Cash, pigs given as compensation for election deaths

A TOTAL of K300,000 and 300 pigs were paid as compensation over the weekend at Semin village in the Nipa-Kutubu district of Southern Highlands for the death of three people during the 2017 general election in Mendi.
Two of the three people, all supporters of Governor William Powi from the Nipa-Kutubu district, were murdered by supporters of rival candidates during the counting period at the Momei Oval in Mendi.
The third person died in Mt Hagen while following Powi.
Powi shared responsibility for the deaths and said the compensation was part of a peace and reconciliation process after the violence and destructions in Mendi town, including the burning of an Air Niugini plane and court house.
Powi said in order to bring in development and changes into the province, there should be peace and order first.
He said he decided to compensate three of his supporters and then later look at those others who received injuries.
He said after fixing things and making peace in his Nipa-Kutubu electorate, the other part of the peace and reconcilliation process would be those who died and received injuries and had properties destroyed.
The governor said the peace and reconcilliation committee led by former MP Philemon Embel would make peace in Mendi-Munihu and then Hela.
Powi said Southern Highlands people needed to allow law and order to prevail if they wanted to see changes.
He said the province needed the rule of law and order for development to take place.
Powi thanked his supporters for the pigs and cash given to him to pay for compensation and said the donations indicated their strong support.