Compensation brings peace, says leader

 By FRANCIS POKA

COMPENSATION is the way to bring peace among the tribes and in communities in Western Highlands, Moke-Kumunga tribe leader Joseph Kar says.

Kar said this after making a compensation payment of K63,000 and 56 pigs following the death of a magistrate and a leader of the Pinambe tribe killed by Moke-Kumunga tribesmen last year.

He said the leader died in a car accident and a Moke-Kumunga tribesman had been blamed for it. 

“The tribe has to pay the compensation to bring peace,” he said.

Kar said paying huge compensations was an expensive exercise but it was the only way to bring peace among the conflicting tribes and communities once and for all.

He apologised to the deceased’s tribes and praised them for keeping the peace and not getting involved in tribal fights as that would only create tension and fear.

Kar said in the Highlands, there was no alternate way to resolve problems such as tribal warfare or related killings.

Kar urged other tribes in Western Highlands not to take the law into their hands but to continue practising traditional ways of resolving problems.

He said if a conflict could not be resolved in a traditional way, people should refer  it to police.