Police prevent Komo clash

HEAVY police presence in Komo, Southern Highlands, has helped in the prevention of what could have been a bloody tribal clash between the Tagima and Horatove clans on Monday afternoon.
A man from Tagima tribe was attacked by a man from the Horatove tribe in Komo and the victim was taken to Tari Hospital at around 5pm.
He was treated with head injuries and placed under intensive care at the hospital and as tensions rose, police moved into Komo and deterred the two warring factions from fighting.
According to police sources involved in the operation, some people in Komo went about spreading false rumours, saying the man had succumbed to his injuries and died.
This rumour agitated the Horataves who took up an assortment of weapons with the intention of waging an attack on the Tagima tribe when police intervened and stopped the two tribes from fighting.
Police have assured relatives of the victim that all efforts would be made to arrest the suspect involved in the Tagima man’s attack and had appealed to the Horatoves to bring the suspects.
Meanwhile, a contingent of police personnel from Port Moresby arrived in Tari yesterday to provide back up for the ongoing LNG security operations in Tari, Komo, Nogoli and Hides areas.
After last month’s intrusion by villagers at the Hides 4 camp, all heavy trucks and machinery belonging to Clough Curtain Joint Venture Company were taken to the C1 camp and parked awaiting the outcome of negotiations between the Government, landowners and developers of the LNG project.
The C1 camp is located a few hundred metres away from the Hides 4 camp and this is where the conditioning plant will be installed.
Police camping in Hides 4 maintain increased security along the highway between Tari, Komo, Nogoli and Hides to clamp down on unregistered vehicles, illegal weapons, and drugs and alcohol.
The whole area designated for the resource projects is now considered safe due to the increased number of police personnel deployed to provide security for the LNG project.