BUSA JEREMIAH WENOGO
PAPUA New Guinea is well known for its tribal fights that have left a trail of blood and destruction through its hinterland over many years.
It was not until the missionaries penetrated the highlands 90 to 100 years ago that the number of tribal fights significantly subsided.
In some parts of the highlands such as Enga and Tari in the new Hela Province, tribal fights are still common. In fact right now the districts of Komo Magarima and Tari Pori in the Hela Province are in the middle of major warfare involving several tribes.
Already lives have been lost while many more people are reported wounded. By the time the fighting comes to an end, the scale of destruction could be enormous.
The government has been asked to intervene and it looks certain that it will have to explore the option of declaring a state of emergency in the conflicting zones. Already these two districts have been declared war zones.
In the face of overwhelming odds and with the Hela police unable to control the violence, the government has called out the military to contain the situation.
Failure to curb the fighting could pose problems to the multi-billion kina PNG LNG Project, which the government will want to avoid at all costs.
The project has been instrumental in stimulating the growth of the PNG economy and much of PNG’s future depends on its effective operations. Furthermore, failure to de-escalate the situation in Hela could destabilise the governance structure of the new province and plunge it into a state of anarchy.
When Sir Michael Somare with his fellow members of the Bully Beef Club successfully gained independence from Australia in 1975, national unity was still a work in progress.
In the midst of this diversity and volatility, groups like Papua Besena burst onto the scene advocating for separation – in its case, Papua from New Guinea. At the same, groups in East New Britain and Bougainville were seeking autonomy.
That said, although PNG’s cohesion has been tested time and again since independence, it has maintained itself as a united nation. Its 40th year of independence next September will be a significant milestone that will no doubt draw admiration from other countries.
So far the Bougainville civil war is the only dark spot in an otherwise stable history. Yet lack of service delivery and unequal distribution of the wealth mainly are now forcing provinces such as New Ireland and East New Britain to seek greater autonomy from the national government.
The Bougainville crisis is a vivid reminder of the extent to which people will go if they are unhappy and frustrated with their situation.
Hela Province has been for many years a hotspot for conflict and it is imperative that the government address this problem.
Perhaps the current review of the Organic Law on Provincial & Local Level Government will propose some way forward. There are also proposals by the national government to empower second and third tier governments and in the process address the poor service delivery.
Perhaps the most devastating form of ethnic tensions emerges around general elections. Election related fighting between rival factions of opposing candidates often lead to death and destruction.
Over the years these fights have become more sophisticated with frequent usage of modern weaponry like high powered guns which have replaced traditional weapons such as axes and bows and arrows.
In addition, mobile phone communications are now allowing warring tribes to track and ambush their opponents. As reported in PNG Attitude by Fr Nicholas Yambu, a Catholic parish priest in Tari, this is precisely the case in the ongoing conflict in Hela.
Over the years, ethnic tensions in PNG’s major towns and cities have cost so much in lives and money that it is time for the government to introduce tougher measures to tackle the problem.
Even in universities student fights have been linked to regional affiliation. During my own university days I witnessed couple of confrontations relating to ethnicity.
In a society where the wantok system is a social norm such attitudes can lead to confrontation at the organisational and political level where provincial and regional politics take precedence over the national interest.
Over the years successive PNG prime ministers have been accused of practicing the wantok system by appointing their own tribespeople and cronies to top jobs in government. Critics suggest the current incumbent, Peter O’Neill, is no different.
Tribal fights can easily become a threat to national security when they spill over into urban areas. Cities such as Port Moresby have witnessed fights involving warring tribes from outer provinces, especially the highlands.
These have been inflicted at the expense of the law abiding and peace loving citizens of the city. Sometimes innocent people are killed which fuels further tensions with other groups. Often people who belong to warring ethnic groups don’t go to work or school for fear of their lives.
In Port Moresby the lack of respect shown to traditional landowners of the city by settlers is breeding antagonism among Port Moresby’s local inhabitants. Landowners are uneasy over incidents involving settlers taking over their unused land without permission or payment. These settlements become breeding grounds for criminality and ethnic tension.
Lawlessness in places such as Gordon Market which caught the ire of the public and is said to be the doing of one or two ethnic groups has led to a growing call for the government to implement the Vagrancy Act. But at what cost?
The betel nut ban in force in Port Moresby has also led to clashes between various ethnic groups. Last week it was reported that a clash between people from Wabag and Goilala over betel nut smuggling across the Laloki River had led to several deaths.
One of my work colleagues who rents a house in Morata belonging to someone from Wabag told me how he and his family endured a horrendous night after it was reported that five Goilalas were killed as a result of retaliation from Wabags.
PNG’s key to solidifying its nationhood depends on the government unifying diverse groups of people. Development and state revenues should be fairly distributed while promotion of provincial identity should not be at the expense of national unity.
There are already concerns that provincial flags, which are produced en masse to commemorate PNG’s independence, may incite strong regional feelings. During the recent independence celebrations in Port Moresby, more people were draped in their provincial colours compared to the national colours.
Our people must understand that 16 September 1975 was a time when PNG was brought together as one people under its own government, flag and constitution. The creation of provinces with their provincial capitals was a result of our independence.
Ethnic tensions are a result of conflicting ideologies and affiliations. Although they may not be as visible as warring tribes hurling spears at each other, they infiltrate job promotions, resource allocation and other aspects of national life.
PNG’s political landscape is characterised by stronger feelings of regionalism than party ideology. For instance, during the Paragate saga, landowners from Hela and parts of Southern Highlands came out strongly in the media warning that Peter O’Neill’s downfall could result in the shutdown of the PNG LNG Project.
Was this a case of a group of people attempting to blackmail the rest of Papua New Guinea?
During the political impasse between O’Neill and Somare, one of our nation’s founding fathers, the late Sir Matiabe Yuwi, called on MPs in Southern Highlands and Hela to support their “brother MP (O’Neill)” to form a government.
A key reason was that O’Neill, “a son of Southern Highlands and Hela”, would be at the helm to reap the rewards of the PNG LNG Project.
Regardless of our past and current situation, Papua New Guineans should always look to the future to strengthen our unity. There is an increasing number of kids who are products of inter-marriage between provinces. We are becoming a more integrated society. There is more that unites us than divides us.
It is a joyous occasions that puts a smile on our face when we stumble upon a mixed relationship involving a relatives of ours from elsewhere. My personal journey to trace my family’s mixed relationships has yielded some surprising results. Perhaps your will too.
Maybe, for the Helas and Wabags, it should start right at their doorstep where enemy tribes inter-marry. Maybe that is what our tension-filled countrymen need for peace to dawn upon their land.