Please bring peace back to Mt Hagen

MT Hagen used to be a very beautiful and safe town in the 1990s.
Unfortunately, that is not the case any more.
It is the third city but criminals have virtually overtaken it.
The recent daylight robbery of K2,000 from a village man from Jikawa at the Hagen Plaza by armed thugs was a shameful act.
This should not be entertained by peace loving citizens of Hagen and PNG.
Mt Hagen is the hub of business in the Highlands region and the tribes around the city have benefited from this.
In fact, many locals have become millionaires because of its central and strategic location.
And because of this strategic location, Mt Hagen has enjoyed its share of the gold money from the neigbouring Porgera mine and oil money from Southern Highlands’ oil and gas projects as thousands of landowners, company executives, workers and other Highlanders travel in and out of the city every day.
The PNG LNG project will generate even far more opportunities and the local leaders must address lawlessness in the city now.
I challenge the local leaders, especially the two principal tribes – the Jika and Mogei – who own most of the land in and around the city, to take pride in their city and take ownership of the law and order issue themselves.
Why are they allowing people who bring business to their doorsteps to get robbed?
Please work with the police and keep the city safe so people can conduct their business safely.
Keep the city safe, Hageners.
It is your pot of gold.
The city will make all of you richer if there are no law and order problems.
I know the local boys are big and tough and are capable of handling criminals and thugs in the city.
They just need to organise and bring peace back to the city.

Concerned Ialibuan
Ialibu