Help line for Wasu homeless

By JIMMY KALEBE
A RELIEF Appeal Committee has been set up following unrest in a village in Wasu that claimed two lives and the burning of 42 houses on Oct 12.
Voice of Duwi Association chairman Markee Saranduo said the committee was set up to help the homeless because “no one in authority had offered any help”.
“The situation is tense and the villagers are taking shelter at the Gatop Lutheran mission station care centre,” he said, raising concern that the authorities had yet to turn up to help ease the situation.
Saranduo appealed to business houses, individuals and others to help rebuild the lives of Neng-Upulutung villagers.
Ward 13 councillor Toli Figao said the unrest was started by Wasu Secondary School students after their grade 10 examination.
“They decided to celebrate by drinking homebrew,” he said.
“As a result, a year 10 student from Pendeng village was stabbed with a knife.
“A grade 9 student from Karangan was later killed.
“That triggered a retaliation by villagers from Tahando, Belombiwi and Karangan.
“They thought the Neng-Upulutung villagers were responsible for the killing and they looted and torched the houses.”
Figao said the three villages were raided as early as 6am on Oct 12 when Neng-Upulutung villagers were just leaving their home unaware of what had happened the previous night.