Concerns over effect of fighting

ABOUT 100 people have been killed and 500 houses burnt in an ongoing conflict in New Ireland that needs government intervention to quell it, acting provincial police commander Snr Insp Gabriel N’Drihim says.
“A policeman was killed in 2017 and thousands of villagers have been displaced, seeking refuge in the surrounding islands in the Tigak Group of Islands and also in Kavieng town since this conflict started in 2000,” he said.
“In 2014, a mobile squad from Tomaringa police barracks in East New Britain was deployed to quell the situation.
“However, they failed and returned.
“There have already been about 15 peace talks but all were unsuccessful.
“This conflict between two villages in Lavongai on New Hanover Island has been going on since 2000.
“If it was in the Highlands, the national government would have already declared a state of emergency and deployed a police mobile squad and PNG Defence Force soldiers to address it.”
Snr Insp N’Drihim said a policeman was speared to death in 2017, by a faction when he went there to address this situation. “He was then chopped up with knives,” he said.
“The factions were using high-powered guns and no longer using spears, bow and arrows.
“This conflict was believed to have risen from a land conflict and flared up again three months ago.
“My rural police station commander and the Task Force were deployed there to make assessment report and returned,” Snr Insp N’Drihim said.
“From their report, we need about K500,000 to deploy a local police team to the islands which is about 23 nautical miles from Kavieng town.
“This funding will cater for our firearms, food rations, fuel and other logistics requirements. That report has been submitted to the provincial administration.”