By ROMULUS MASIU
THREE people are confirmed dead as fresh gun-battle erupted in Konnou constituency in South Bougainville at the weekend.
Reports reaching The National said the three dead men were from the armed faction, who had been operating in the area after the crisis under the banner of Me’ekamui.
The opposing group was understood to be former Bougainville resistance fighters (BRF) who were loyal to their late Commander Jacob Naisy, who has taken up arms to avenge their leader’s death.
Mr Naisy was gunned down late last year at his Oria home in Buin.
Locals who travelled from the area to Buka last Monday told The National that the shooting happened last Friday at Piras River along the Buin/Arawa Highway.
Two M16 rifles were recovered by the former BRF men, when they attacked the three men in an ambush.
The three killed in the ambush are believed to be among the key figures of the armed faction.
The situation in the area is tense and chiefs from the constituency are blaming the ABG leadership saying the government was at fault because they have been ‘sleeping’ far too long on the issue, especially the armed faction in the area.
The Konnou constituency had been a ‘troubled spot’ on Bougainville since after the crisis, where a lot of killings had taken place in the past.
The constituency had remained a ‘no go zone’ for police and even the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) with nearly all the area ruled and controlled by the armed faction.
To date, no leader from the ABG hierarchy including president Joseph Kabui had visited the area to sort out the in-fighting among the different factions.
Meanwhile, cartons of medical supplies destined for Tabago health centre in the Konnou constituency were removed from a PMV at Kokopau last Monday by angry former BRF men.
They said the medical supplies would instead be transported to other health centres in the constituency.