IT gear boosts Radio Southern Highlands

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Source: The National, Thursday 3rd of January, 2013

By PETER ESOP WARI

RADIO Southern Highlands has been boosted with K80,000 worth of information technology equipment plus K100,000, thanks to Governor William Powi.
The IT equipment and the K100,000 were part of the K46 million of the 2012 preliminary budget paid for projects by Powi aimed at transforming the province.
Station manager Jacob Mambi said they received six laptop computers, five desktop computers, external hard drives and other accessories.
Mambi said Radio Southern Highlands had not progressed in the past because of the lack of IT equipment.
He said of the K100,000, K20,000 would be given to service providers and K80,000 would go to broadcasting and IT equipment.
He said the majority of people lived in rural areas and radio was the only means of information that could reach them.
“Media is very important and radio, unlike TV and the print media, can help the illiterate rural population who do not have access to town and electricity,” he said.
Mambi said Radio Southern Highlands was still having problems covering the province as the 10-kilowatt shortwave transmitter damaged a few months ago was not repaired.
He said the majority of the people benefitted from the shortwave.
They expressed concern about the situation but parts for the transmitted could not be found in the country.
Mambi said a report that Radio Southern Highlands had received K1 million was not true.
“I would like to make it clear that I, as the manager, received K100,000 plus the IT equipment, nothing apart from that,” he said.

Support Mangape’s good work

Source: The National, Thursday 3rd of January, 2013

LAGAIP-Porgera MP Nixon Mangape is ma­king waves in his electorate.
Although he is a firsttimer in the political arena, many people in the electorate are beginning to call him “Mr Action”.
His latest project – the highway to link Porgera and Tari that costs K10 million – is one of the examples of how he got his nickname.
The road will be a relief for the people of Tari and Porgera.
They have been using the other route to go to Mendi for services such as banks and hospitals.
The new highway will only take one hour for them to reach Porgera since it has all the servi-ces needed.
Tari, on the other hand, is the host of the multi-million LNG project.
Therefore, the people of Tari can always come to Porgera to spend their money or even invest in one of the world’s largest gold mines.
The people of Porgera can also do the same up there in Tari.
It would be good if
Hela Governor Anderson Agi­ru and James Marape were to step in and assist Mangape in this important project as it would be­nefit the people of Hela.
We are the Huli-Openas, so let us work toget­her and make things happen.
I admire the work of my MP Mangape and I truly believe that he is the man that my people and I have been waiting for.
Now that we have the right leader, let us put aside all our differences and work together for the better of Lagaip-Porgera and Enga as a whole.
Izzy Kings
Via email

Focus on other areas too, Mangape

Source: The National, Thursday 3rd of January, 2013

I REFER to the recent report on Lagaip-Porgera MP Nixon Mangape to spend K10 million from the JDP&BPC trust ac­count to construct the Porgera to Tari road. In my view, this allocation of money will not benefit the bulk of the population in the district. The Porgera-Tari road is not really “a must” for the Lagaip-Porgera people because they do not need that road to access basic services such as banks and post offices in Tari. There is also no one li­ving in that particular section between Por­gera and Tari. Instead, we are in dire need of roads linking the rural areas known for their agricultural activities to the main market. Mangape should not be so worried about the Taris benefiting from the ser­vices available in Porgera and avoid the notorious Nipa section when trying to access services in Mendi or Mt Hagen. The initiative should be taken by Hela MPs and Mangape can then show his support. The K10 million ought to be spent on projects that would result in tangible benefits for the bulk of the people living in Por­ger­a, Paiela or Laia­gam linking Wabag via Pilikambi LLG. Mangape should submit a proposal to the Na­tional Executive Coun­cil and other appropriate key stakeholders instead of using the Lagaip-Porgera JDP&BPC funds as the Porgera-Tari road is outside the priority areas.

Tony Sulupin
Lagaip-Porgera

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!!.

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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

Enga police get tough on drivers

Source: The National, Friday 21st December, 2012

ENGA police are now getting tough on drivers breaking traffic rules in the province.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said yesterday from Wabag that police had imposed K1,000 bail on drivers breaking traffic rules.
Lakari said out of 15 drivers arrested for overloading, drink driving and driving around in unregistered vehicles last week, one had to pay a K1,000 bail on Monday.
He said others would appear in the District Court to determine their fate or impose appropriate fines on them.
“I want to reduce fatal accidents in the province because last year and the previous year, we had a lot of fatal accidents during the festive season,” he said.
Lakari said police would ensure only road worthy vehicles travelled on the road.
He said because of the drivers’ carelessness fatal accidents happened and this had to stop.
“I want to warn drivers and vehicle owners to take extra precautions,” he said.
He said anyone seen breaking the traffic rules would face the full force of the law.
Lakari said police set 24-hour roadblocks at the border of Western Highlands and Enga near Kumul lodge and confiscated 100 cartons of beer and seven cartons of dark rum.
He said some people transported the alcohol on trucks into Enga to sell during the festive period when police confiscated them at the roadblock

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.

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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