Clash between ethnic groups in town leaves one youth dead

A YOUTH from Yakamul, Aitape in West Sepik died during a chaos in the township last week, a senior police officer says.
Assistant Commissioner of Police for Border Command Peter Philip said the incident happened at 3pm on Friday when a candidate from Yakamul in Aitape-East Coast came into town for nomination and found out that it had been deferred. “Drunken youths came into town in truck convoys as supporters to witness the nomination of their candidate,” Philip said.
“When they heard that the nomination was deferred, they went into the main market and started destroying and damaging market goods belonging to mothers.”
Philip said the public and youths from Aitape town retaliated, helping the mothers chase the supporters of the candidate down to the main shopping centre.
“The township was in a total chaos resulting in all shops and businesses close and people fleeing for their safety,” he said.
Philip said the fight was between the two ethnic groups of youths from Malol and Prou/Vokau against the youths from Yakamul.
“The fight continued and the youths from Yakamul stabbed a youth from Lemieng and Malol but he didn’t die.
“They retaliated and stabbed the youth from Yakamul who died instantly.”
Philip said police intervened to stop the fight by firing two warning shots to disperse the crowd but unfortunately, the youths from Yakamul attacked them.
“The police were outnumbered as they were only six police personnel. Three were axillaries and three regular police officers with only one firearm,” he said.
Philip said the suspect involved in the killing was arrested and brought in to Wewak for investigations to be carried out.