By MORTIMER YANGHARRY
PAPUA New Guinean’s self-made millionaire and prominent businessman Cr Paul Kurai has been on the ground advocating for peace and organising lasting ceasefire for bloody tribal fights in Enga Province.
The businessman who has been a village councillor for the past 40 has worked tirelessly with the Enga Provincial Administration and other leaders to organise ceasefire for the politically related bloodiest tribal fight that happened in the history of the Kompiam Ambum Open Electorate and Enga province.
The fight claimed more than 200 lives and destroyed government services as well as personal properties worth over millions.
Kurai has also used his own funds to assist in resettling refugees from the Kompiam Ambum political turmoil area and provided counselling to affected village leaders who fled to embrace for peace and find amicable ways to settle.
The Kompiam Ambum political turmoil is a complicated and sensitive issue with more tribes and clans involved, however, Kurai has taken the mammoth task to visit these warring tribes and clans in person to talk to them to find amicable solutions to establish lasting peace.
At the moment, peace talks are continuing with the Enga Provincial Administrator Sandis Tsaka taking the lead to work with local leaders who have agreed to come to a roundtable discussion and reach a peaceful way forward.
The spill over of the political turmoil in Kompiam Ambum has also badly affected the Wabag Open electorate with two innocent lives of Kurai’s Kamanuwan clan shot dead and nine school children kidnapped but returned safely due to the quick intervention by the security forces on the ground.
Kurai’s Kamanuwan clan lives close to the border of the Ambum LLG where some of the warring clans live with his Kaiap village vulnerable to attack but because of Kurai’s leadership and personalities, his people have wholeheartedly respected him and have never retaliated to this day.
On Tuesday, Kurai was invited by his nearby village leader who is the councillor of the nearby Kamas village, Cr. Akoman Yongan, to officiate at the official launching of a community association.
The Pai Pings Association is aimed at promoting peace and law and order in the community with zero tolerance to illegal drug consumption owning firearms.
The longest serving councillor in the history of Enga politics bravely told the people who gathered not to support tribes and clans who are involved in tribal fights as it is the people who will suffer with women and children scattered all over the place.
Kurai reminded them to work hard on the land and abstain from illegal activities which are factors leading to tribal fights that turn disastrous.
He donated K5,000 each to the two local elementary schools (total of K10,000) after witnessing the elementary students braving the hot sun to welcome the government delegation and important guests who attended this momentous village occasion.
Kurai also appealed to the people not to harbour murderers and wanted criminals but always inform the police or directly inform him so he will deal with them with the assistance from the government.
He decided to live with his people and has been sharing his resources and blessings with the people.
Kurai also has been assisting in establishing government services with the help of the Catholic Church in different parts of the province over the past 30 years and is continuously assisting.
Kurai is working with the provincial government to assist the affected community leaders and prominent educated elites find positive ways forward to address these sensitive issues.
Meanwhile, Enga Law and Order Development Forum will be held later this month which will see political leaders and leaders of the warring factions coming together for the first time in a quest to finding a peaceful way forward for the betterment of the people of Kompiam Ambum, Wabag and Enga province as a whole.
“I can just leave and enjoy my life and money elsewhere but I must remain committed to answer to the divine calling of God to serve others,” Kurai said.
