Madang comes to a halt as Chimbu, Sepik clash

By DOROTHY MARK
Madang town came to a standstill yesterday when news of another ethnic clash between Sepiks and Chimbus spread across town.
Sepiks from Biliau Maus Rot settlement attacked Chimbus living at a settlement known as Chimbu Lodge near Sisiak Three.
The thick bush between Sisiak and Wagol River became the battlefield for the groups who were armed with weapons including bush knives and wire slingshots.
The ethnic clash took place after Chimbus failed to surrender two suspects identified to have murdered a teenager from Biliau Maus Rot.
The deceased teenager allegedly took a vehicle from a Chinese businessman by force and drove it towards Chimbu Lodge on Saturday and accidently hit an elderly man from Rai Coast living there, went off-road and into a roadside canteen, killing a three-year-old child.
Madang  police commander Jacob Singura said the man and child were killed during accident.
The teenage driver of the vehicle Herrigon Dambui was attacked and killed in revenge.
Saun Dambui, Herrigon’s father, said his son caused an accident and accepted it but said what had happened to his son was wilful murder which he could not accept.
There was supposed to be a mediation at the Madang town police station on Tuesday but the Chimbus did not turn up and the Sepiks left.
Frustrations built overnight and the Sepiks at Biliau Maus Rot settlement mobilised and attacked the Chimbus at 5am yesterday.
Seven houses belonging to the Chimbus at Chimbu Lodge were burnt.
Singura said police was contacted early to make sure the situation didn’t go out of hand.
PMV buses travelling past Sepik settlements stopped their services between 7am and 10am, but after police assurance for safety was given, the services were back to normal.
Many parents of Grade 12 students sitting examinations were worried that the clash would affect the students but there were no roadblocks.
Police frequently monitored that section of the road, between the 26 Roundabout and Public Tank settlement.