Shootings between rival tribes in Papua New Guinea claim 30 lives
At least 30 people have died in Papua New Guinea as a result of multiple shootouts between opposing tribes over a contested gold mine, according to authorities on Monday.
The nation’s police commissioner has announced that security personnel have been granted emergency powers to put an end to the fighting, including the use of “lethal force”.
He further said that there is an overnight curfew and that alcohol sales are prohibited.
Since members of the Sakar tribe sometime in August arrived on property owned by their enemies, the Piande, unrest had been simmering close to the Porgera gold mine in the central highlands of the country.
Following the failure of peace negotiations between the clans, tribesmen fired more than 300 rounds on Sunday alone, according to the police.
According to David Manning, the commissioner of police for Papua New Guinea, “this deteriorating situation has been caused by illegal miners and settlers who are using violence to terrorize local communities and victimize traditional landowners.”
“Put simply, if you raise a weapon in a public place or to threaten another person, you will be shot,” he stated.
Local media said that as the conflict worsened, the second-largest mine in Papua New Guinea, operated by a Canadian company, was temporarily forced to stop operations.
Schools, hospitals, and government offices in the area have been closed, and buildings have been set on fire, according to the Papua New Guinea Post-Courier.
In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, tribal disputes are common, but authorities say the new wave of violence has been “turbocharged” by the arrival of automatic firearms.
The Porgera gold mine used to provide around 10% of Papua New Guinea’s annual export revenue, but in recent years, production has stagnated due to tribal conflict and a sluggish government takeover.
A witness called the latest levels of violence “unprecedented” in an interview with Radio New Zealand.
Earlier this year, three villages in East Sepik province were assaulted, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 people, including 16 children.
At least 17 individuals were killed in 2022 in gunfights between competing clans residing close to the mine.
Along the route that leads to the mine, security teams have set up shop and are using loudspeakers to announce peaceful messages.
During a visit earlier this month, Pope Francis encouraged Papua New Guinea to “stop the spiral” of bloodshed.
“It is my particular hope that tribal violence will come to an end,” he stated.
“It causes many victims, prevents people from living in peace and hinders development.”
PNG Police has been contacted by the BBC for a statement.
