Lack of vehicles delays probe into tribal fight

ENGA’s Mobile Squad 11 (MS 11) is still stranded in Wabag because there are not enough vehicles to send them to Tari to investigate a tribal fight over the weekend.
Southern Highlands provincial police commander, Supt Jimmy Onopia, said yesterday MS 11’s 43 armed members needed two more vehicles for transport.
“I am trying to find two more vehicles for MS 11 to get moving to Tari and beef up manpower there to restore law and order,” Supt Onopia said.
He said tribal fighting in Kubalu over the weekend was brought under control but the situation “is very tense”.
Supt Onopia said MS 8 from Kerowagi deployed to PDL 4 in Gobe would move into Kubalu today to monitor the situation.
“No one was killed in the fighting over the weekend but the operations of Exxon liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, Oil Search Limited and Curtain Brothers in the area are badly affected.
“Police will ensure that the fighting in the area is completely stopped and law and order restored for developers to carry out their work peacefully,” he said,
Supt Onopia appealed to the warring clans to lay down their arms and resolve their problems peacefully in court.
“Taking the law into your own hands will not resolve anything. There are proper avenues for feuding parties to resolve their problems amicably,” he said.