Villagers want WW2 weapons removed to stop fighting

THE Kela villagers of Salamaua have called on the Japanese, American and Australian governments to take ownership of World War Two weapons buried in the area.
The villagers recently were affected by a row among neighbouring villages over old World War Two weapons dumped there.
The 226 families are slowly building their lives after 57 houses were burnt down in an attack on
August 4 by villagers from Popdubi, Komiatum and Laugui because of a dispute over the weapons.
Inland villagers attacked the village where the Salamaua Primary School and health centre are located. The school and health centre have since been closed.
The villagers said they did not own the weapons. They called on the embassies to remove them.
Former ward councilor Philip Gubab said the disaster had affected the village greatly.
“We are still in clothes we were in during the day of the attack,” he said.
“Our lives are miserable because of someone’s irresponsible act of dumping. It’s not our problem. The Japanese, Australians and Americans dumped them here.”