PM urges his people to stop killings

By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
PRIME Minister James Marape has told the people of his Tari-Pori district in Hela to stop the killings and tribal fights, and to surrender all guns in their possession.
He was in the district yesterday to witness the surrender of guns, including a machine gun, by five warlords at Tari town.
Speaking in the Huli language, Marape called on leaders in the three local level governments to surrender all the guns.
He said he wanted the district to be free of guns, free of killings and fighting.
Since Hela became a province in 2012, 913 people had been killed in tribal fights in the three districts of Tari-Pori, Koroba-Lake Kopiago and Komo-Magarima.
There were 176 killings in Tari-Pori alone.
Since a campaign to end fighting in Hela eight months ago, 65 mediations were held between warring tribes in the province including the Tagali local level government area in Tari-Pori where the fiercest fighting had been seen in recent months.
Hela’s law and order committee coordinator John Tipa said in the past 10 months, people were afraid to congregate for fear of fights in the town area. Tipa urged Hela Governor Philip Undialu and the Government to pass a law to have those with guns arrested.
“We know who are holding firearms, especially those who are keeping them for protection,’’ he said.
Hela’s administrator Magago Dagoba said the campaign to surrender guns began eight months ago.
“I never stayed in town after 4pm (as) the sound of gunfire was always heard. We will take back Hela and we will do it by pushing for the removal of all firearms,” Dagoba said.