Three sets of preventative orders were served yesterday to the three tribal groups fighting in Wabag.
These orders were given to achieve a complete ceasefire on the unrest.
The Kandeps were ordered to leave Wabag and return to Kandep, while the other two tribes in Wabag will remain calm and leave the matter to the hands of law.
In a peace ceremony yesterday in Wabag, the Teremanda and Amala villagers and the tribesman of Lakalap in Kandep district, where former Kandep MP Don Polye is from, formerly laid down arms and accepted the Preventative Orders (POs) issued to them.
The PO stated that the Kandeps and other parties involved in the unrest must return to their home villages.
There must not be any more fighting as the Peace and Good Order Committee had declared Wabag and Kandep District ‘fighting zones’. This means that Police have wider powers under the Intergroup fighting Act to arrest and detain those who decide to fight.
Failure to comply with the Preventative Order will see those involved to be imprisoned for six months, or pay a fine of K2,000. The three groups accepted the PO and agreed to end the fighting.
The Kandeps agreed to put their matter to the Court of Dispute and Returns of not counting their seven disputed boxes which contained most of Don Polye’s stronghold votes.
Their boxes are currently locked up at Wabag Police station.
The Kandeps regret venting their frustrations on the innocent Kala villagers, believing that the Provincial Elections Steering Chairman, Dr Samson Amean, who is also from Kala tribe of Amala, had influenced the setting aside of those boxes.
They demanded a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, the Kala tribe accepted the PO and echoed their stand that they were innocent.
They also asked for an immediate enquiry into the whole crisis so that compensation could be sought.
