Lae mayhem
HALF of Lae city has been caught up in violence.
The focal point of the violence is spread around the Ahi local level government area of Lae city.
It is where the settlements are booming.
At Kamkumung, Eastern Highlanders and Engans have been at each other’s throats over a knifing incident two weeks ago.
Last Sunday, after peace negotiations brokered by police and community leaders fell through, a fight broke out.
Yesterday, a young Asaro man was admitted to the emergency unit of the Angau Memorial Hospital after being slashed in the face with a bush knife.
He said his attack was related to the Kamkumung fight.
At Hunter Settlement along Busu Road, the stabbing and death of a man of Highlands origin last Tuesday, forced the closure of the market and kept people from all parts of the country at odds with each other.
Over the weekend, an East Sepik man was said to have been attacked by Morobeans at Busu Bridge.
The Sepiks raided the Morobeans in retaliation.
Yesterday morning, the stretch of fertile savannah grassland between Malahang Industrial Centre and Second Seven Cemetery was the scene of destruction and mayhem.
The Morobeans, reportedly from Kabwum had run havoc on all food crops and houses destroying and burning as they romped on.
Observers at the scene saw a youth from Sepik hit on the head.
Men and women were seen collecting what was left of their belonging.
Gas stoves, dishes, and even books were carried from the side of the Busu River across the road.
There were no signs of children, only adults and youths.
Even with police presence, the Morobeans still attacked.
Last Friday afternoon, two security firms’ personnel clashed outside a shop over allegations of stealing at Papindo Supermarket, bringing business to a halt.
The huge crowd on the busy pay Friday were sent running in all directions as Lae police task force commander Insp Clement Dalla and his men rushed in to bring the situation under control.
The fight broke out after Kuima Security guards at Papindo’s Eriku supermarket caught two security guards from another firm with two cans of corned beef.
Managing director Anton Kaupa, who was at the scene, said his officers “politely asked them to return the two stolen items in their possession and they retaliated using violence”.
His guards had mobilised and attacked the other firm’s guards.
“I intervened and calmed down the situation and ordered all my men to refrain from engaging in any confrontation with the guards from the other security firms,” he added.
Mr Kaupa said his guards were only executing their duties to check on shoppers leaving the shop and caught the two guards with the items, which were reasonably suspected of being stolen.
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