POLICE Commissioner David Manning says the historic Enga peace mediation talks comprising leaders of 25 tribes from Enga Province is set to take place in Port Moresby tomorrow, March 8, 2024.
The mediation talks will be facilitated by the Enga Provincial Administrator, in partnership with the Police Commissioner and the Acting Chief of the Defence Force.
Manning said these formal mediation talks are the first of their kind to address tension and conflict in Enga province.
“The people of Enga, particularly the Mothers and those who have been displaced, have had enough of the terror, and are behind this approach to bring tribal chiefs together for the first time in the one meeting,” the Commissioner said.
“It is obvious that the approach taken over recent years has not been effective in Enga and this meeting of chiefs will be historic and I hope a turning point for peace.
“Instead of throwing money at trying to resolve ethnic conflict, and imposing top-down security measures on selected clans, there must be balance with more effective ground-up action.
“This means that communities have to take ownership of their futures, and peace engagement must be embraced at the local level.”
The Commissioner’s comments follow intensive engagement between the Police Force and the Enga Provincial Government.
Manning commended the proactive and committed approach of Provincial Administrator, Mr. Sandis Tsaka, to bringing all parties to the table to mediate a lasting peace.
He said while many of the ethnic tensions in the area are historic and deep-rooted, the increasing levels of violence and killing have made finding realistic solutions more imperative.
“We all know that there has been fighting between some clans for generations, but never before has this fighting been so bloody and destructive.
“Over recent years at least 19 villages have been destroyed, and many thousands of people have been displaced, by vicious and violent fighting using firearms.
“This has been made much worse with the growth of a gun culture and hired gunmen supported by corrupt individuals who provide weapons and ammunition.
“These gunmen have no conscience and carry out violent crimes including rape, torture and murder, and other acts of domestic terrorism such as burning homes.”
The Commissioner said a central element of the talks is that the mediation will take place between tribal leaders, free from politics or external agitation.
“There is an important role for elected representatives, but first there will be talks specifically between tribal chiefs.
“This formal mediation talk will establish the framework to advance a twofold strategy for achieving an ongoing peace.
“That strategy is anticipated to include a ‘law-and-order arm’ and a ‘humanitarian arm’ that are interrelated.
“While security forces will remain engaged and steadfast in affected areas, there will be a change of force posture that will be discussed with clan leaders.
“This will enable more effective ceasefires between conflicting communities who will know that if any individual threatens another person or encroaches on their land, there will be a rapid security response.
“Calming this ongoing conflict and establishing a lasting peace is bigger than security force action, but requires a whole-of Society response to the broader underlying societal issues.
“From the humanitarian perspective, this process will involve identifying the needs of the people in these tribal areas that are preventing them from advancing.
“When people do not have opportunity to advance their lives or are facing financial hardship, this leads to tension and anger.
“When people are free to go about their daily lives, to grow their crops and operate SMEs, engage in society, the desire to fight is reduced.”
