Tribe signs deal to lay down arms

THE Hone tribe, one of the two clans who were locked in a fight over land in Hela’s Tari-Pori, has signed a police order agreement to lay down arms, police commander Chief Insp Teddy Agwi says.
“If you (Tepua tribe) do not come to the police station to do the same to stop fighting and continue to just give excuses not to sign the agreement, we will come after you,” he warned.
“We know where you are and we will go after you with full force.”
Chief Insp Agwi said the Tepua tribe lost a village councillor and the Hone tribe lost three men in the tribal war sparked by a land dispute between two cousins in Papiali village near Tari town.
“The Hone tribe came to the police station and signed the agreement to stop fighting but the Tepua clan had yet to sign the police order,” he said.
“They wanted to send middleman to negotiate but I said I want the warlords themselves to come.
“This is not mediation, it is a police order to stop the fight.”
Chief Insp Agwi said warring tribes should understand and differentiate peace mediation from police order.
“We want the tribal fighting to stop so that there is order for mediation and peace reconciliation to take place,” he said, adding that Governor Philip Undialu recently gathered warring tribes in Hela and wanted them to make peace and sign peace agreements.
“The warlords from Tebi local level government met with Governor Undialu but I did not go because it would look like police are collaborating with criminals and murderers when in police uniform.
“I was inside but came out and said we should organise a programme to make it formal.
“Agreements are signed so that police will work with them for lasting peace. There will be no lasting peace unless the murderers appear in court.”