Settlers call for inquiry

WARIA settlers who were left homeless after a fight on Aug 31 have urged police to conduct an investigation into the cause of the incident in Wau.
More than 500 people have been displaced as a result of the violence, most affected were children, women and public servants.
Spokesmen Owen Poia and James Taninao called on local MP Sam Basil to address the matter and for Wau police station commander Allan Gualin to investigate and arrest suspects who used guns to attack them in the fight.
Taninao refuted allegations by the Biangai people that the Waria compound had harboured criminals and this was one of the reasons for the fight.
Taninao presented a three-point petition calling for an investigation into the cause of the fight; an investigation into the alleged use of guns by the Biangai and to clarify if the motive for the fight was over land rights.
“If this is an excuse over a land issue then it has to be dealt by the court,” Taninao said.
Wau Primary School teacher Wendy Meirei, whose house was burnt, said lack of health and education services as well as the bad state of roads had caused many Waria’s to migrate to either Wau or Bulolo.
“If Warias are branded as trouble makers and criminals then MP Basil, please cut the electoral boundary and give us our share to return home and manage our own affairs,” Meirei said.
Basil said police had been engaged in a 21-day operation and would carry out investigations in Wau and Bulolo.
“We cannot keep on harbouring criminals to continue doing illegal activities that will tarnish our image when those who cause trouble go into hiding,” Basil said.