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A deadly cycle of revenge and retaliation has engulfed Papua New Guinea‘s highlands, with tribal clashes claiming at least 30 lives in a spasm of violence that shows no signs of abating.
In response, security forces have been handed sweeping emergency powers to tackle the crisis head-on, racing against time to prevent further loss of life and restore stability to the strife-torn area.
Efforts to broker peace collapsed, and the situation rapidly deteriorated into fierce tribal clashes, with a staggering 300 rounds fired on Sunday alone, according to police commander Joseph Tondop.
Authorities report that the clashes have claimed the lives of 30 men from opposing clans, while hundreds of women and children have been forced to flee their homes. The violence has also left a trail of destruction, with numerous residences reduced to ashes.
Tondop confirmed that two officials, who were waiting for transportation home after their shift, were unfortunately killed in the violence.
Two government officials, caught off guard, were tragically killed while waiting for their ride home from work, Commander Tondop disclosed.
Police Commissioner David Manning said “lethal force” would be used to restore order in the hard-to-reach highlands region.
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“Put simply, this means if you raise a weapon in a public place or to threaten another person, you will be shot,” Manning said in a statement at the weekend.
“This deteriorating situation has been caused by illegal miners and illegal settlers who are victimising traditional landowners and using violence to terrorise local communities.”
Police said illegal miners from the Sakar clan had been squatting on land owned by their Piande rivals.
Alcohol sales have been banned and an overnight curfew is in place, added Manning, who vowed to remove the artisanal miners from the valley.
Tribal conflicts are a frequent occurrence in Papua New Guinea’s highlands, but an influx of automatic weapons has made clashes deadlier.
The violence has reached a boiling point, with police citing the presence of over 100 high-powered weapons in the possession of unauthorized individuals as a key factor driving the conflict.
Authorities have positioned security personnel along the highway to the mine, utilizing loudhailers to disseminate messages of peace and calm to the local community.
