Man shot dead in B’ville tribal conflict

BOUGAINVILLE police confirmed that a man was shot dead and an unspecified number of houses burnt down near Oria in the Konou constituency of South Bougainville last Thursday.
The killing and burning were believed to be in retaliation for the wounding of a civilian, who was part of a community work party from Oria, early last week.
The retaliatory attack had caused two Autonomous Bougainville house of assembly members to call once again for both parties in the long running tribal feud to sort out their differences through peaceful means.
South Nasioi member and chairman of the Law and Justice Advisory Committee John Ken teamed up with Member for Selau and vice-chairman of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee Pr Terry Mose to appeal for peace in the area.
The two leaders met with acting Assistant Commissioner of Police in Bougainville last Friday to discuss possible ways of ending bloodshed in Bougainville’s southern trouble-spot.
Ken called on the local militia group from Oria, Wilmo, and the opposing party believed to be followers of rebel leader Damien Koike to lay down their arms and let the law take its course.
Mose, who has been heavily involved in trying to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, had called on all parties to reconcile for the sake of referendum and independence on Bougainville.
He urged all Bougainvilleans not to wait upon the government for reconciliation funding but continue with the process using whatever resources available in the villages.
Meanwhile, acting Bougainville police chief Tohua said they had with the Bougainville Police Service established police posts in every constituency in the autonomous region.