The continuous lawlessness in Porgera has caused anxiety among people as government services and businesses shut down following continuous conflict between the Nomali and Aiyala clans.
The community leaders are now calling on for government intervention as their hopes and efforts in restoring peace begin to diminish.
A female leader and business woman, as well as the President of Porgera Women in Business Elizabeth Iarume has called for government intervention to resolve the ongoing tribal conflict in Porgera.
“The fighting has escalated and guns rule by day and night here in Porgera. Innocent lives taken, communities displaced and homes and properties in the thousands destroyed,” Iarume said.
Mrs Iarume said despite community and stakeholder efforts such as those of the local law enforcement, churches, Restoring Justice Initiative (RJI), Voluntary Crisis Management Committee, external security deployment and others to stop the fighting and establish peace, the lawlessness continues to escalate.
“We need a higher level of leadership to come in and take control of the situation. We need the State, the Provincial Government to also come in and participate. If we want to stop this, we have to look at the root cause and everybody should be involved. We cannot work in isolation and try to do this by ourselves,” she said.
“We can go on fighting over the shares and benefits of the New Porgera mine but all of these will come later or not at all if we don’t fix and stabilize law and order in this Valley,” she added.
Similar concerns were raised by the Porgera Urban Town Councilor Peter Mark Malipu, who lost his son in the tribal conflict at Paiam last year.
Mr Malipu is calling on the District Administration to function and be present on the ground to provide the link between the community and the upper levels of government.
“We have a leadership crisis on the ground. Instead of uniting for a common cause to fight the lawlessness, leaders are instead fighting and where does that leave the people?” Malipu said.
“The district leadership needs to be present. It needs to monitor and report on the situation on the ground to government for us to get real help,’’ he said.
Both leaders Mrs Iarume and Councillor Malipu have acknowledged the ongoing efforts of the RJI in facilitating and providing support towards the peace and restoration efforts in the valley and for providing a sense of hope for the communities in the absence of local leadership and the rule of law.
