by Serah Aupong – EM TV News, Port Moresby
11 men are confirmed dead in an ongoing tribal fight along the border of Enga and Western Highlands Province.
Provincial Police Commander for Western Highlands, Chief Superintendent Martin Lakari, told EMTV that the 11 are the latest reported deaths in what is a 30 year long tribal conflict.
Ogla Makindi, District Administrator for Mul Baiyer, confirmed that the fight is between the Kukutina and Yapalin tribes of Kompiam, Enga Province, which has spilled over into the Mul Baiyer District of Western Highlands Province.
Due to the remote location of the area, police have been unable to intervene due to the fighting zone being only accessible by helicopter.
Makindi says a peace mediation team, which he led to the fighting zone recently, have managed to keep the situation calmer on the Mul Baiyer side of the border.
However Makindi says authorities in Enga Province, along with Kompiam Ambum’s local MP John Pundari need to intervene from their end to assist in resolving this conflict.
