Family displaced by violence

A DISPLACED Southern Highlander, Amon Muri, says he is disgusted at the level violence in Mendi portrayed by two factions who are both losers in the end.
Muri’s father is a health inspector serving in Mendi.
Muri had to take his parents and relatives, climb mountains and flee to another district in the province to escape being attacked and even killed.
Their house was among others in Mendi town that were torched by armed men.
Speaking from a safe location in the province yesterday, Muri recalled how lives were lost and state properties costing millions of kina were burnt and destroyed since Thursday.
“Why are people killing and fighting each other for?” he said.
“It is just an election.
“Once leaders get voted in, they forgot those who are fighting their battles.
“They send their kids to schools overseas, they go for (health) treatment overseas.
“And these very people fighting for their MPs will have nowhere to get services now that the facilities are being destroyed and burnt,” Muri said.
“Everybody is talking about Mendi.
“Mendi people burnt the court house, Mendis burnt the aircraft, innocent people and students will suffer.”
Prime Minister James Marape condemned the violence and destruction yesterday saying those involved in election-related violence would be identified and charged.
The burning of ballot papers taken from the Mendi Police Station of Thursday sparked violence in the town.
Marape said he had met with Mendi MP Raphael Tonpi, Police Commissioner David Manning and PNG Defence Force commander Major-General Mark Goina following the incident to address the situation in the Southern Highlands capital.
“Police and PNGDF will ensure the law-breakers are brought to justice, and the situation is managed and not allowed to get out of hand,” he said.
He said investigations would begin into post-election practices, violence and crimes in the Highlands and would be based in Mendi.
Marape said those involved in illegal practices, violence and crimes during the elections needed to realise that they were just “pawns” in some else’s game.
“The sponsors of these crimes will get away and you who are just being used as pawns, will either end up being killed or face the full force of the law.”
He called on the people involved in the violence to stop as police and military would be in the province for the rest of the year to investigate, arrest and charge them.
“This applies not only to Mendi and Southern Highlands, but also to Enga, Hela, Western Highlands and other Highlands provinces.”
He said that a Parliamentary Committee would be established to review the 2022 General Election.
He said his Government had allocated K600 million to funding all aspects of the elections and needed to know why state agencies had failed to successfully deliver the elections.
“This Government will undertake a full review into what transpired, including the common roll, logistics, transportation, performance of Electoral Commission officers from the top right through the rank-and-file.
“The committee will probe and report to Parliament so that the mistakes of the past are never repeated as we look to the 2027 General Election and beyond.”