By Hagen Open Mp,Post-Courier
Copyright postcourier
A recent fight between two tribes outside Mount Hagen, which could have easily developed into a massacre was quickly stopped by Hagen Open MP, William Duma and other MPs from the Western Highlands.
The gun battle, on the eve of the National Repentance Day ended quickly as it started, with the two ethnic groups signing a peace treaty on the third day. Six people had died and many were injured.
The decisive leadership provided by Minister Duma, Governor Wai Rapa and other Western Highlands MPs in this instance best demonstrates what leaders can do to stop tribal fighting.
In the neighbouring Enga Province, gun violence and tribal fighting is a chronic issue, yet the political leaders from that province are hardly on the ground when they are needed most to stop the violence
Our people mandate their political leaders to carry their problems so when they step in at their time of need, they listen and obey.
In Nipa, Southern Highlands, we have a situation that arose from the suspension of Wapu Sonk, as the managing director of Kumul Petroleum Holdings Limited.
The community in Nipa highly regard Mr Sonk as leader in the petroleum industry and also in Southern Highlands and they could not accept what happened.
We have to forgive their ignorance of law and business practices but it does not do anyone any good when leaders are clearly fighting among themselves over what had happened.
On one side we have the Prime Minister and the Kumul Petroleum Board and on the other side, Southern Highlands Governor William Powi and party arguing among themselves over what is wrong or right, adding more confusion into an already toxic situation.
The Prime Minister is the only shareholder trustee of KPHL by law and as the owner of the business, he makes the call. Should we respect that decision, whether we agree with it or not?
