Opportunists on prowl

OPPORTUNISTS are scavenging day and night for whatever remains from properties that were burnt down at Back Road in Lae city.
Those properties largely belong to Western and Southern Highlanders.
A community leader said, at night, opportunists were trying to creep into the area to set alight more properties to create further tension.
On a visit to the area on Tuesday, people were seen removing roofing iron, scrap metal and iron posts despite police announcement on Monday not to remove anything from the area.
Lae police mobile squad 13, which was stretched to the limit dealing with the Kau Banis and Back Road clashes simultaneously, have been monitoring the situation since last Thursday.
Police had warned settlers whose homes were not torched not to touch or pick anything that was left after the fires.
Police believe scaven­gers are a mix of people from the area and others places.
Police are still investigating what caused the flare-up that left many Western and Southern Highlanders homeless.
People who live on the stretch of road from Malahang to Bumayong have to walk into town as PMV buses have ceased to operate.
Police said 30 Lae secondary school students had been arrested and locked up in a police cell after a fight with Busu secondary students last week.
This is the first mass student arrest in Lae after many warnings to the students for fighting in public places. They are expected to appear in court this week.
Ten students from Busu secondary are being held as well for stoning a PMV bus on the Busu Road.