Basil urges end to clashes

 DEPUTY Opposition leader Sam Basil yesterday claimed that the national and provincial governments were not concerned about solving ethnic clashes in Bulolo, Morobe.

Basil said in a statement that both governments were shirking their responsibilities and passing them on to local MPs and LLG councils.

He said he was concerned that ethnic clashes in Bulolo were causing a lot of problems and strain on the scarce finance and logistics available in the area.

He said two ethnic clashes were affecting Bulolo.

“The district committee did all it could during the first ethnic clash to enable the safe passage of those affected out of the district to their provinces of origin” Basil said. 

“Many did not want to leave and others who left   returned. They then sought refuge at the Bulolo Police Station and are still living there without proper hygiene and sanitation. 

“Just recently, another group of people from Bubu, Garaina sub-district and Watuts confronted each other, and another lot of people have sought refuge yet again at the Bulolo Police Station.” 

Basil said the increase in the number of people at the police station had led to an outbreak of diarrhoea. 

“I have made it clear that we cannot convert the police station and the land on which it sits into a refugee camp,” he said.