Lae mayhem…

HALF of Lae city has been caught
up in violence.

(Story as it appeared in yesterday's issue of The National)


The focal point of the violence is spread around the Ahi local level
government area of Lae city.
It is where the settlements are booming.
At Kamkumung, Eastern Highlanders and Engans have been at each other’s
throats over a knifing incident two weeks ago.
Last Sunday, after peace negotiations brokered by police and community
leaders fell through, a fight broke out.
Yesterday, a young Asaro man was admitted to the emergency unit of the
Angau Memorial Hospital after being slashed in the face with a bush
knife.
He said his attack was related to the Kamkumung fight.
At Hunter Settlement along Busu Road, the stabbing and death of a man of
Highlands origin last Tuesday, forced the closure of the market and kept
people from all parts of the country at odds with each other.
Over the weekend, an East Sepik man was said to have been attacked by
Morobeans at Busu Bridge.
The Sepiks raided the Morobeans in retaliation.
Yesterday morning, the stretch of fertile savannah grassland between
Malahang Industrial Centre and Second Seven Cemetery was the scene of
destruction and mayhem.
The Morobeans, reportedly from Kabwum had run havoc on all food crops
and houses destroying and burning as they romped on.
Observers at the scene saw a youth from Sepik hit on the head.
Men and women were seen collecting what was left of their belonging.
Gas stoves, dishes, and even books were carried from the side of the
Busu River across the road.
There were no signs of children, only adults and youths.
Even with police presence, the Morobeans still attacked.
Last Friday afternoon, two security firms’ personnel clashed outside a
shop over allegations of stealing at Papindo Supermarket, bringing
business to a halt.
The huge crowd on the busy pay Friday were sent running in all
directions as Lae police task force commander Insp Clement Dalla and his
men rushed in to bring the situation under control.
The fight broke out after Kuima Security guards at Papindo’s Eriku
supermarket caught two security guards from another firm with two cans
of corned beef.
Managing director Anton Kaupa, who was at the scene, said his officers
“politely asked them to return the two stolen items in their possession
and they retaliated using violence”.
His guards had mobilised and attacked the other firm’s guards.
“I intervened and calmed down the situation and ordered all my men to
refrain from engaging in any confrontation with the guards from the
other security firms,” he added.
Mr Kaupa said his guards were only executing their duties to check on
shoppers leaving the shop and caught the two guards with the items,
which were reasonably suspected of being stolen.