Post-election violence continues in Bulolo

National, Normal
Source:

The National, Thursday July 19th, 2012

By GABRIEL LAHOC
BULOLO district remains affected by post-election violence.
Public servants, voters and villagers from the remote communities are still facing threats, intimidation and assaults by unsuccessful Bulolo open candidates and their supporters.
These groups have reportedly discharged high powered firearms in public since the declaration of Sam Basil as Bulolo MP last Monday.
Morobe provincial police commander Chief Insp David Warap said yesterday he has yet to receive reports of the situation on the ground.
However, police personnel and public servants in Bulolo alleged that candidates, unhappy with the Basil’s landslide election victory, have been involved in threatening and assaulting supporters of Basil and Bulolo public servants.
Bulolo district administrator Tae Guambalek confirmed that he and his senior public servants were still receiving threats over the phone.
“These candidates and their supporters have threatened me and my programme managers.
“They said as soon as the soldiers leave, they will burn all government vehicles purchased by the joint district planning and budget priority committee,” Guambalek said.
“I call on other candidates to respect the wishes of the majority of the people, especially in the rural communities.
“The people have spoken through the ballot papers,” he said.
He urged candidates and their supporters who he described as a minority group, not to harass and assault villagers from the remote communities in the district who come into Wau and Bulolo towns.
Basil has told his supporters and the people not to retaliate as these were law and order issues to be dealt with by the police and authorities.
Bulolo police are monitoring the situation on the ground and are expected to make more arrests soon.