th June 2013

A LAE based Engan businessman Mr Kandaso Napi has applauded the positive move by Enga Governor Peter Ipatas and his administration in trying to negotiate peace amongst the warring tribes of the Kandep district.
He has also appreciated the positive gestures made by Treasury Minister Don Polye.
“It is quite reassuring if that is any indication of future political cooperation between our two prominent leaders of the province and the immediate need for their bipartisan approach to end the bloodshed and sufferings of the many innocent people in that district.
Mr Napi, who is an ardent nationalist and one who also concerns himself with the developments and events in his home province, has called on Governor Ipatas and Minister Polye to put their political and personal differences aside and work towards lasting peace for the good of Kandep and Enga as a province.
He said if they had done that one year ago at the start to quell the troubles that flared up after the elections, it would not have gotten out of hand and the deaths could have been avoided.
Mr Napi said supporters of Mr Polye and Alfred Manase had been waging war against each other and described the reports of more than 100 people who have lost their lives as disturbing and unnecessary since most of those poor souls would never have benefitted in one way or another through the winnings of either candidate.
He said in reality, the war belonged to them and if these two educated Kandepians had also shown their true leadership at the beginning, all those innocent lives would have been saved.
He said they must discuss peace through the established Engan customary system of brokering peace and bringing normalcy to the area so that people may go about their daily lives without any hindrance and fear of retaliation.
Mr Napi called on the people of Kandep, especially those groups and individuals whose lives have been affected in one way or another by tribal war to forget and forgive if they want genuine lasting peace.
This self-made businessman who is a strong supporter of local participation in spin-off businesses, envisages a booming Kandep as a border district when the Mendi-Kikori highway opens up in the near future.
He said when this happened, all Engan businesses, including the giant Porgera gold mine and the upcoming Mt Kare gold mine would be using the now upgraded Kandep-Mendi highway and connect with the Mendi-Kikori highway as a short-cut alternative to freight their equipment and materials.
“I reckon the people of Kandep would benefit immensely if they can stop fighting now and prepare to cash in on the opportunities of a lifetime”, he added.

Polye: Enga needs new leadership style

Source: The National, Wednesday 5th June 2013

KANDEP MP Don Polye says Enga needs a new style of leadership to address lawlessness because tribal fights are caused by an “Engan political leadership culture”.
He said in a statement yesterday the province wants a “new style of leadership driven by admiration, result-orientation, modernisation, collectivity, humility, conscientiousness, principles, progression, democracy, respectfulness, professionalism and quality-orientation” to address lawlessness effectively.
“The former, which has decayed our moral standards, is the one that is motivated by jealousy, egoism, militant and pugnacious, narrow-minded, suppressive, belligerent, undemocratic, unadaptive, and destructive mentality.
“Enga needs that change in all sectors and levels of leadership,” he said.
He thanked Governor Peter Ipatas for addressing the much-publicised tribal fight between Akul-Mas-Torom and Kamberip tribes in Marient area of his electorate which started last August after his election victory.
He urged Ipatas to facilitate a meeting between him, lawyer Alfred Manase and other rival candidates as a follow-up to the peace treaty.
He said although there were more than 15 tribal fights in happening in the province using high-powered guns, the fight in his electorate had attracted the attention of the provincial government and others

War-torn Kandep aim for peace

Source: Post Courier, Monday March 18, 2013

Feature

Monday 18th March 2013

By Daniel Kumbon in Wabag

Kandep people will now begin to see decent peace upon their beautiful valley because government authorities have taken positive steps to stop an ongoing election related tribal warfare that has claimed over sixty lives.
The fighting between the Akul and Kambrip tribes which started after the declaration of results of the Kandep Open seat in 2012 has affected the whole district, forcing people to flee to many parts of the country while property worth millions of kina was destroyed.
Two prominent figures in PNG and arch political rivals, Alfred Manase and Treasury Minister, Don Polye belong to these two tribes and their political allies took sides to engage in a prolonged guerrilla–type tribal warfare.
Now, there are positive signs that peace will be restored. New Provincial Police Commander, Supt Philip Weila went to Kandep on March 7 to assure people that police will come in full force to bring normalcy. Not many people were present to receive the good news because they were at funerals at Lagalap and Kambia after four young men were killed that same week – two on each side.
Then on Monday March 11, Provincial Administrator, Dr Samson Amean and Rural Police Commander, Senior Inspector Martin Kelly travelled to Kandep and told the people that 60 policemen will definitely come today, March 18, and will divide into two groups – one to be based among the Kambrip and the other to operate on the Akul side.
In addition, 15 regular policemen will be based permanently in Kandep under the command of Senior Sgt Jim Panao who had already moved there on Sunday March 10, with an advance party. The war-torn district has had no police presence in the last ten years.
Dr Amean told the people that as part of the government’s over-all peace initiative he had appointed a senior public servant, Mr Ben Besawe as acting District Administer to mobilise and restore the public service machinery in the district. And he will accord him full support to ensure essential services begin to flow to the people.
“Bougainville was destroyed due to problems that started like this. Twenty years of conflict there has seen a whole generation of people deprived of formal education. Many people were killed in that conflict and all services stopped,” Dr Amean said. “And Kandep people must be warned: the same thing can happen here. You must lay down your arms and think of your children’s future.”
He said he will travel to Port Moresby to plead with Don Polye and Alfred Manase to ask them to encourage their people to stop fighting and support government initiatives to bring peace and normalcy to their district.
Leaders from other tribes who actively fought in the fight assured the Provincial Administrator, police and senior public servants from key divisions who had accompanied Dr Samson Amean - that they will withdraw their support and leave it to the Akul and Kambrip tribes to carry on with fighting if they wished.
Mr Moe Yari, a Pao clansman of the major Ambarep tribe said his men had been supporting the Kambrip tribe mainly to take revenge after Apai Kelape Sapala, was gunned down at Alawaip village by Akul tribesmen for no apparent reason. But now he said, his people will withdraw and support the government.
All the people present appreciated steps the government was taking and thanked Dr Amean for appointing Mr Ben Besawe as acting District Administrator. As soon as taking office, Mr Besawe has engaged people to clean Kandep town overgrown with tall grass. He was also encouraging 35 public servants who fled to return to their posts.
But urgent maintenance is required on government houses after opportunists had completely dismantled six houses and left others in skeletons by removing doors, window frames, furniture, etc. Five public servants who had stayed behind during the conflict could do nothing to save the houses. Even the Ima and Alitip people, the original landowners on which Kandep town sits had escaped to other parts of the country.
In other positive developments, two schools in the vicinity of the fighting zone — Marient Primary School and Kandep Primary School have resumed classes. The only problem is that while enrolment increased, teaching staff was minimal. For instance, Kandep Primary School currently has over 400 students enrolled in all grades but only ten teachers are available when it should have fifteen.
Over at Kandep High School, Provincial Administrator, Dr Samson Amean ordered an immediate investigation into allegations that K750,000 may have been misused last year. Only K120,000 was left in the school account. And office equipment worth thousands of kina is believed to be held by former headmaster, Mr Iminj Kaipas in his village.
“I am giving priority to restore services back to the war-torn Kandep District and such allegations only jeopardise my team’s efforts,” Dr Amean said. “The school was closed mid-way last year amidst serious law and order problems when the lives of the students, teachers and their families were in danger.”
As such, all school funds should have been left untouched, he said and ordered internal auditors to find out how this huge amount was used and report to him within two weeks. Despite the financial drawbacks, the school is beginning to pick up with 10 teachers on active duty with about 300 students enrolled. And gradually government services will be restored as police begin operations and key government agencies begin work.
Official figures of the total number of people killed in the fight on both sides is 57 but unconfirmed reports indicate that over seventy people have perished. Many more sustained serious injuries and innocent women were subjected to sex attacks.
This fight has seen almost all schools including the only high school, health centres and other government services shut down or destroyed. The Murip High Altitude Rice project funded by the Chinese government was reduced to ashes.

 

Enga forms group to tackle tribal fights

News	Thursday 07th March 2013

By Paeope Ovasuru

THE tribal fights in Kandep District have been going on for too long
and the authorities have done nothing but watch innocent lives being lost.
Enga Governor Grand Chief Peter Ipatas raised this concern in a media conference yesterday where he announced that his provincial government was now taking actions to stop the tribal fighting.
Governor Ipatas said there was now a provincial law and order committee in place with him as the chairman to bring peace and normalcy back into the district.
“We are now taking steps to restore peace and normalcy back into the district, innocent lives have been lost and the majority of people are suffering because of the actions of a minority who are power hungry,” he said.
The actions that the committee has taken include the appointment of an acting district administrator Ben Pesawe and the directing of the Provincial Police Commander Philip Welia to visit Kandep
District and talk to the tribes involved.
“I want to assure the people of Kandep and Enga Province that the situation will be returned to normalcy and we are now moving in to address it, we have left it for so long,” he said.
However, he added that the provincial government needed the support of Kandep MP Don Polye.
He said that he had spoken to the member but had yet to get any feedback.
He praised the new provincial police commander for his efforts in addressing the tribal fight in Kandep.
Governor Ipatas said that the people were using high powered guns and money.
“If you carefully look at the situation, there are some people with money involved in these fights; they are the ones funding the high powered guns to be used in this fight,’’ he said.
“From reports that we have had, over 60 people have been killed in the fights already and I cannot go on letting this happen.’’
He stated that the fights had caused many people to miss out on basic services.
“The district administrator has abandoned his duties and the people have suffered for too long,” said Governor Ipatas.
Meanwhile, in some of the media reports, it has been said that women and children were not part of the tribal fights traditionally, but they were now among the innocent people being killed. 

Top cop vows to end Kandep tribal fights

Source: The National, Wednesday 06th March, 2013

By PHILIP KEPSON

NEW Enga police commander acting Supt Philip Welia has made a firm undertaking to put an end to the continuing tribal fighting in the Kandep district.
He told a police management meeting last Friday that urgent action was needed to bring peace and harmony to Kandep and other trouble-torn areas of the province.
Welia was instrumental in resolving a number of tribal and ethnic conflicts in Lae city and Wau-Bulolo recently in his capacity as a senior police officer in the two electorates.
He was recently appointed to the police command in Enga to replace Chief Supt Martin Lakari who had been transferred to Western Highlands.
Welia said it would require a wide consultation among parties involved in the conflict to ensure normalcy
in the district.
“My priority is to return peace to Kandep. To achieve this, it will require serious consultation among relevant parties including the provincial administration which will be represented by its law and order section, two local level governments in the district (Kandep and Wage LLGs), Kandep district administration, district education and health divisions, churches, women, the political leaders (of the district), educated elites from the district and the leaders of the warring tribes,”
he said.
Welia said a peace negotiating team comprising the various factions had been formed and he was ready to divide them into two groups and send them to the tribal zones to start negotiating for peace.
“However, before sending the two groups, I will send a police scout to the two main tribes to inform them about the work of the peace negotiating team,” he said.
The widespread conflict started when two tribes known as Kuporop and Kambirip of two political rivals, prominent lawyer Alfred Manase and Kandep MP Don Polye, started accusing each other of foulplay during a by-election in 2010.
The by-election was conducted after a successful petition by Manase against Polye in the Court of Disputed Return in Mt Hagen.
When Polye was re-elected in light of fierce fighting and killing of at least five people, the tension between the two tribes continued into the 2012 general election.
Kandep district administrator Ben Besawe said more than 80% of the people had fled to nearby Southern Highlands and other parts of Enga

Polye wins challenge

Source: The National, Tuesday 05th March, 2013

By ADRIAN MATHIAS

DEPUTY Chief Justice Gibbs Salika dismissed an election petition against the Treasurer and Kandep MP Don Pomb Polye yesterday for non-compliance of court directions by the petitioner.
The petition was brought before the court of disputed returns in Port Moresby by lawyer and losing candidate Alfred Luke Manase after the elections last year.

Manase and Polye were candidates for the Kandep open electorate in Enga. Manase, who was represented by Christine Copeland, said there were errors and omissions during the counting of votes at Wabag, Enga’s capital.He alleged that returning officer Naipet Keae and counting officials had manipulated figures polled during the counting which had resulted in Polye winning the Kandep seat.Manase also claimed that some ballot boxes were not counted.
However Polye, the founder and leader of the Triumph Heritage Empowerment (THE) Party, filed an objection to competency of the petition through his lawyer Palus Doa to dismiss the petition.
The case went into directions hearing twice in the court of disputed returns in Port Moresby, the first being on Nov 26 last year and then on Feb 7, when the court issued directions to the parties to file and serve affidavits on each other.
Salika, while dismissing the petition in its entity yesterday for non-compliance of court orders, on Feb 7 had directed the Electoral Commission’s lawyer Ray Williams to file affidavits by Feb 11 and Copeland by Feb 15.
When the matter came before him yesterday, he found that Williams had filed accordingly but Copeland had not as she was on on leave.
Salika refused her reason and said the non-compliance of court orders was three months since Nov 26, adding that it was not a day or two.
He told Copeland that she should have advised another lawyer from within the firm to step in for her while she was on leave.
Salika said court orders and directions were meant to be complied with and failure to do so, as in the case of election petition, resulted in dismissal.
He then upheld the objection to competency filed by the treasurer and dismissed the petition in its entirety. The petitioner will pay the costs

Stop the bloodshed in Kandep

Source: The National, Monday 18th February, 2013

TRIBAL fighting in Kandep has escalated since July last year with high-powered weapons now being used.
Some 50 lives have been lost, almost 20 villages destroyed and properties lost.
Children are being denied their right to schooling, health services have stopped and people are suffering from sickness.
All the schools in Kandep have been closed.
The fighting was sparked off by the killing of a man who was travelling from Kandep Station to his village.
The Enga police chief has remained quiet over this and the local leaders have chosen not to do anything about it. They act if as nothing is going on.
Kandep leaders appear unconcerned now that the general election is over.
While the elections may indeed be over, violence which stemmed from it is still going on.
The leaders should talk to their supporters and get them to surrender their weapons.

 

Richard Yakam
Port Moresby

Kandep tribal fight continues

yutok

Friday 08th February 2013

IT IS over seven months and the tribal fight in Kandep is still continuing.
The tribal fight in Kandep has escalated since it started in July 2012 right after the elections.
The men are using high-powered guns and countless lives have been lost, properties destroyed and almost 20 villages have been totally destroyed.
School children are denied their rights to education, health services have stopped, and mothers and children are dying from curable diseases.
The only high school in Kandep, five primary schools and several elementary schools are closed.
The fighting started right after election when a man travelling along from Kandep Station to his village was chopped to pieces. Hence, 15 council wards and some 20 villages are involved in the fights. Almost 50 lives have been lost so far and the fighting is still continuing.
It is not known why the Enga Police Commander is keeping quiet on this issues as well as the Enga Provincial Government and the leaders in Kandep are doing nothing about it.
They are pretending as if there is nothing going on while women and children are suffering.
The women and children have fled their homes and are seeking refuge in Mendi, Southern Highlands Province and the issue of food security has become a major concern.
The lack of appropriate action to stop this madness by people in authority and the leaders leaves much to be desired.
It seems that the leaders of Kandep are more concerned during elections and do not care once it’s over.
This is much more election related violence and I call on the leaders to talk to their respective supporters and disarm them.
Women and children are the victims in this tribal fight and immediate action is required including relief supplies to help them.
This is a man-made disaster where children are denied their right to education, health services and many people are dying of hunger.
I call on the Police Commander and the National Government to take appropriate action in the absence of Enga Police and the Provincial Government who seem to turn blind eye to the issue.
I urgently appeal to those in authority to take appropriate measures so that mothers and children can return to their normal lives.

Richard Yakam

LLG presidents’ election by popular vote will create problems, says former MP

Source:The National, Friday 18th of January, 2013

FORMER Kandep parliamentarian John Yakka has asked the government to review its decision on electing local level government presidents by popular vote.
Yakka, who is the Kandep LLG president and a member of the Enga provincial assembly, told a leaders gathering in Wabag town recently that Kandep would face the worst if the election of the presidents was held outside the chambers.
Prime Minister Peter O’Neill said last year that LLG presidents would be elected by the people when they vote in new ward councillors in May.
LLG presidents were previously elected in the chambers by ward councillors.
Yakka said his district had lost more than 400 people in election-related violence in the past 10 years and the death toll would double if the people were allowed to elect the presidents outside the chambers with “wild campaign programmes”.
“More than 400 people have already died in election-related problems in Kandep,” he said.
“Tribes are heavily engaged in tribal fighting with high-powered guns.
“Therefore, it’s advisable that the government changes its decision in order to prevent more people from dying,” he said.
He said the ongoing violence in Kandep started when the Court of Disputed Returns ruled in favour of a submission by runner-up and prominent lawyer Alfred Manase for a by-election against incumbent MP Don Polye’s election victory in the 2007 general election.
The by-election, which was held in 2009, did not end well as heavily armed supporters of the two candidates threatened free a election by chasing away voters and preventing officials from doing their duties in polling areas before Polye was declared winner in Goroka, Eastern Highlands, where counting took place.
He said the problems became worse last year with the daylight killing of a man near Wabag market when supporters of the two candidates clashed openly during the counting period.
Enga police said the trouble was continuing, with many deaths as innocent children, mothers and old people flee to the neighbouring Southern Highlands and other parts of Enga.
Enga Governor Peter Ipatas has appealed to leaders in Kandep, including Polye, to play a leading role to bring the conflicting tribes to a round-table discussion on restoring peace in the community.
He said the members of his Operation Mekim Save (OMS) were sent to the affected areas lately to negotiate peace but they could not do much with the help of local authorities on the ground.

80 Lives Lost In Kandep election related Fight

Will Kandep people learn from their actions for a better Kandep in future? Are the people at fault for taking law into their own hands pending the outcome of the election petition to declare the win of Don Polye null and void? Should there ever be a bye election, how safe will that be given the current situation. Will there ever be a better Kandep again after all these chaos? Have the people themselves lived in luxury to buy the weapons and ammunitions that they are using today and continuously for the last 5 months? The truth is....Innocent lives have been lost and there is NO WINNER in a fight and there is no special reward. We all have failed miserably in this area!!.

...............................................................................................

80 lives lost in aftermath of poll violence

Source: The National, Monday 24th December, 2012

POLICE have urged political leaders from Enga to resolve the election-related violence in Kandep district, which has claimed 80 lives so far.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said despite fighting between supporters of two rival candidates stopping four months ago, it continued in isolated areas.
He said extra policemen were deployed to the district to maintain order but killings continued in isolated areas that police could not reach.
Lakari and Highlands police divisional commander Teddy Tei said it would be best for Kandep MP Don Polye to return home and talk to his people.
They believe that the violence is between Polye’s (supporters) and those of losing candidate Alfred Manase.
Police could not confirm how many people had died so far but sources have put the number at 80

Time govt move in to end tribal war

Source: The National, Friday 07th December, 2012

I CALL on the government to conduct an investigation into the number of people killed in Kan­-dep district following the recent general election.
The National has published several letters with regard to the election-related tribal war.
What I cannot understand is the deafening si­lence from the Kandep MP.
As a senior minister, Don Polye could have stepped in and put an end to the on-going war.
The same goes with the so-called “action governor”.
Why is Peter Ipatas so quiet too? Do not tell me that Ipatas and Polye are not concerned with the on-going war or the number of people who have lost their lives?
The PPC needs to send his men to Mariant LLG
to put an end to this fight. The tribal fight is between the Okul and Kamprip tribes.
The cause of this tribal war is not because of pigs, money, land, forest, wo­men or anything relating to tribal values and beliefs but over power. This has disrupted the lives of the innocent people of Mariant LLG.
The number of deaths cannot be confirmed be­cause no one from the police, Electoral Commission, justice department or Engan government has taken the initia­-tive to go there.
Kandep High School was forced to close while the multi-million kina wheat project was burnt.
I agree with Jerry Songpen (Nov 30) that the go­vernment must declare a state of emergency in Kandep.
Yand Kaiman
Mariant

Declare SOE in Kandep

Source: The National, Friday 30th of November, 2012

 

SINCE the declarations in July, a fierce tribal war has been raging in Kandep.
There has been destruction to local businesses, closure of government services and more than 70 people killed so far, with 57 deaths in Mariant LLG.
Students from schools in the war zone did not sit for their national examinations.
The multi-million kina Murip wheat project has been burnt down.
On Nov 26, one of the fiercest gun battles took place at Momdei village, resulting in four deaths.People are forced to seek shelter in Mendi, Wa­bag, Laia­gam, Wapenamanda, Mt Ha­gen and Hela.
I call on the Engan police, Kandep MP and other Engan leaders to help end the tribal war.
I also urge the prime minister and police mi­nister to declare a state of emergency to control the situation.

Jerry Songpen
Kambia village, Kandep

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.

[Go to the top] Copyright©2012, Post-Courier Online. Use of this site is governed by our

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

Relocate Kandep high school to Lower Wage

Source: The National, Wednesday 10th October, 2012

THE Kandep Provincial High School must be relocated from Kokas village to the Lower Wage.
It is the only high school in the district which students from other schools in Kandep go to continue their education.
But it is forced to close each time the country holds a gene­ral election or by-election.
The school becomes the main victim at every election without fail as supporters of candidates would damage the school trucks, classrooms and dormitories; chase students out of the school and assault teachers.
Each time this happen, the school board and administration have no choice but to suspend classes for five to six months in fear of more destruction.
The students are sent home and wait for the school to re-open.
When this happens, the students are denied their right to education, the lives of students and teachers are at risk while
the so-called leaders from Lai LLG and Mariand LLG in Kandep pretend as if nothing is happening.
Whenever this happens, the school’s investment in human resource is wasted.
I believe that since the tribal fight is still going on in the
Ma­riand LLG area and a possibility of the court of disputed returns declaring a by-election, classes will not resume anytime soon.
As such, I call on the Enga provincial education board, Go­vernor Peter Ipatas and other authorities to relocate the school to Lower Wage area as this area is the only reliable zone in the district where leaders such as former MP Jimson Sauk, pre­si­dent of Wage LLG Tum Akiala, Cr John Lakai, Kii Kaipas and former pre­sident Michael Marape are based.
This could be the only solution to solve the problems faced by our students as some of
them could become our future leaders.

Mangi Timrops
Kandep

All Petitions Filed with Details

Source: Post Courier, September 21, 2012

EP # Petitioner Respondents Electorate Date Lodged Trial Date
EP 1/2012 EP
Tony Waterupu Aimo Ezekiel Anisi ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , Jeffrey Nape & Anor Ambunti Dreikikir Open 26-7-2012 24-9-2012
EP 2/2012 EP
Norbert Kubak Andrew Trawen, Electoral Commissioner ,Ekonia Walom, Returning Officer for Gazelle Open , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea & Anor Gazelle Open 26-7-2012 24-9-2012
EP 3/2012 EP
Gari Liborius Baki Francis Marus ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , The Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Talasea Open 15-8-2012 --
EP 4/2012 EP
Job Pomat Parkop Posangat, Returning Officer ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Manus Open 16-8-2012 --
EP 5/2012 EP
Michael Korry Mogerema Sigo Wei ,Andrew Trawen , Electoral Commission Karimui Nomane Open 16-8-2012 --
EP 6/2012 EP
Michael T. Sapau Parkop Posangat, Returning Officer ,Andrew Trawen, Electoral Commissioner , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Manus Open 16-8-2012 --
EP 7/2012 EP
Gabriel Lenny Kapris John Simon ,Godfrey Sokomia , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner & Ors Maprik Open 16-8-2012 --
EP 8/2012 EP
Jerry Singirok Ken Fairweather, MP ,Emily Siamoli , The Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Sumkar Open 17-8-2012 --
EP 9/2012 EP
Chris Lagisa Sasindran Muthuvel ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea West New Britain Regional 20-8-2012 --
EP 10/2012 EP
James Yoka Ekip Gordon Wimb, Returning Officer ,EC , William Duma Hagen Open 21-8-2012 --
EP 11/2012 EP
Simon Sanagke Gordon Wimb, Returning Officer ,EC , William Duma Hagen Open 21-8-2012 --
EP 12/2012 EP
Walter Schnaubelt Hon. Byron Chan ,Hon Byron Chan, MP , Namatanai Open 21-8-2012 --
EP 13/2012 EP
Patrick Balone John Thomas Pundari ,Romalo Bapu, Returning Officer , Henry Kyakas, Election Manager, Enga & Ors Kompiam Ambum Open 21-8-2012 --
EP 14/2012 EP
Luke Alfred Manase Don Pomb Polye ,EC , Kandep Open 22-8-2012 --
EP 15/2012 EP
Leonard Louma Douglas Tomiriesa ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Kiriwina Goodenough Open 23-8-2012 --
EP 16/2012 EP
Simon T. Solo Amkat Mai ,Martin Anska, Returning Officer , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner & Ors Sandaun Regional 23-8-2012 --
EP 17/2012 EP
Peter W. Waranaka Andrew Trawen, Electoral Commissioner ,David Tobena, Returning Officer , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Yangoru Saussia Open 23-8-2012 --
EP 18/2012 EP
Philip Kikala Electoral Commissione of Papua New Guinea ,Nixon Koeka Mangape , Lagaip Porgera Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 19/2012 EP
Darryl Jee Hon Ben Micah ,Electoral Commission of PNG , Kavieng Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 20/2012 EP
Daniel Bali Tulapi Aiya James Yapa Lagea ,Albert Wens, Returning Officer , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner Kagua Erave Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 21/2012 EP
Lucas Neah John Thomas Pundari ,Romalo Bapu, Returning Officer , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Kompiam Ambum Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 22/2012 EP
Ian Ling Stuckey Rt Hon Sir Julius Chan ,EC , New Ireland Regional 24-8-2012 --
EP 23/2012 EP
Andrew Kumbakor Joseph Sungi ,Joseph Aflatawa , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner & Anor Nuku Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 24/2012 EP
Manasseh Makiba Francis Mulugu Potape ,Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner , Electoral Commission of Papua New Guinea Komo Magarima Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 25/2012 EP
Komeali Kapo Ropa Aiya James Yapa Lagea ,Albert Wens, Returning Officer , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner & Anor Kagua Erave Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 26/2012 EP
John Kelewa Kekeno Philip Undialu ,Wamu Walu, Returning Officer , Andrew Trawen as Electoral Commissioner & Ors Koroba Kopiago Open 24-8-2012 --
EP 27/2012 EP
Wake Goi Mai Dop ,Electoral Commissioner & Ors , Jimi Open 25-8-2012 --

[Go to the top] Copyright©2012, Post-Courier Online. Use of this site is governed by our Legal Notice.

Stop the Kandep Fight - UPNG Kandep Students

Source: Post Courier, September 13, 2012 

Students worry
By KOLOPU WAIMA

FORTY lives have so far been lost and the Murip wheat project worth more than K3 million was burnt down to ashes among many villages destroyed in the current tribal war in Kandep, Enga province.
Over 100 people have been wounded and thousands homeless. Women are being raped and the disabled are forced into burning fires, and children are being killed.
Kandep High School, the only high school in the district, and other primary and elementary education institutions and health services have been closed and are no longer in operation.
District service providers and business houses have fled in fear of losing their lives and businesses.
But no one is taking the initiative to stop the fight and the whole Kandep District is under serious threat.
Lives are not the same anymore.
Concerned Kandep students from the University of Papua New Guinea and working class living in Port Moresby in a joint media statement yesterday pleaded to responsible politicians and leaders to stop the bloodshed immediately.
The Kandep students gathered at UPNG yesterday and pledged they unity, stand united. They strongly called on the leaders in the province and the electorate to immediately do something about stopping the fight.
The students said that they are demanding the politicians because it is an election related tribal fight.
“We are demanding responsible politicians to go to the district and disarm their tribesmen without any further delay. This request is being put out not in favor of any person or to oppose any person. But to expose ignorance of responsible leaders and authorities upon hearing news of people being killed,” they said.
The student said that the Kandep District was made up of Lai, Waike and Marient Local Level Government (LLG) and these three (3) LLGs were under tribal warfare.
They said that the core of election related tribal fight was between Kamprip and Okul tribes in the Mariant LLG.
This has affected over 50 major tribal groups whose villages and houses have been destroyed.
“We had our villages burned to ashes and our relatives displaced in other parts of Enga or fled to the Southern Highlands Province. We are calling on the responsible persons behind the election related violence to immediately disarm their tribal groups, the Kamprip and Okul Tribes,” the students said.
They said that, this was a general notice to any responsible leader or politicians from the district to stop pretending as if nothing was wrong in the electorate.
“A seven day ultimatum is given after the publication of this news either in one or two daily papers to responsible leaders to take action or you will be named to take personal responsibility for causing conflict between your tribes which resulted in many deaths and destruction of villages,” They said.
“We are calling the National Government to Declare Kandep District a Tribal War Zone and impose District Emergency. We humbly appeal to Prime Minister, Peter O’Neil to take note of this plea to direct your Police Minister and relevant agencies to investigate the validity of this information for appropriate assistance,” the Kandep students said.

So Only 2 People Dead in Kandep Tribal fight??

The election related fighting in Kandep has claimed more lives than as reported in the National. Enga provincial police Commander Martin Lakari to report that only two people were dead is a slab in the face of the majority of Kandep people. This clearly shows how ignorant he has been together with the elected leaders of the province.

 

What grounds and which facts has he got to prove that only 2 people have died in the tribal fight. Confirmed cases that the public are aware of are, the following is the confirmed list for each tribe

Yuripaka rest house (Apais) - 4 confirmed including the killing during counting

Gini rest house - 3 confirmed including the one killed at Wabag during counting

Kolopa Rest house - 6 confirmed including 1 woman

Pura 2 rest house - 4 confirmed dead

Supi rest house - 3 confirmed dead

Imal rest house - 1 confirmed

 

The above list is excluding those that have spear and bullet wounds as well as those that have missed a hand or a leg with bullet. The confirmed figure is yet to received but this is based on confirmed cases received by the author. We expect more than this number in the finally tally of dead.

 

Destroying of properties is countless of up to 12 rest houses completely destroyed

 

**********************************************************************************

Polye, Manase called on to help restore peace

Source: The National, Wednesday 5th September, 2012

ENGA provincial police commander Martin Lakari is calling on Kandep parliamentarian Don Polye and his rival, Alfred Manase, to go back to the electorate and help police restore peace among their warring tribes.
“I call on all leaders of the district to help police restore peace,” Supt Lakari said.
The fight between the Akulya and Kambrip people of Kandep district started during the elections in July.
The fight reportedly started when suspects from Akulya, Manase’s tribe, allegedly hacked two Kambrips, Polye’s tribe, to death in Wabag town.
The fight was then taken to the village and surprise raids were conducted on the enemy tribes involved.
“During the fight they burnt down the million kina wheat factory in Murip village,” Lakari said.
He said thousands of kina worth of property that included permanent houses and vehicles were burnt.
He said women, children and other peace-loving people were displaced and now lived in fear.
“Only two deaths were officially recorded and not 30 or 40 deaths as reported in the media,” Lakari said.
“These are unnecessary speculations creating fear in people’s minds.”
Lakari said if people died or were injured they took them to the hospital and reported it police.
Lakari said he had sent 30 police task force officers from Wabag into the trouble zone on Aug 8.
“They (policemen) are negotiating peace. The fighting has slowed down,” Lakari said.
He warned the fighters to lay down their arms and make a commitment to peace, saying police would not be easy on them.
“I urge losing candidates to accept defeat and try the elections again in 2017,” Lakari said.

Court: Polye to pay cost

Source: The National, Friday 7th September, 2012

THE Waigani National Court has ordered Treasurer Don Polye to meet newspaper advertising costs for publishing the election petition summons filed against him by losing Kandep open candidate, Luke Alfred Manase.
The unexpected scenario stemmed from difficulty faced by Manase’s lawyers to serve court documents to Polye in person.
Justice Colin Makail said several affidavits confirmed there was difficulty in serving the court documents.
“I am satisfied that serious attempts have been made by the petitioner/applicant (Manase) on the first respondent (Polye) but have been unsuccessful,” he said.
Makail had ordered that the documents should be published in both the daily newspapers over the next two days.
The court was told that “it is unknown where the official residence” of Polye was, and failed attempts had been made by Manase’s lawyers to have an audience with Polye.
The court had been informed that there were phone messages left with staff from Polye’s Treasury Department to arrange for the summons to be served but it did not work out.
Under the election petition court rules, a losing candidate can file a petition against a win 40 days after the official declaration and summons are to be served within 14 days after filing it in the Court of Disputed Returns