By Mortimer Yangharry
Enga Provincial Police Commander Superintendent George Kakas has clarified the misinformation ran on the headline by one of the dailies saying “outgunned” is not proper and is biased.
PPC Kakas said that the story was taken out of context.
“I never said and quoted as I was outgunned, outmanned and in need of support, it was totally misquoted by Post Courier.”
“What I stated was the tribesmen had massive fire power and were more than our numbers” he said.
“We managed to control them and were strategizing to contain them from advancing any further into the main Highlands Highway and into other areas to cause more damage,” Superintendent Kakas clarified.
“The security forces I have is sufficient and I have been getting the necessary logistical support such as fuel and rations from the government and with proper strategies we are employing, like declaring the area a “fighting zone” this inter-clan fighting is manageable, ” PPC Kakas said.
“We are getting support from the Enga Provincial Government in making a move to suspend all village councilors and officials from the payroll and we hope that will deter them from remaining silent on the issue.” PPC Kakas said.
PPC Kakas is confident that the fighting will be contained as security forces on the ground have set up camp in the battle ground in-between the warring factions,” PPC Kakas said.
The Enga police chief assured the government, business houses and the public that this situation will be contained as this fighting is within the Nenae and Mupalu sub-clans of the Itokon clan without the involvement of other clans and neighboring tribes due to the work of the security forces and local leaders on the ground.
“I am an experienced field operator and can strategize and improvise with what I have at my disposal to combat any situation that may arise as the security forces are prepared to contain any law and order situation we are currently faced with,” determined Kakas said.
“I was not happy with what was put in the paper. I was misquoted by Post Courier and I would like to remind the newspaper to put it into proper context when reporting such incidents,” PPC Kakas said.
PPC Kakas cautioned Post Courier saying that the journalist just cannot generalize deaths but specifically report accurately the information provided for public consumption.
“Three bodies were brought out of the battle ground, 8 people unaccounted for and more than 10 people sustained bullet wounds and taken to hospital by security forces and I didn’t say 10 people were gunned down,” clarified Kakas.
Tribal fighting in Enga Province is a cultural norm but has turned violent, dangerous and catastrophic with the involvement of high powered guns, constant supply of ammunition and the use of money to hire war lords making it a very difficult task for the government to manage nowadays.
EMTV News is on the ground ensuring dissemination of news from tribal fighting hot spots areas throughout Enga Province is independently and accurately reported as the issue of tribal fighting is culturally related and extremely sensitive.