Two men leading the fight to bring peace to warring tribes in SHP

TWO men from two warring tribes in the Nipa-Kutubu electorate in Southern Highlands are working together to and organise a peace reconciliation ceremony.
Job David, from Hulol, and Freddy Pimai, from Hombrol tribe, in the Nembi Plateau LLG area, want youths, students and educated elites in the district to support them and work together to bring peace and embrace service and development.
The duo, after seeing how their tribes suffered during and after the fight, organised a voluntary peace committee to look into the possibility of a peace treaty involving customs and traditions.
David said tribal fightin g that erupted in 2015 caused massive destruction to government services, affected churches and left hundreds of people homeless.
He said innocent lives were lost and he wants to put an end to this.
David is a university graduate. He said that when he returned home from studies two years ago, he was saddened to see school students doing nothing in the village because they were not able to attend school near the territory of their tribal enemy.
“Our only school, Injua Primary, elementary schools, churches and homes were set on fire during the tribal fighting,” David said.
“Both warring tribes have encountered hardship and now want peace.
“Their children cannot go to school, people cannot go to markets to sell their produce and the freedom to move around and have access to government services has been restricted.”
Pimai said the working committee will organise a forum in July that will be attended by the district development authority, peace and good order committees, churches, non-governmental organisation and stakeholders.
“We ask all the educated elites from the district to support this voluntary committee so that we make awareness, call for peace and reconcile,” Pimai said.