Mining tribe fears armed criminals

By GABRIEL LAHOC
A TRIBE is concerned about being attacked with high-powered guns and is seeking police help.
The Hote people in Salamaua, Huon Gulf, have condemned the presence and actions of criminals in their area.
Kidex Yap, spokesman of the Walama tribe of Hote who were attacked late last month at their alluvial mining camp, claimed that the armed attackers were from the neighbouring Kela village.
The Butu alluvial miners’ settlement was given to Hote leaders under a colonial mining lease agreement and the Hotes have since been involved in small-scale mining.
Yap said they reported the matter to the district administration and police.
Police were dispatched to Kela to round up suspects but managed to bring in only three Kela leaders for questioning as the community was not co-operative.
“Our attackers were armed with pistols and other sophisticated weapons. They attacked us but we managed to escape.
They destroyed our food gardens, burnt down five houses in the Butu mining settlement and stole our gold, bush knives, axes and other properties,” Yap claimed.
He said they managed to trace their attackers back to  Kela and towards the location of the Salamaua Heath Centre.
“We have been co-operative and call on the Kela community leaders and government representatives to help bring these culprits to justice.”
 he said.
Morobe provincial Police Commander Chief Insp David Warap said he was not aware of the matter but it was serious because of the presence of high-powered firearms and promised to look into it.
He also appealed to the Hote leaders to help solve the matter.
Salamaua local level government president Joshua Haggai and district administrator Robin Bazinu could not be contacted.