Clash blamed on students

By JIMMY KALEBE
A FEMALE primary school teacher and several villagers were hospitalised and houses torched at Makopin village in the Dagua local level government (LLG) area of East Sepik about two weeks ago, police commander Supt Albert Beli says.
He said it was an on-going clash after students from Makopin and Samin villages debated and exchanged words over the burning of a classroom at Brandi Secondary School in 2017.
“The tussle of words among the students led to the involvement of parents and then the entire communities,” Beli said of the Aug 30 clash.
He said Samin villagers retaliated and burnt 12 houses, destroyed a grave yard and a vanilla garden belonging to the people of Makopin.
Beli said police in Wewak intervened and stopped the fight however, it started again, resulting in five people and the female teacher seriously wounded and hospitalised.
A team of police from Wewak attended and met with ward councillors and community leaders from both sides.
“We made a call to both sides to lay down their arms and surrender at Dogur. “A restraining order signed by police and community leaders called for normalcy,” Beli said.
Beli said police would return to talk with community leaders tomorrow to enforce the restraining order.
The restraining order discourages provocation, instigation and use of weapon.
Beli said police would be sent to Dogur Station to monitor the situation and make sure schools were open and other services such as health were in operation.
Meanwhile, Wewak police and people of Boikin and Dagua LLG areas are supporting a plan to build a police station at Dogur.
Beli said the station was badly needed.
“The setting of the police station will serve the entire population between Boikin and Dagua LLGs and the public travelling between Wewak and Aitape in Sandaun,” Beli said.
Both LLGs are supporting the plan and community leaders are keen to see it built.
“The villagers have come on-board to show their support by allocating a portion of land at Dogur, the spot at which the police station is to be built,” Beli said.