Marape urges clan to lay down arms

TARI-Pori MP James Marape has called on his tribesmen to lay down their arms or face the full force of the law.
Marape appealed to the Hone clan, especially the warring people of Paipeli village, who had been fighting over  land.
“Today there is no time for tribal fights when we are bringing in the Hela region, the LNG project and the new technical secondary school built in the village,” Marape said.
He said land mediation should be exhausted to resolve issues and people must not take the law into their own hands.
“I appeal to my own people to lay down their arms otherwise I will authorise police to go in and arrest the perpetrators,” he said.
Marape said police would be fully-funded and equipped to stop tribal fights.
Hela provincial police commander John Anaiwe and Marape went to Paipeli village on Tuesday where the locals agreed to stop fighting.
But fighting flared again yesterday morning.
Marape said outside influences were causing the fighting to continue.
“These little tribal issues must not be supported. Today, the face of politics and unnecessary influence will come in to cause disharmony among clan members and I appeal to them to be wary.”
He commended the Tiapu tribe, Alugo tribe and Amdiai tribe for listening to him as a clan leader and member of parliament.
Marape said the village of Paipeli had just got a newly-constructed secondary technical school costing K8 million, primary school and LNG company sites.