Province raises alert

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By MIRIAM ZARRIGA
THE Enga government has declared the Tsak local level government (LLG) area a fighting zone as a tribal fight continues between two clans with an estimated 40 lives lost since last November.
Provincial police commander acting Supt Ephenes Nili said the declaration would be in effect from Jan 7 to March 7.
Preventive orders have been issued to the clans involved in the fighting at Wambus and Sopas villages.
“The Enga government peace and good order committee has declared the Tsak local level government as a fighting zone to avoid the spillover of fighting to other LLGs,” Nili said.
He said the fighting started in November over a piece of land between the Yopo and Palinau clans of the Sikin tribe.
A Palinau man was killed and dismembered allegedly by the Yopo clan over the piece of land, and in retaliation, the Palinau raided the Yopo clan’s territory and killed five people, including a woman.
“Yopo village has been completely destroyed and the fighting has now escalated to the Yambaten tribe displacing men, women and children,” Nili said.
He said security forces comprising police and PNG Defence Force personnel were out-numbered with the conflicting clans using high powered guns to attack and kill each other.
Nili said the preventive orders gave security forces the power to arrest anyone who breached the order.