Lae ethnic rivals agree to reconcile

 THE ethnic rivals living in the Sialum compound in Lae, Morobe, have agreed to reconcile – but it will cost K92,000 and 31 pigs.

The violence left three people – two men and a woman – dead and more than 240 people homeless last October. 

A total of 229 homes were burnt. 

The Lae city law and order committee, provincial government, Lae district authority and police managed to find an amicable solution last Thursday to end the hostility.

The rival parties are from Sialum and Kabwum in Morobe, Kerowagi and Chuave in Chimbu and Okapa in Eastern Highlands.

It was agreed that the Kerowagi and Chuave residents will offer K50,000 and 10 pigs to Sialum, while Sialum will give K10,000 and five pigs to Okapa.

Similarly, people from Kabwum will give K10,000 and five pigs to Okapa who in return will give K20,000 and 10 pigs to Kabwum. 

The people from Chuave and Kerowagi will also give K2000 and a pig to the law and order committee as the penalty for not attending five consecutive peace negotiations.

Law and order committee chairman Sam Oyaya said the money and pigs would be in the form of bel kol and tok sori – not as compensation payment.

Oyaya said after four months of investigations, they concluded that the Chuave-Kerowagi residents instigated the problem, and later attacked Sialums. 

The Okapas became involved when the Sialums burnt a house belonging to Okapa elder.

“Taking into consideration the Morobe provincial government’s K5000 compensation benchmark, the figures agreed to is a bel kol because properties were destroyed and lives cannot be replaced,” Oyaya said.

This would help ease the tension that still exists today because of massive loss of properties and lives.

Despite the cost being too high for reconciliation, it will stop any future payback.