Stop fighting

We would like to present the grievances of the people Sugu Valley and Aiya of Kagua-Erave who are displaced and living under threat and fear and are surrounded by a constant feeling of danger.
There are two separate ongoing tribal fights within Kagua-Erave in Southern Highlands involving multiple tribes in the conflict.
Apart from the fighting in Sugu Valley there is another fighting going on in Aiya LLG which have involved 6 council wards and have result in more lives and home destroyed with thousands of women and children displaced so far with no proper food, medication and shelter.
We, the Kagua-Erave students from the University of Papua New Guinea, are calling on the Police Minister Bryan Kramer to intervene by honouring his words to make PNG feel safe especially our women and children.
We also are calling on our local MP with Southern Highlands government and the National Government as well to deploy more manpower on the ground to coil the tension.
We believe that fighting is likely to spread throughout the district if the mentioned parties fail to strengthen law and order break down in the district.
The other avenues to coil the situation has been exhausted including businessman Maita Yawi’s effort due to lack of heavy police presence.
The women and children are prime victims of the situation as more women were raped and killed with more children killed in the fighting.
Our fellow brothers of Sugu Valley and Aiya of Anagrepa tribe must lay day down arms and prepare for peace.
Local leaders must not be inciting fight by providing guns and ammunition.
They must stop as the fighting is tarnishing the communities and leaving negative image to our districts.

Chris Aiyapi
UPNG KESA former rep