Warring tribes in Hela sign peace agreement and promise to stop fighting

By PETER WARI
A tribal fight of four years between two tribes in Hela ended on Tuesday when the warlords signed a peace mediation agreement and received court orders from police that restrained them from future fighting.
Provincial police commander Supt Martin Lakari said the tribes of Toma Tunga and Hatani Taya clans promised not to fight each other again and signed the agreement in the presence of security personnel and other Hela leaders in Tari.
He said the tribes from the Komo-Margarima electorate were known for a series of armed robberies, cargo-looting and harassment of innocent people at Ambua Gap and Tigibi.
“This is the way forward, it is time warring tribes follow this example, lay down their weapons and let there be peace in their communities and villages,” Lakari said.
“The two warring tribes lost properties worth thousands of kina, their loved ones killed and wounded, vulnerable people seeking refuge in other people’s land and the fighting halted everyone’s freedom of movement.”
Lakari said school students were badly affected in the four years of fightingt in which many were traumatised and lived in fear.
Lakari said acting chairman of peace mediation Timothy Hayara, who accompanied security personnel for the mediation process, was one of the key players who made sure the two parties reached the peace agreement.
He said both parties agreed for a compensation ceremony that would eventuate at a later date but currently embraced peace to rebuild their damaged lives.
He said their warlords supported police to surrender for peace.
“They have been issued the court order and anyone that instigates any problem in the future will be held liable for breaching the court order and the peace mediation agreement,” Lakari said.