Feeder road led to clash

THE clash between Porebada and Boera villagers, where four youths were killed, is in relation to the feeder road from Boera to Papa-Lealea.
A stop work was held 100m from the Boera junction where a couple of new gardens had been made recently, prior to the Curtain Brothers upgrading work.
Why build gardens close to the road and then stop work instead of doing the right thing through land mediation between the two villages?
To give some background, two decades earlier, Porebada villagers raided Boera and looted homes, slaughtered pigs and caused other damage.
As such, there is animosity between the two villages.
After three weeks of construction by a road construction company, this feeder road was built to avoid any more harassment from Porebada because the only route to Boera was through Porebada village.
Therefore, why have these opportunist seized to strike at the junction of the feeder road?
The mobilisation of Porebada youths last Sunday had occurred during the normal Sunday church service at Porebada by opportunists that prepared for the raid on Boera village.
Many of these youths were intoxicated and did not listen or heed the advice of the village elders and leaders of the United church and the village and allow for a delegation to seek maino (peace) with the Boera people.
On Sunday, Boera leaders and people were also meeting after church service and were expecting a delegation from Porebada later that day to maintain stability between the two villagers.
Instead, they were confronted by two burning homes at the entrance of the village.
When the third house went up in flames, the women and children of Boera were evacuated to higher grounds and residents who remained to watch their houses, were almost hacked with bushknives and axes.
The youths of Boera stood their ground and fought to defend their property, the safety of the women and children of Boera.
In the end, four young lives were lost and many more people were injured, from both villages.

Edai Siabo Tubuna
Port Moresby