Businesses affected by tribal fight, says industry president

By ELIAS LARI
THE Porgera Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) is concerned over businesses affected by tribal fighting that has claimed more than 50 lives including women and children recently.
President of the PCCI Nickson Pakea said this was affecting the flow of business and movement of people.
He said authorities or the government should step in to address the issue between the Anga and Eno clans of Lower Porgera.
Pakea said the fight started on Feb 21 between two drunkards.
He said it was something drunkards were creating and it did not involve business houses or other people.
Pakea said an 18-year-old from Mungelep village was killed last week.
Police commander Supt Epenes Nili confirmed the fighting.
According to Pakea, several more properties, including cemeteries at the two villages, Kakadak and Yuyan, were destroyed following the killing of the youth.
The young man was believed to be from another ward and not a member of the two rival clans.
Pakea said fighting was taking place about 3-4km away from the mine site and the township.
“Business has been affected and lives of the people back in the villages are also at risk,” he said.
“This fight needs to be addressed to restore normalcy.”
Pakea said while the people were focusing on the Porgera mine issue, killing was continuing at Kakadak and Yuyan villages.
He said the business community in Porgera was “very concerned” that their operation was being affected.
“This fight needs to stop so that the normal operations of businesses can resume,” he said.
Pakea said the people from Anga, Eno, Kewai, Pianda and Pulumani had lost family members and properties in the fight.
“Even attempts made by community leaders from the neighbouring villages, a team from the provincial law and order group, police and the PNG Defence Force were in vain as warring parties persisted,” he said.
He said both parties even breached preventative orders not to fight.
Pakea said it is believed that both sides could be hiring gunmen from Enga and the neighbouring Hela in the fight.