Warring clans sign peace deal ending years of fighting

TWO warring clans in Mt Kare, Enga have signed a peace deal to end more than three years of fighting.
Leaders of the Leapi Pako clan led by Councillor Kemben Pawe and those from the Leapi Pende clan led by James Yange signed the deal recently.
One of the conditions is that all hired gunmen must return immediately to their provinces.
The fighting which began from a land dispute on Nov 29, 2017, and extended into the neighbouring Porgera valley as displaced people sought refuge in safe areas.
Porgera’s acting district administrator Jerry Maku thanked the clan leaders for agreeing to restore peace.
He said the local government wanted to bring back government services into Paiela.
“I am thinking of sending all the public servants back to Paiela with the counsellors,” he said.
“Paiela is a separate district but the fighting brought us here.
“We are all here and it’s not good.
“Now that the two warlords and the hired men from Tari have agreed to go back, we must go back to our place.”
The clans agreed to have the district law and order mediation team sort out their differences.
Pawe and Yange declared that the tribal fighting has ended.