Armed settlers demanding compensation after tribesman hurt

By CLIFFORD FAIPARIK
POLICE say a group of settlers armed with guns, took over a logging camp in Western demanding a K200,000 compensation for the wounding of a tribesman by officers.
Acting South Fly police commander Senior Insp Ewai Seki said the settlers were from the Komo-Margarima electorate in Hela and Nipa-Kutubu electorate in Southern Highlands.
He said they also used a bulldozer to knock down a store then ransacked it at the Kamusi logging camp.
They wanted the company to compensate them for the wounding of their tribesman during a previous police operation.
Seki sent a police team to the camp to secure the company properties and workers.
“We are treating this incident as extortion,” he said.
Seki said the settlers migrated from their districts to settle at Kamusi which was also along the border with Southern Highlands and Hela, and were involved in drug smuggling between Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The tribesman was wounded during a police operation in Kamusi last year.
In another incident, three suspects from Western were arrested at Daru for illegally fishing in Australian waters.
“They were arrested after Australian police alerted Daru police that the suspects were fishing on a reef across the Australian-PNG maritime border.
“Police officers in Daru were dispatched and arrested the suspects travelling in five dinghies,” Seki said.
“Two turtles and fishing /diving gears were also confiscated.
“They will be charged with breaching the Torres Strait Act,” he said.